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To the Editor:
I wish to express my gratitude for PEF’s efforts in pursuing legislation to reform the laws governing the deferred compensation plan available to public employees under Section 457 of the federal Tax Code.
Your work in helping to introduce legislation in Congress via the Portman-Cardin bill, if approved, will afford those of us who participate in the deferred-compensation plan the same rights that already apply to plans authorized under Section 401(k).
This reform is long overdue and, hopefully, through your hard work will be adopted by both houses and signed into law.
I urge all of my colleagues to call their representatives in Congress and recommend approval of this bill.
MAY CHOU
New York City
To the Editor:
Pres. George Bush, Sen. Hillary Clinton, and Gov. George Pataki often are heard proclaiming families and family values as the key cures for all of society’s woes.
Your family physician will tell you the way to “wellness” is stress reduction and a more simple lifestyle. Business and managerial studies have proven the most productive employees are those that are well rested and stress free.
Many of us would gladly live with less to have ourselves and families well. We are told our employers have many programs such as flexible schedules, work-reduction, on-site child and elder care, job sharing, telecommuting, etc. to help us.
So why, with all of this proof, are the employees who want to take advantage of these programs frowned on by their supervisors, their employers and, at times, society? Why has the 40-plus-hour workweek — not to mention beepers, cell phones, lap tops, etc. — become the norm?
As an employer, NYS, has become less flexible. It has those programs, but rarely allows employees to access them. Managers are more concerned that the employee be at a desk at a given time and remain there longer than the contract-specified workweek, than in giving the employee the flexibility to be well and, in turn, do a good job.
It’s time to dust off those programs and make them work for today’s work-place. It’s time to stop talking about family and societal wellness and start making it a real priority. It’s time for employers to help employees to be well and do their jobs.
This is a challenge for all of us. Are we ready to make balanced lives a reality?
CHRISTINA CIANI
Albany
To the Editor:
Much has been accomplished legislatively during the past year in regard to pension reform.
However, the needs of Tier 2 workers have not been fully addressed. Employees in Tiers 1,3, and 4 can apply 30 days of unused vacation leave toward the computation of their final average salary, resulting in a pension supplement of 2 or 3 percent. Tier 2 does not share this advantage.
For several years, bills to address this inequity have been introduced into the state Legislature, only to die in committee.
While there has been no real opposition to this measure, the number of Tier 2 people in the system is not large and no strong support for this bill has been developed.
If you are a Tier 2 employee, you owe it to yourself to contact your state senator and Assembly member.
It’s easy: just sign on to the union website at www.pef.org and go to the appropriate listing, to register your support for Senate bill S2361 and Assembly bill A4381.
Without such support, the chance for passage of these bills is not encouraging.
EDWARD SHALFI
New York City
The
Communicator welcomes 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:
The
Communicator
Public Employees Federation
P.O. Box 12414
Albany, N.Y. 12212-2414
or email Denyce Duncan
Lacy, Executive Editor The Communicator - Director of
Public Relations dduncanlacy@pef.org
or Sherry Halbrook, Editor of The
Communicator- shalbrook@pef.org