CHANGE THE LAWS — PEF President Roger Benson shakes the hand of Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver at the nurses rally held at the State Capitol in May. Nurses from PEF, the New York State United Teachers and the Service Employees International Union rallied to end mandatory overtime and to create safe staffing laws. — Photo by John Epting

Mobilizing members is key to contract success

By ROGER E. BENSON
As reported in this issue of The Communicator, we are making progress in negotiations. Our ability to put members in the streets, place full page ads in the newspapers and marshal political pressure is an extremely important component for achieving a fair contract. We continue to plan activities in support of our contract issues and contract team. We must be ready and remain alert to the possibility of future action that may be necessary to close the deal. 
The most effective tools we have to win gains for our members are mobilization, public relations, and political action.

Every successful campaign PEF has been involved in over the past eight years, has resulted from the pressure of these tools. Our last contract fight, retirement enhancements, pension COLA, budget fight-backs, all were successful because we strategically applied pressure on the state’s leaders when and where we needed.

Each of these tools complement each other but mobilization is the key. PEF can run ads in major papers and on radio and television, we can use political action to gain access to state and national political leaders, but without membership support to back up our message, the effectiveness of those tools would be severely compromised.

Effective mobilization in support of our efforts is not only about getting our members involved in activities, it is also about the discipline to strategically apply pressure in both message and timing to achieve our goals. This is particularly important in our contract fight. Our actions away from the negotiating table have a huge impact on what happens at the table. On May 17 in Buffalo, nearly 200 very loud members picketed the Governor at an Erie County Republican reception. This contract action — in support of our efforts at the negotiating table — received extensive press coverage in the Buffalo area. 

Your involvement and mobilization around our contract is the key to our success. With your support, we will not fail.