Pride
article delighted momTo the Editor:
I was delighted to read the article about the efforts of “Pride at Work to battle workplace discrimination ” in the last issue of The Communicator.
As a PEF retiree and very proud mother of a gay man, I am glad to know my union is helping in the fight for civil rights for all working Americans. ENDA – the Employment Non-Discrimination Act – as it exists on the national level, falls short in its present form, but it took us more than 30 years to get a similar bill out of committee and passed in New York state.
I am very proud my union and people like Tom Privitere are working so hard to make sure that bigotry in all of its forms has no place in our workplaces. It can be done; I now live in Arizona where a domestic partnership coverage bill was passed – the only state to pass such a bill.
Again, many thanks and kudos to all of those who are working so diligently to make equality for all a reality.
LILA HAUPTMAN
Surprise, AZ
Leave donations appreciated
To the Editor,
I'd like to thank all PEF members who donated hard-earned (vacation) time to someone they don't know. It comforts me that kindness to a stranger still exists.
On the 8th of October they placed an artificial heart in me until the time comes for the transplant. It's been a rough road, but all those days lying in ICU (the intensive care unit) it was such a comfort for us not to worry about losing our home.
Your donations have provided financial security until transplant time and it feels great to be able to focus on getting ready for that final step.
Thank you seems such a small word to use for what you have done for us, but from us: Thank you.
CHRIS SHEAFFER
Camilus
Fight to get higher DOT pay
To the Editor
Excuse me, but I believe the PEF is fighting a battle on the wrong side.
The state transportation commissioner is out drumming up support for funding to preserve our highway and transportation infrastructure.
PEF is asking for the state Transportation Department (DOT) to hire more personnel. Fine.
But, at the same time, PEF is asking for consultant salaries to be lowered to meet DOT levels – isn’t that backward? With the state of the infrastructure as it is; with hiring down, with everyone doing more with less, shouldn't PEF be taking the opposite approach?
DOT personnel are being asked to work longer and harder and they deserve at least the inadequate salaries paid in the private sector. State-employee benefits are no longer so superior to those on the private side that they justify a lower salary. Also, many DOT personnel are engineers who have a long, arduous and expensive educational background – equivalent to any lawyer or doctor. Shouldn't PEF be seeking salaries that reflect that effort?
Also, look at PEF’s makeup. More and more often, downstate positions are filled with new immigrants or green-card-holders because the salaries are not high enough to attract qualified U.S. citizens. Upstate, graduate engineers and professional engineers are stuck at technician levels because of antiquated civil service title series and no promotions.
How is the Empire State to live up to its name and produce the quality and volume of work required to keep it from sinking to the level of a Third World country when PEF helps the government to hold down salaries.
I urge you to join the private sector to raise the respect and salaries of employees the state needs so we can maintain our standard of living; and do it before the country starts to outsource all engineering. Then where will PEF be?
JOSEPH ANGELO
Editor’s note: PEF is fighting for better pay for all of its members, especially those such as engineers who are often paid far less by the state than they could earn in the private sector. The state has found it must increase its hiring rates and add what it calls “geographic differentials” in order to compete in the labor market downstate and in some other parts of the state for engineers, nurses, and other titles.
PEF, various state comptrollers and private auditors have been critical of the state for spending more for private contractors to do work than it would cost for state employees to do the work.
PEF maintains the state could save money by doing jobs in-house. Taxpayers would get better value for their investment and would have greater control because public employees are more directly accountable to the public, better regulated and are dedicated to public service.
Member: Thanks for support
To the Editor:
I would like to thank all of my PEF brothers and sisters for the caring and support I have received since the article about my plight was written in the October 2007 issue of The Communicator.
I have always said the strong relationship I have had with my co-workers and administration in the Department of Correctional Services is one of the things that has made my battle (with breast cancer) easier. I have never had to worry about anything but healing.
Thank you again for your continued support. You will never know what this means to me.
JOYCE KRYGIER
Cheektowaga
Thanks for your condolences
To the Editor:
On behalf of the family of Mrs. Catherine Omotomilola, who passed away October 31, 2007, I thank all PEF members, staff and others for their expressions of sympathy. The cards, telephone calls, and e-mails are greatly appreciated.
OLUBIYI SEHINDEMI (“Mr. B”)
PEF Trustee
Oops!
An article in the December-January issue mistakenly included the Department of Civil Service with state agencies that have no PS&T unit employees. In fact, PEF represents nearly 60 PS&T employees at DCS.
The calendar which appeared in the December-January issue mistakenly indicates both administrative and institutional paydays fall on Wednesdays. Institutional paydays are on the Thursdays of the weeks in which they are currently shown.
The Communicator Letters policy
We welcome letters to the editor about union issues and events relevant to PEF's diverse membership. All letters are subject to editing for space, fairness and good taste.
Please keep them brief (up to one page, double-spaced or a maximum of 250 words), and please include your name and phone number for verification.
Send letters to thecommunicator@pef.org:
The Communicator
Public Employees Federation
P.O. Box 12414
Albany, N.Y. 12212-2414
Email to Sherry Halbrook, Editor or Darcy Wells, Editor-In Chief