On September 30th, Suffolk County Legislature Minority Leader Kevin McCaffrey joined Suffolk Association of Municipal Employees (AME) President Dan Levler on his radio show, "Suffolk Matters."
Suffolk AME is made up of 30 different Unit Boards ranging from Consumer Affairs and Civil Service, Crossing Guards, DPW, and Fire, Rescue and Emergency Services, to Vector Control, Suffolk County Community College, the Department of Social Services, and more. They represent upwards of 6,000 active and retired Suffolk County employees.
Together, Legislator McCaffrey and President Levler spoke of their shared experiences within organized labor and representing the people who keep our society and industry moving. Similarly, they also spoke to their shared dedication to serving the public, particularly the residents of Suffolk County. Moreover, they highlighted the unique bond Legislator McCaffrey shares with the AME and the men and women of labor through his role as a union president and a Certified Employee Benefit Specialist through the International Foundation of Employee Benefit Plans. The bond and labor experience Legislator McCaffrey brings to the table provide an insight to labor relations that many other representatives do not posess.
Legislator McCaffrey shared some similarities between negotiating contracts and debating legislation: “Having my background in Labor and in negotiating contracts, you’re used to having that give and take. People on either side say we want this, we need that, we can’t compromise on thus, but if you want to get an agreement, if you want to get a deal, sometimes you need to be willing to compromise. You need to be willing to bend and not break. That’s been my philosophy throughout my time in office, to be able to get a deal that makes sense without compromising your integrity or where your values are.”
To hear the full interview, visit Suffolk Matters 137 - YouTube
Legislator Kevin McCaffrey represents Suffolk County's 14th Legislative District, which encompasses the Villages of Lindenhurst and Babylon, the hamlets of West Babylon and North Lindenhurst, portions of Copiague, North Babylon, and Babylon's barrier beach communities.
