PEF
takes challenges in stride
By DEBORAH A. MILES
Great news came out of the annual labor-management conference when PEF leaders
met with managers from the state Department of Correctional Services (DOCS) in
late May at Lake Placid.
DOCS Commissioner Brian Fischer announced at the three-day conference that $1.5
million in the DOCS budget would be used for new and improved personal alarm
devices for all PEF and Civil Service Employees Association (CSEA) employees in
medium and maximum security facilities.
“This is something we had planned to fight for,” said Tom Donahue, PEF
labor-management chair at DOCS. “The announcement was one of the highlights of
the conference.
“Commissioner Fischer said he would find the money in the budget to fund a
three-year program and expected the union to keep legislative pressure going so
funding would be available in the future,” Donahue said.
The money will be used to replace existing personal alarm devices. The new
devices are more sophisticated and can track a person throughout the prison.
Another highlight of the conference, and a first, was the presence of six PEF
employees who work for the state Office of Mental Health (OMH) at various state
prisons and OMH Associate Commissioner Richard Miraglia.
“Basically, we all work in the same place, so it was highly beneficial for the
DOCS and OMH people to discuss different initiatives and how to work together,”
Donahue said.
He credited PEF Vice President and OMH labor-management chair Pat Baker for
facilitating the OMH presence at the conference.
“If it weren’t for Pat Baker, we wouldn’t have been able to accomplish this.
It’s also the first step in creating a more open labor-management process in
OMH.”
Baker said it was important for OMH and DOCS to join forces.
“We came out of the conference realizing there is a need for more cross training
between the two agencies. DOCS also agreed to do an analysis of nursing staff
levels.”
Donahue summed up the conference as “productive and one of the best.”
The Communicator
July/August 07
Features
Nurses'
power rally
works
PEF
nurse saves child
Contract team
gives GOER list
Saving
School for the Blind
DOCS conference productive
Departments
President's
Message
Legislative
Action
You
Said It: Letters To The Editor
Health
and Safety
Retirees
In Action
Getting
To Know PEF
Member
Mobilization
Health
Notes
Member
Highlights
Membership
Benefits &Travel
Union
Matters
Convention
delegate list
Bronx
PC: Stopping violent attacks
Scacalossi
winners
Unions,
DMV renew Quality license
Executive
Board news
PEF runs in Corporate
Challenge
Other Links
Professional
Directory
Members'
Classified
Communicator
Feedback
Prefer
The Online Edition?
How
To Advertise with PEF
The Communicator
Staff
Website
questions ?
Communicator
Webmaster