PEF weighing its options
Tentative agreement on CSEA pact could set contract pattern

By DEBORAH A. MILES
A contract pattern, according to PEF’s PS&T negotiating team, may have been set on March 5 when the Civil Service Employees Association (CSEA) and the state reached a tentative agreement on a four-year pact. If that agreement is ratified in April, it could set the tone for contracts being negotiated with PEF and seven other state-employee unions.

The CSEA pact calls for 8.25 percent in improved compensation with no major changes in the employees’ percentage of health care premiums through April 2007, plus $800 added to base pay on the last day of the contract. 

The employees’ out-of-pocket health care costs in several areas are increased, such as the copays for prescription drugs and office visits. And CSEA agreed to restructuring the prescription drug plan to create a level of non-preferred brand-name drugs that would be available with higher copays.

The tentative agreement would not change the current split in health insurance premiums for future retirees, nor would it diminish their health benefits.

It may not be a good model pact for PEF, because it doesn’t include a retroactive base-pay increase for the first year of the contract. Instead, it offers an $800 lump sum payment for 2003.

CSEA will count the votes on April 27.

“The outcome of that CSEA vote is important to PEF members because a ratified compensation and health insurance pattern by 77,000 employees who work side-by-side with our members in virtually every agency has historically been impossible to break,” said Roger Scales, PEF’s chief PS&T negotiator and director of labor relations.

Scales said if the CSEA members are ready to stand side-by-side with PEF members, as they did in the last round of negotiations, they might achieve better compensation and health insurance. But if the CSEA members ratify their tentative agreement, it will be difficult for PEF to fight on alone.

“So far, PEF has led the fight for fair pay raises and health benefits for members and retirees,” he continued. 

“From the looks of CSEA’s tentative agreement, “said PEF President Roger Benson, “it appears PEF succeeded in blocking the state’s efforts to shift a substantially bigger share of health insurance costs onto the employees and retirees. We have achieved 13 days of sick leave for our members. But we are still looking for a better dental program and better compensation for our members who work in areas of the state with higher costs of living.”

As this issue of The Communicator goes to press, PEF’s contract team is carefully studying the CSEA tentative agreement and evaluating what position to take if the state makes PEF a similar offer to the one it gave CSEA. So far, the state has not made PEF such an offer.

“If the state chooses to fight us, PEF will rise to the occasion. However, if we feel the state is negotiating in good faith toward achieving a fair PS&T contract, we are ready to work with them to that end,” Scales said.

Communicator Homepage April 04

Inside This Issue
Features
Contract rally sizzles
Rally activists speak their minds
PEF weighing its options
Keep Fulton Corrections open
Camp McGregor’s fate depends...
Lawmakers save Middletown Psych
PEF helps elect Fields to office
Changing the world, one cow at a time

Departments
President's Message
Member's Mailbag
Nurses' Station
Retirees In Action
Members' Highlights
Back Cover Ad
PEF Membership Benefits &Travel

Union Matters
Union halts layoffs at OCF
Judge backs nurses right to back pay
Member keeps lifesaving blood flowing
Deadline nears for OT meal allowance
PEF sending first heroes into national...
Labor community helps state workers
Grant walks the walk
Reg. 1 member running to retire
Candidates sought for E. Board
Join PEF Hispanic Committee at Somos
2004 Convention Delegate Info

Save these dates:
April 21-25
Somos El Futuro!
The annual weekend conference in Albany of the Caucus of NYS Hispanic and Puerto Rican Legislators
For more information, to volunteer, or make reservations for the reception, call Helen Brooks at the PEF Legislative Office, 1-800-724-4997.

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

Questions on this site?
Email the comwebmaster

Register here on the PEF Member Network.

Click Here email notice when next issue is online

Site Map    What's New    Search