Tentative agreement has been reached in contract talks between PEF and the private contractor operating the regional medical unit at Coxsackie Correctional Facility.
Negotiating on behalf of nearly 40 private-sector PEF members at the Coxsackie RMU, PEF settled with Correctional Medical Services (CMS) on a one-year tentative agreement which would take effect February 1, 2000, if ratified.
The PEF Executive Board must approve the pact before it can be sent to the members for ratification.

The agreement would provide for an hourly pay raise of $1.75 for all full-time and regular part-time licensed practical nurses (LPNs). This represents a 16 percent pay raise.
All other full-time and regular part-time members of the bargaining unit would see their hourly pay rate boosted by 26 cents, or 3 percent.

“Nurses are a scarce commodity in today’s labor market and the substantial raise we achieved for these LPNs resulted from the growing problems CMS has in recruiting and keeping people in that title at the Coxsackie RMU,” said PEF field representative Tom Capone, who was chief negotiator for the union in these talks.
Members of the bargaining unit also gained the right to participate in the CMS health insurance program under the same terms and conditions offered to other CMS employees at Coxsackie.
PEF also won improved contract language on arbitration of grievances.
— Sherry Halbrook

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