Retirees In Action

The PEF Retirees has viable chapters in all regions of New York. Our goal is to encourage membership participation in every area.

In Region 3, the Rochester area, we welcome new chapter president, Rosemary Rossi-Williams and thank the previous president, Eileen Spence, for her efforts.

We commend Spence for her leadership of the Rochester Chapter. With a lengthy union and political resume, Eileen also has been a long-time member of the Rochester Central Labor Council’s Retiree Committee and was the recipient of that group’s “Retiree of the Year” award.

Eileen was an active supporter of Eric Massa during his campaigns for Congress and her work helped him win election in the 29th Congressional District in 2008. In 2004, she spent three months in Pittsburgh “door-to-door” canvassing for the Kerry presidential campaign.

Eileen was honored at the January meeting of Chapter 3 with a plaque expressing appreciation for her service as the chapter’s president.

Rossi-Williams has a distinguished record with PEF. She was a member of the Executive Board, served on the PS&T Contract Committee and was a council leader of her division. Rosemary was a founding member of the PEF Veterans Committee, having served as a sergeant in the U.S. Marine Corps.

Rosemary worked at Rochester Psychiatric Center for 27 years. Her immediate goals as Chapter 3 president are to enhance chapter communication through an extensive e-mail network and to increase membership participation at chapter meetings.

We wish Rosemary the best as she assumes the leadership of Chapter 3.

It is essential all our chapters are strong and mobilized. In this time of ideological and economic crisis, it’s imperative we all stand together for what is right and just. We must all make the effort to scrutinize our government leaders and ensure their actions benefit all the people.

It has long been realized the leadership in Albany has more political sway over rank-and-file legislators than do their constituents. This is not good government, and we should not become resigned to it.

Please join Rosemary, Eileen and all of the PEF Retirees officers in demanding transparent government.
We need to be vigilant and proactive throughout the state to protect our rights and benefits.

Send your e-mail address to rmango@pef.org to get PEF Retirees news alerts.