CSEA calls on Hochul to protect highway workers

(WIVT/WBGH) – In the wake of the tragic death of a highway worker in Silver Creek and the close call that nearly took the life of a man working in the Southern Tier, the Civil Service Employees Association is calling for action against harsh and unsafe working conditions.

The CSEA announced on Friday that it is calling on Governer Kathy Hochul along with state legislature to make the protection of highway workers a top priority as they near the legislative season.

The union is urging state lawmakers to strengthen existing laws and implement new penalties aimed at ensuring the safety of highway workers and other first responders. The CSEA is hoping these laws will better educate the public about the critical need to move over and slow down when approaching emergency and maintenance vehicles.

"Every day, CSEA members work in dangerous conditions, often within mere feet of speeding traffic. They are not just workers-they are fathers, mothers, sons, and daughters who should not have to fear for their lives while performing their jobs," said Mary Sullivan, President of the Civil Service Employees Association Local 1000. "It is time for lawmakers to recognize the growing threat and take meaningful steps to protect the men and women who maintain and repair our highways. Lives are at stake."

The call for safety is subsequent to several high-profile incidents over the past year, especially this past week. CSEA Thruway Authority employee Stephen Ebling was senselessly killed Monday morning while working on Interstate 90 in Chautauqua County. And a CSEA Department of Transportation worker on Interstate 81 in Whitney Point was within inches of losing his life after being nearly hit by a box truck.

The union is calling on state leaders to take action during the 2025 legislative session to address this growing crisis and to provide better protection for those at work.