08/15/2025
Pearl Insurance joins CSEA in mourning the loss of the remarkable Danny Donohue, a fearless advocate for working people, and a beloved friend to many.
Danny led CSEA for over 25 years and served the union for more than four decades before passing away on August 10, 2025.
Danny valued the long-standing relationship with Pearl Insurance, believing the Insurance Program was beneficial for all CSEA members. Working closely with Pearl Insurance over the years, Danny made dear friends here. Pearl Insurance honors Danny Donohue's legacy.
Rest in peace, Danny.
CSEA is mourning the loss of former CSEA President Danny Donohue, a towering figure in the labor movement, a fearless advocate for working people and a beloved friend to so many people. Donohue, who led CSEA for more than 25 years and served the union for over four decades, passed away on Aug. 10, 2025.
Donohue was the longest-serving president in CSEA’s history and one of the most influential labor leaders of his generation. Rising from his roots as a “truck driver from Brooklyn,” he never lost his blunt style of speaking, quick wit or deep commitment to the people he served. He was bold, unafraid to speak his mind and never hesitant to take on a fight when CSEA members were being treated unfairly.
“CSEA is greatly saddened by the loss of Danny Donohue,” said CSEA President Mary E. Sullivan. “Danny was a dear friend to me for decades, a mentor and a partner in countless battles for working people. I worked alongside Danny through tough negotiations, political fights, and moments when the odds seemed stacked against us. He was fearless when someone was wronging his members. He’d let them know it, whether they were the Governor or a local supervisor, and he never backed down.
Danny also had a gift for using humor to make his point and keep people going through hard times. Sometimes, he’d break the tension in a tough meeting with a joke or a sharp one-liner. He believed deeply in CSEA and its members, and he gave everything he had to make their lives better.
Under Donohue’s leadership, CSEA won landmark victories for its members. He had an unmatched ability to rally members and speak truth to power, famously declaring CSEA “the best damn union in the country.”
Beyond his accomplishments at CSEA, Donohue was a respected voice in the broader labor movement, serving as Vice President of the New York State AFL-CIO and as an AFSCME International Vice President. His influence extended far beyond contract tables and legislative halls—he helped shape a generation of labor activists and inspired thousands to step up and lead.
Donohue retired from the presidency in 2019, leaving behind a union stronger, more united and more determined than ever to defend the rights of its members.
CSEA extends our deepest condolences to his wife Irene, his children Amy, Shawn, and Megan, and to all who knew and loved him.
