CSEA Opposes Voluntary Clean Up in Cortland

     CSEA union leaders representing City of Cortland Department of Public Works employees have filed a lawsuit against the city. They claim the city violated its contract with CSEA when volunteers, including city officials, cleaned up city streets and side walks last year before the Jets arrived for training camp.
     The union claims the work should be done by DPW employees exclusively. The mayor and city council contend otherwise, and have hired outside counsel to defend the city's position on this dispute over volunteerism and union contractual rights.
     The Cortland Contrarian has not always agreed with Mayor Tobin and common council. We have figuratively tweaked the mayor's beard, we have alleged that a respected Republican alderman is a zombie and, on a more serious note, we have exposed a 2011 political cabal and a series of secret emails in connection with the vengeful overthrow of former Mayor Susan Feiszli. Be that as it may, on the issue of volunteerism (we have too little of it), the Cortland Contrarian supports Mayor Tobin and common council.
     If the union wins this dispute, will volunteer firemen be the next target of union lawsuits?
     DPW employees are respected and appreciated in this city. We wish the same unqualified sentiment could apply to CSEA leaders, but their narrow-minded war against city volunteers is surely alienating the public.