Managers,
stop abusing staff
To the Editor:
It’s no secret that state workers are mistreated and go unappreciated, but
this tops everything.
In “appreciation” (“Administrative Professionals’ Day”) of support
staff, administrators in the state Office of Professional Medical Conduct at the
state Health Department in New York City asked the staff to indicate their lunch
selection from a menu ahead of time.
One employee said it was her day off on “Appreciation Day,” and asked that
her lunch selection be brought to the office where she would enjoy it the next
day. This was done.
However, along with the “appreciation lunch” the next day, came a
closed-door lambasting of the staff person for “having the nerve, etc.” to
have asked for the lunch because it was her day off.
The staff person was shocked and brought to tears in disbelief.
Another disgrace occurred about three weeks earlier when a staff person was
harassed and harangued daily for being a few minutes tardy due to a medical
condition until finally, this 72-year-old employee with 21 years of loyal
service had a heart attack on the subway on her way home from work — only an
hour after the lengthiest of these haranguing sessions.
After her recovery, she came to the office to see her co-workers and water the
plants she so lovingly added to enhance our environment over the years. She was
subsequently notified that she was not permitted access to the office for
visits.
As a steward in PEF Division 199 at this worksite, I urge management to do
something to curtail this abuse of authority that is permitted to run rampant.
We accept the fact that we don’t enjoy anything near the salaries or get the
perks that these abusers get, but we should not and will not accept personal
abuse, lack of respect, and the attempted theft of our human dignity by these
people.
ALLAN S. LIND
Mineola
Senator Farley supports prison
To the Editor:
Thank you for including news (in the May issue of The Communicator) of the
efforts being taken here in the state Legislature to save the Mt. McGregor
Correctional Facility. This facility is an important part of the local
community, not only for the jobs it creates, but for the extensive participation
by the inmates in important community projects.
I thought that you might be interested in the work which Senator Joe Bruno and
I, who jointly represent the area encompassed by the Mt. McGregor facility, have
accomplished to ensure that it will remain open.
The Senate Majority Budget Subcommittee has firmly recommended keeping Mt.
McGregor open. With the Senate fully on board with saving the jobs and programs
at Mt. McGregor and, given the strong support from local Assembly members which
you noted in your article, I fully expect the adopted budget will continue this
wonderful facility. In addition to maintaining the Mt. McGregor facility as part
of the current budget, we are looking toward mechanisms to ensure its
continuation into the years ahead.
Thank you again for drawing attention to efforts to preserve this significant
resource.
NYS SEN. HUGH T. FARLEY
Albany
The Communicator
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Sherry Halbrook, Editor of The Communicator - shalbrook@pef.org
The
Communicator July/August 04
Inside This Issue
Features
Close corporate tax loopholes
Contract Update: Progress...
OCFS anti-privatization bill
Legislation
budget bottleneck
PEF, DOP salute parole officers
Foreign nurses
need VisaScreen
Departments
President's Message
Member's Mailbag
Nurses' Station: Pay is the issue
Health Notes
Retirees In Action
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PEF Membership Benefits &Travel
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Member
unearths holocaust tale
Dell elected to PEF E. Board
Operation ICE, a mobilization....
L-M
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PEF E.Board March meeting
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Edwards earns SEFA award
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