PEF
achieves record restorations
Legislative
budget raises revenues, restores psych centers, research
funding
By SHERRY HALBROOK
PEF has racked up a lot of points in its campaign to
protect state jobs and services from the budget ax, but
union leaders warn the battle is not over yet.
In April, the state Legislature rejected the
governor’s Executive Budget proposal and passed its
own legislation, which included most of PEF’s major
budget priorities.
However, the governor is expected to veto all or parts of
those bills by mid-May, leaving it up to the state Senate
and Assembly to come up with enough votes for the
two-thirds majority required to override the vetoes.
And, even with overrides, the Legislature may not be able
to force the governor to spend the budget appropriations
for state operations —potentially posing another
major hurdle for PEF.
Members made
their case
In its bills, the Legislature completely restored funding
for the Institute for Basic Research and the Nathan Kline
and NYS Psychiatric Institutes, as well as Middletown,
Hutchings and Elmira Psychiatric Centers. The lawmakers
also rejected the Executive Budget proposal to allow the
state University of New York Board of Trustees to
privatize the three SUNY health science centers.
And the Legislature listened to PEF and other groups
calling for big corporations and the state’s
wealthiest citizens to bear their share of New
York’s expenses.
The lawmakers adopted a three-year increase in the
personal income tax for single taxpayers with incomes of
more than $100,000 ($150,000 for couples), and they
closed two major corporate tax loopholes to ensure a
stable source of revenue for New York during the current
recession.
Set new PEF
record
“The accomplishment of these major budget priorities
represents the most budget restorations ever achieved by
PEF,” said PEF President Roger Benson, “and
it’s a tribute to the budget fight-back efforts of
all PEF leaders and members.
“Coupled with our success in securing a preliminary
injunction to block closing of the state mental health
programs, these achievements show just how effective this
union can be,” Benson said. (See related article)
“I am extremely proud of our leaders, members and
PEF staff for all the work they did to achieve our goals.
The years of painstaking effort we have put into building
our member mobilizing network, one division, one
mobilizer at a time, are paying off now. That network and
our members’ vigorous response to it are the main
reasons we have been able to achieve so much, so quickly
in the face of this budget threat,” Benson added.
“Nevertheless,” he said, “an even more
difficult challenge may lie ahead.”
Hold the line
“Push is coming to shove in Albany, and the governor
has said he will veto most of the tax increases and
spending additions made by the Legislature,” Benson
said. “We must pitch in and do whatever we can to
help state Senate and Assembly members in their struggle
to hold the line and override the governor’s vetoes
— something that hasn’t happened for
decades.”
According to PEF Legislative Director Brian Curran, any
vetoes and override votes are expected to come after this
issue of The Communicator goes to press in mid-May, so
members should check the PEF Information Line and Web
site for the latest updates.
Benson called on all PEF members to be ready to respond
if their mobilizer calls on them to write more letters,
make more calls, or rally again to create the public
pressure needed to preserve state jobs and services
through both the override battle and throughout the year.
Hand-to-hand
combat
Even if the Legislature overrides every veto, the burden
may still fall on PEF to defend its members, one job at a
time.
According to PEF Director of Civil Service Enforcement
Tom Cetrino, the state Division of Budget (DOB) moved
quickly in early May to discredit the budget bills passed
by the Legislature, claiming they don’t provide
enough revenue to support the additional spending.
Cetrino said PEF’s analysis has been able to find
little evidence, except at one agency, in the
Legislature’s budget to support DOB’s claim
that “programmatic cuts … could force 225
immediate layoffs.”
DOB asserts the potential layoffs include approximately
100 positions at the state Offices of Mental Health (OMH)
and Mental Retardation and Developmental Disabilities
(OMRDD), 80 at the state Offices of Children and Family
Services (OCFS), and Temporary Disability Assistance
(OTDA), and 50 at the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV).
“DOB always has the discretion to initiate layoffs,
regardless of the funds appropriated, because the
Legislature may not be able to force DOB to spend the
money,” Cetrino said.
Benson said PEF’s division and labor-management
leaders will need to watch for any attempts by the state
to pick members off individually or a few at a time, and
to sound the alarm before it’s too late.
“Be ready to respond quickly if we call on
you,” Benson told PEF members. “Our job is not
complete until every potential PEF layoff is
rescinded.”
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COMMUNICATOR HOMEPAGE
Inside This Issue:
Features
PEF pushes to plug corporate
tax loopholes
Members fight proposal to
merge NYSPI
PEF leads demonstration to
protect patients, RNs
Annual lobbying pays off for
PEF nurses
Union gets preliminary
injunction
Departments
President's Message: PEF is
major player
You Said It: Member's
letters this month
Member Mobilization:
Training with rallies
Nurses' Station: PEF acts to
protect nurses
Legislative Update: PEF gets
record restorations
Health Benefits: Empire Plan
Update
Legal Issues: Members win
grievance at DOL
PS&T Contract Update:
Talks continuing
Member Highlights
Retirees In Action: Huge
health hikes threaten
PEF Membership Benefits
Program & Travel Corp
Union Matters
PEF RNs deliver quality care
at Elmira PC
Full mobilization creates
union power in Reg. 5
PEF wins Article 78
Members bring Benson team
back for 3rd term
PEF Election Guide: Download
Supplement
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