Struggle to save members at OCFS down to the wire

By SHERRY HALBROOK
The fate of 10 PEF members at the state Office of Children and Family Services still hangs in the balance as this issue of The Communicator goes to press.

For several months, the union has been working to save approximately 40 PEF members at OCFS from layoff on February 26.

Only 14 PEF members actually received layoff notices and some have accepted offers of other state jobs.

“The remaining members have been working with the state Career Mobility Office, and we’re hopeful they will all find other positions with the state,” said Paula Hennessy, PEF chair of the joint labor-management committee at OCFS.

Most of the affected employees are in PEF Regions 9 and 3.

PEF ran newspaper ads to build public support and members at OCFS worksites wore “No layoff” stickers to show solidarity with those facing layoff.

The union also conducted a blast-fax campaign to educate state policymakers about the need to preserve the OCFS jobs and services.

Hennessy said the governor’s Executive Budget proposal for the state fiscal year beginning April 1 would eliminate another 28 positions at OCFS central offices in Albany by March 31, 2005.

However, some of these positions may already be vacant, and the state expects to eliminate the rest through attrition.

“We have asked OCFS for more information about this, and we expect to discuss it at our next labor-management meeting on February 26,“ she said.

Communicator Homepage March 04

Inside This Issue
Features
PEF tells lawmakers to keep
Court rules grievance denial
Battle for Middletown Psych Center
PEF rejects state’s contract offer
Take the contract pledge
Saving Camp McGregor
Shadow agencies undercutting trust
Parole rule changes spark concerns

Departments
President's Message
Member's Mailbag
PS&T Contract Update
Nurses' Station
Member Mobilization
Health Notes
Retirees In Action
Back Cover Ad
PEF Membership Benefits &Travel

Union Matters
PEF victory allows Downstate nurses
State lagging to help its 9/11 ‘heroes’
Struggle to save members at OCFS
WTC recovery worker still sick, hurting
PEF political volunteers get out the vote
Nurses set Lobby Day for May 4
Mobilizer conference, workshops
Vacant PEF Board seat filled
Attention Veterans

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.

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