By ROGER E.BENSON
June was a bittersweet month for PEF and for me, personally.

It was a month that brought the joy of extraordinary successes in PS&T contract negotiations and legislation. However, it was also a time of great sadness at the tragic death of my friend and colleague PEF Vice President Jean DeBow.
After 17 months of negotiations and 14 months of demonstrations and rallies, we finally achieved our goal of a fair PS&T contract.

When we began negotiating the contract, I promised I would not deliver to you for ratification, a contract that had zeros or major concessions.

It was a very difficult struggle, but with your help and the help of the thousands of others throughout the negotiations, we have achieved that goal, and we have fundamentally changed how contracts with the state will be negotiated in the future.

We also were able, in a single legislative session, to achieve pension COLA, tier equity, veterans’ pension buy-back, the elimination of pension contributions for Tiers 3 and 4 after 10 years of membership in the retirement system, and up to two years of service credit toward retirement for members in Tiers 1 and 2.

We achieved needle-stick and whistleblower legislation to protect our nurses and members in health care. What’s more, we persuaded lawmakers not to extend the SNPS program at the state Office of Mental Health and to restore funding for all shared staff at that agency.

This incredible array of legislation is now awaiting the governor's signature to make it law.

However, even as we were just beginning to grasp the extraordinary scope of these successes, our joy was tempered by our sadness and outrage at the drunk-driving accident that claimed the life of Vice President DeBow.

Jean was a vital element in the successes we have achieved, not just in the past month, but during the entire three years of my administration.

Indeed, Jean worked tirelessly for decades to improve the lives and working conditions of our members.

As we celebrate and enjoy our successes, let’s remember Jean and the many others who helped us to achieve them.