While it seemed to local CSEA president Megan Brewer that her fight to get the City of Lockport to add Juneteenth as a paid holiday for her members was finally won, a Common Council resolution to authorize it was taken off the council’s agenda for the second time Wednesday.
According to Brewer, about a month and a half ago, Mayor John Lombardi III signed a Memorandum Of Agreement granting CSEA members the Juneteenth holiday.
Brewer said Lombardi’s predecessor, Michelle Roman, was “combative” when presented with the request and she had hoped for a different outcome with a new mayor.
“(Lombardi) already agreed, but corporation counsel has withdrawn the resolution,” she told the Union-Sun & Journal earlier Wednesday.
After the council meeting, Lombardi said he had “jumped the gun” on signing the MOA. While he’s “one hundred percent” supportive of the deal, he said he should have consulted with corporation counsel, David Blackley, first.
“There needs to be a review of conditions in the union contracts,” Lombardi said.
Second Ward Alderman Anita Mullane said she’s concerned about the possible costs of granting CSEA’s request.
Juneteenth is a paid holiday for members of the city’s AFSCME local because they agreed to give up a different paid holiday, she said. Further, if CSEA members get an additional paid holiday, they’ll be working two fewer days than the city’s first responders.
“The fire and police departments only have 13 paid holidays,” Mullane said, suggesting the unevenness of paid holidays from union to union would cause friction, and rightfully so.
Juneteenth became a federal holiday in 2021. Celebrated on June 19, it commemorates the end of slavery in the United States.