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The Communicator
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| Wants real estate option To the Editor: In the general collapse of stock and mutual-fund asset values, one type of investment has held up well — real estate investment trusts (REITs). For years, I have been urging the NYS Deferred Compensation Board to add REITs to the mix of funds they offer. PEF officially asked the board in January 1999 to consider adding an REIT, as well as other reforms PEF suggested. Despite all the evidence that REITs are one of the few ways that investors can protect capital in extended bear markets, the Deferred Compensation Board has not acted. The most they have been willing to do is “study” the matter. How much longer do they propose to study the matter? While the Board dithers, a lot of people have watched their 457 Plan funds evaporate, with devastating consequences for their retirement planning. ROBERT FISHER Albany Grievances take too long To the Editor: I have empathy for the position Alan Hoxie took in his April letter regarding out-of-title work. Management can and will retaliate if you grieve it. His statement ‘the appeal is to the Governor’s Office of Employee Relations (GOER) and they back up management — like the fox watching the hen house’ — is 100 percent right! Also, GOER has refused to respond to numerous grievances, many of which are not only months old, but years old! This is the state’s way of stalling and hoping the issue (or employee) will just go away. In many cases, this unfortunately happens. PEF field representative Lynn Tucker wrote to GOER several times requesting a decision on my Step 3 appeal of my unfair promotion practice grievance. This was filed on December 7, 1998, with not so much as a courtesy response from GOER. Believe me, there are numerous step 3 appeals without responses. This is not only unfair to employees, but is disrespectful to the union, management or administrators. LARRY J. WOODWARD Elmira Editor’s note: Since March, GOER has been meeting with PEF to deal with a backlog of Step 3 grievance appeals, including that of Mr. Woodward. The Communicator Letters policy We welcome 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 email Denyce Duncan Lacy, Executive Editor The Communicator - Director of Public Relations dduncanlacy@pef.org Sherry Halbrook, Editor of The Communicator- shalbrook@pef.org |
