LEARNING HOW — Members from PEF Regions 1 and 3 learn about member mobilizing from PEF trainer Denise Young. — Photos by Deborah Miles

Is your PEF division fully mobilized? What are you waiting for? Get mobilized

By MARGARET MESSER
PEF will soon begin contract negotiations for its members in the state’s PS&T unit. The PEF PS&T Contract Team has begun to prepare, but to be successful in those negotiations the union must remain focused on its goals.

One of those goals is for every PEF division to become fully mobilized. So far, 72 divisions are fully mobilized. It’s a good start, but with a total of 227 divisions the union still has much further to go before negotiations begin.

The power of mobilization was clearly demonstrated in May with the successful negotiations for the state Schools for the Deaf and the Blind. Mobilizing PEF members, not only from the schools but from divisions throughout the state, played a key role in those negotiations, according to PEF President Roger Benson.

“The successful outcome of these negotiations again confirms the importance of politics, patience and mobilization, and helps us to prepare for our next major struggle, negotiating the PS&T contract in 2003,” Benson said.

“The power that active, informed members build for PEF is also evident in recent legislative achievements,” Benson added: “No layoffs in the recently adopted state budget and passage of the 25/55 legislation, and the Early Retirement Incentive. We can continue to build and use that power to get results, starting with our next major struggle — the PS&T contract.”

According to PEF Director of Mobilization and Education Cliff Merchant, not all mobilization activities have to be on a grand scale.

“They can involve bringing a few union members together as a group at the same time every day. Or members could wear the same color on a selected day, such as wearing black on pay day as PEF Division 186 at the state Department of Taxation and Finance did during negotiations for the current PS&T contract,” Merchant said.
If your division has a health or safety issue, or you want to stop budget cuts, you could have all employees wear a Band-Aid in a visible place.

Managers see the action and recognize the employees’ solidarity. If actions pop-up in all divisions, we get their attention statewide.

Sometimes, if the issue has no effect on a specific division’s members, they are reluctant to join in the statewide mobilization. However, if an employee has a workplace issue, is management more likely to listen to their voice or to the voices of 55,000 PEF members? As was proved by the negotiations for the schools, if all PEF members stick together and mobilize around issues — whether they are directly affected or not — PEF can be successful.

Communication is another benefit to mobilization. Getting accurate information to all PEF members and receiving information from them will be critical to PEF’s PS&T contract campaign. It is vital to have clear, precise communication channels already established that can be activated at any given moment.

For help mobilizing your PEF division, call PEF’s Mobilization and Education Department at 1-800-342-4306, ext. 328.

READY TO MOBILIZE — PEF Regions 1 and 3 activists get mobilizing tips at April training.

The Communicator
July/August 2002
The Official Online Edition of
The New York State Public Employees Federation

Inside This Issue:
Features
ERI, 25/55 retirement options
FAQs about ERI and 25/55
Contract Success: Schools for the Deaf & Blind
PEF testifies on adult homes
Funding restored for youth program
Workload hurting nursing-home surveyors
Member works to empower newcomers to USA

Departments
President's Message: Mobilization forms results
You Said It:
Member Mobilization: Get your Division mobilized
Members mailbag
Legislative Action: privacy & parking
Health Notes: Empire Plan enrollees counter costs
Retirees In Action: Legislative issues homework
PEF Membership Benefits Program &
Travel Corp: We've Moved to HQ

Union Matters
PEF PS&T members: Contract Survey
Union honors parole officers
Four E. Board seats filled, one at T&F vacant
PEF Scholarships Galore
NYS Museum, Archives, Library to stay at SED
Fight Back Against Privatization" Award Nomination Form
PEF committee targets civil service issues

Other Links
Professional Directory
Members' Classified
Member Communicator Feedback
Do You Prefer The Online Edition?
How To Advertise Here
PEF Pride Store
Last Month's Communicator
The Communicator Staff

Questions on this site?
Email the comwebmaster.

Register here on the PEF Member Network.Click on pefonline@pef.org

Click Here email notice when next issue is online

Site Map    What's New    Search