A historic meeting took place January 14 when PEF President Ken Brynien, Secretary-Treasurer Arlea Igoe and members of the contract team met with top state administration officials at the Capitol in Albany.
“We are at a very serious stage of bargaining,” Brynien said. “PEF has not been offered a deal comparable to those provided our co-workers. The meeting at the Capitol was intended to get us beyond this impasse.
“There are those in state government who want us to take a sub-standard agreement. I am pleased our relationship with Gov. Eliot Spitzer allows up to appeal directly to him and his top advisors when this occurs,” Brynien said.
PEF Vice President and Contract Chair Lou Matrazzo said the Governor’s Office of Employee Relations (GOER) is responsible for negotiating contracts with 14 units and, at this writing, six have settled, including the Civil Service Employees Association (CSEA).
“In
each of the other negotiations, GOER agreed to provide significant economic
relief in an area of concern expressed by the union. This relief went beyond
the pattern items of across-the-board increases and location pay
enhancements. When we were denied comparability of treatment by GOER, our
negotiations moved up the food chain,” Matrazzo said.“Specifically, tens of millions of dollars in additional benefits were provided to our co-workers, and an equivalent offering has not been made to PEF,” he said.
At the meeting, PEF also delivered a presentation on the dental and vision program that included two proposals. Each showed how the state would not have to take on a significant cost, while raising the benefits to a level comparable to what other unionized state employees receive.
Brynien closed the meeting with a statement emphasizing the seriousness of an impasse. State administrators promised a close review of PEF’s issues and will respond no later than January 25.
“I ask you to stand strong with us. Be patient and trust our contract team will do its job. Most importantly, be ready to join us in a fight for what is right, should it become necessary,” Matrazzo said.
For current updates, visit the PEF Web site, click on contract, or sign-up and read the Active Informed Member (AIM) bulletins.
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