PEF bulking up for big shove to get Bush out the door

By SHERRY HALBROOK
PEF is fighting hard for job security and stronger contracts and retirements for its members, but the union’s leaders agree another issue must be addressed before these struggles can produce meaningful results.

“Unseating the incumbent president is unquestionably the single most important thing we can do for ourselves as working people and as union members,” PEF President Roger Benson told the more than 800 delegates to PEF’s convention in September.

“Don’t imagine that just because the presidency is a national office and is not based in New York, that it has little effect on your life and livelihood. It affects every part of our lives, and the negative effects of George W. Bush are crushing us. We cannot endure, and we must not endure another four years of his policies and programs that are destroying all of the hard-won achievements we made in the late 1990s,” Benson said.

The delegates overwhelmingly approved a special resolution, introduced by PEF Secretary-Treasurer Jane Hallum, calling for the union to join its affiliate international unions and others in a campaign to deny Bush a second term as president.

Where the fight takes it
The resolution calls for PEF to seek volunteers among its members and staff to work on the campaign, not just in New York, but also in other states where the political race for president is likely to be hardest fought and where large numbers of electoral votes are at stake.

“We will focus on registering voters, sending money and sending volunteers,” said PEF Vice President Ken Brynien, who chairs the union’s Political Action Committee (PAC) and its Committee on Political Education (COPE).

“We surveyed our 800 convention delegates and found 99 percent are registered to vote,” Brynien said. “Now, we need to reach out further to make sure all PEF members who are eligible to vote, register and do vote.”

Once members are registered, the focus will shift to families, friends, and then the public.

“We’ll work with the state AFL-CIO, its area labor federations and central labor councils on registering voters, educating them and getting them out to vote,” Brynien said.

Time to put up or shut up
Educating voters and getting them out to vote will take a big investment of both money and volunteers.

“We have a greater need for cash contributions now, than ever before,” Brynien said. “We need to remove a sitting president and elect people to Congress who support our issues and share our values.”

Since federal law prohibits the use of members’ dues to support or oppose political campaigns for national office, PEF is asking its members to enroll in COPE — which exists for this purpose — and authorize a regular deduction of $3 or more from their bi-weekly paychecks.

“We also ask our members to each send PEF a separate contribution of $20 specifically to unseat Bush,” Brynien added.

“We are asking a lot of our members, but it is a crucial investment in their lives and those of their families and the quality of life in their communities,” Brynien said.

“Whether it’s our jobs and state programs, our health care, our children’s educations, Social Security and Medicare benefits or dangerous wars and our security at home and abroad, our lives are controlled by the decision makers in Washington,” Brynien said.

“We can’t afford not to participate fully in the process that elects them.

“This is not about Republicans versus Democrats,” Brynien added. “PEF endorses many candidates in both parties, because we support people who agree with us on crucial issues and who have a record of supporting us when we need them most. This is about doing the right thing for our members, our families and our country.”

This message was paid for by the PEF Committee for Political Education (COPE) and was not authorized by any candidate or candidate’s committee. You may reach PEF COPE at PO Box 12414, Albany, NY 12212-2414.

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Inside This Issue
Features
Testifying on wasteful state spending
Contractor at fault in bridge collapse
Stop privatization dead in its tracks’
SEIU leads ‘Show Bush the Door in '04’
- PEF to show Bush the exit door
- How to help show Bush the door

Departments
President's Message: Bush must go
You Said It: Member's letters this month
Member Mobilization: Training gears up
Nurses' Station: protest-of-assignment
Legislative Update: Law buys time
Contact Update: Time clocks off limits
Nov. 19 Capitol Rally
Health Benefits: Roswell to the rescue
- HMO can help you stop smoking?
- Decide about your health benefits now
Retirees: Get HIP to health insurance
Health & Safety: Workplace books to go
PEF Membership Benefits & Travel Corp

Union Matters
PEF’s ’03 COPE All Stars shine
Keep hope alive at Bronx PC
PEF preps for battle to save OCFS jobs
PEF backs Gunther for state Assembly
Time clocks off the wall
OFCS member Dudley does write
Members Highlights

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