RAISING THE BAR — PEF President Roger Benson refuses to accept anything but a fair contract at the state Capitol rally in March. — Photo by Deborah A. Miles

PEF pressure raised contract bar
By ROGER E. BENSON
As most members are aware, CSEA has reached a tentative agreement with the state.

Members have asked about the CSEA agreement in the context of the state workers’ pledge, and what this may mean for our contract struggle. 

When we began our contract pledge campaign in January, we were concerned that other unions negotiating with the state were close to reaching agreement. We wanted to make sure that public employees would not shoulder a disproportionate share of the state’s fiscal crisis. We knew we might not achieve all of our pledge goals, but we also knew that by raising the expectations of the entire state workforce we could positively affect any contract pattern the state attempted to set.

There is little doubt that we pushed the state, and perhaps other unions, further than they were prepared to go in contract negotiations. 

For the first time in the history of PEF, we directly impacted the final form of what may be the pattern without actually being the first union to settle. We clearly created pressure on the bargaining parties to enhance a settlement, and that settlement is now significantly improved from the original agreement.

Since the tentative contract was released, PEF has received numerous messages from a variety of sources claiming that the pledge campaign raised the bar significantly for the CSEA tentative agreement. Specifically, it added the fourth-year on-base percentage increase, created pressure to eliminate the percentage premium shift in health insurance coverage for individuals and families, caused the state to raise the lump-sum payment from $500 to $800 and caused pressure to add the second bonus to base.

Based on history, if ratified by their members, the CSEA pact will establish the contract pattern for the eight other unions negotiating with the state. Unfortunately, CSEA’s pact does not include a base raise in the first year of the agreement, and although it expands the area included in the downstate differential, it does little to provide cost-of-living adjustments for high cost-of-living areas.

Certainly, these negotiations are not over, and as I write this, we haven’t received the same contract offer as CSEA. However, regardless of whether CSEA ratifies the tentative agreement, we will fight on until we have the best contract we can get for our members, and we will work to improve on the contract so that it meets the needs of our members. 

We helped set the contract pattern the state wanted to establish for its workforce, now it’s time to do whatever it takes to get what we’ve earned.

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:
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Somos El Futuro!
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For more information, to volunteer, or make reservations for the reception, call Helen Brooks at the PEF Legislative Office, 1-800-724-4997.

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