Make it Personal

By DARCY WELLS
PEF members got an unusual phone call in late February from PEF President Ken Brynien.

In a pre-taped message, Brynien warned members the governor’s budget proposals unfairly target state workers and retirees and he asked for their help to stop it.

“This is an unprecedented mobilization effort to stave off givebacks that are extraordinarily dangerous for our membership,” Brynien said.

The governor wants to eliminate the 3 percent raise due in April, hold back a week’s pay, make retirees pay a bigger share of their health insurance, require state employees and retirees to contribute to Medicare part B premiums, and create a new Tier 5 with reduced pension benefits making it difficult to recruit new employees.

“We wrote to every member asking them to visit, write and call their state legislators immediately to oppose these changes.

“It is unconscionable the governor wants to reopen our contract and wants us to make concessions on negotiated items we worked so hard to get, while he gives raises and promotions to his top staff,” Brynien said.

Executive Board members and division leaders involved stewards and mobilizers, who reached out to division members desk-by-desk to spread the word.

“This is a real grassroots effort,” said Margaret Messer, PEF director of mobilization.

“We’ve held meetings in various parts of the state to speak with members face-to-face, stressing the importance of taking action.

“The message is so much more powerful in person, and that applies to members as well. We encourage them to walk into the office of their state legislators and go on record against the givebacks,” she added.

Members who wrote letters, sent e-mails or visited their legislators, wore stickers proclaiming their activism.

“It’s another tool to motivate people,” Messer said.

“Ad campaigns, rallies and lobbying can be powerful tools, but we are always more effective when our members reinforce the message,” Brynien said.