Prolonged PS&T contract talks may have put PEF’s regular education and training efforts on hold, but it didn’t stop determined members of PEF Division 200 at the state Labor Department on Long Island.

They found a way to provide training for members preparing to take the civil service test for labor service representative which was given February 26.
“We don’t have much training going on right now, so we took the initiative to try to give something back to the members,” said Sal Casciola, a Division 200 steward.
The two evening training sessions in mid-February must have been appreciated, because 35 Division 200 members showed up take it.
“I think it meant a lot to our members,” said Division 200 Council Leader George Caloumenou. “They really seemed to appreciate it.”

The union provided the training materials and dinner for the trainees.
The cost of the trainer was split between Division 200 and the Long Island Chapter of the International Association of Professional Employment Security (IAPES).
IAPES is the professional association at the Labor Department and many PEF members and managers are also IAPES members.
In fact, Division 200 member Hermine Weismen is president of the Long Island Chapter of IAPES.

And IAPES member Glenn Jones, a management employee, conducted the training. The Labor Department allowed them to use its regional offices for the training.
“We had great cooperation and support for this from IAPES and Labor Department Acting Regional Director Roseanne Maraia,” Casciola said.
The training was such a success, Division 200 leaders are already talking about the possibility of offering more in the future. — Sherry Halbrook

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