PEF
honors Spitzer for reducing NYS’ reliance on contractors
RARE HONOR — Gov. Eliot Spitzer receives award
from PEF President Ken Brynien. — Photo by Ken Dischel PEF Executive Board member and delegate June
Edwards was honored as PEF Privatization Buster of the Year for her
leadership in defending SUNY Upstate Medical University Hospital in Syracuse
from privatization under the state Berger Commission plan.
Brynien praised Edwards for spearheading resistance efforts from rallies, to
petitions, letter campaigns and testimony — all aimed at deflecting a
proposal to merge the large teaching hospital, which serves the most
seriously injured and ailing New Yorkers throughout the central and western
areas of the state, with Crouse Hospital.
The commission would have made the SUNY facility subordinate to Crouse,
which has struggled to succeed on its own as a private institution.
“June’s leadership and efforts are a major reason we succeeded in changing
that plan,” said Brynien, who pointed out the adjustments negotiated on
behalf of the SUNY hospital were the only changes anyone has been able to
make in the Berger Commission plan.
In accepting the award, Edwards cited her many years of service as a
professional registered nurse at the hospital and her desire to see it stay
public.
She said, “I couldn’t have done this without the help of PEF Division 320,
PEF and its staff.”
— Sherry Halbrook
PEF
honors Spitzer for reducing NYS’ reliance on contractors