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Some Utica Zoo workers look to unionize

Payne Horning
/
WRVO News File Photo

Workers, including zoo keepers, veterinary technicians and animal specialists, at the Utica Zoo are working to form a union. The group cited high staff turnover and feeling like they aren’t being heard from zoo administration.

Caleb LaRocca, who has worked as a zookeeper at Utica Zoo for more than two years, helped lead efforts to unionize back in August. He said he reached a point where he felt too many good people were leaving the zoo.

“I wanted to make the zoo a place where good employees and good coworkers could make a home and stay there and build a team together,” LaRocca said.

The Civil Service Employees Association or CSEA is representing the Utica Zoo workers.

In a statement, Kyla Jacobs, deputy director of administrative operations for Utica Zoo said “While not necessarily typical for a small not-for-profit like the zoo, we respect our employees’ right to make a decision whether they wish to be represented by CSEA.”

Syracuse and Buffalo also have unionized zoos with LaRocca saying that aspect can be a positive for prospective employees.

“A unionized zoo is a sign when you're searching for a job that this is a place that's going to value me and value my experience and education,” LaRocca said.

The Utica Common Council recently passed a resolution in support of the Utica Zoo workers encouraging zoo administration to voluntarily recognize the union. Common Councilor Katie Aiello said she is very receptive to the idea.

“As we look to grow Utica and retain young people that comes with secure jobs, living wages, especially we want well-educated people,” Aiello said. “If we want to support people to grow their roots here, I thought this was the way.”

LaRocca said the goal of the union is to help workers live a more comfortable and financial life.

“This is not us looking to double our salary and start living a whole other type of life,” LaRocca said. “It's about how much we love the animals, and how much we love teaching the public about their importance, and that's never going to change. We just want to be able to do that without all the additional stresses distracting us from that goal.”

The union vote is set for October 20.

Ava Pukatch joined the WRVO news team in September 2022. She previously reported for WCHL in Chapel Hill, NC and earned a degree in Journalism and Media from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. At UNC, Ava was a Stembler Scholar and a reporter and producer for the award-winning UNC Hussman broadcast Carolina Connection. In her free time, Ava enjoys theatre, coffee and cheering on Tar Heel sports. Find her on Twitter @apukatch.