We will lead the fight to protect members’ jobs, contracts, pensions

By ROGER E. BENSON
Job security, stronger contracts, and retirement reform have been the core goals of this PEF administration. The state’s fiscal crisis, wasteful contracting out and misplaced priorities threaten these goals, and over the next several months, these objectives will continue to guide us as we lead the fight for our members. 

BUDGET CHAT — PEF President Roger Benson tells Assembly Ways and Means Committee Chairman Herman D. Farrell Jr. about the union’s budget priorities at the Region 10 legislative reception in Manhattan in January. — Photo by Richard Dillard

The Executive Budget calls for the closure of the Middletown Psychiatric Center, and continues the damaging trend of insidious downsizing of the state workforce in agencies from Education to Transportation. 

We will oppose the closures of state facilities and ensure that our members’ jobs and the services they provide are preserved, and fight the reckless and wasteful downsizing and contracting out that the state uses to replace our members.

You told us what your contract priorities were: base wage increases, health insurance benefits, and adjustments for high-cost areas in the state, and we believe they are priorities for all state employees. We are leading the contract fight through our media and mobilization campaigns, and will involve, if necessary, the entire state workforce in our fight for a fair contract for you and your family.

Last year, the state found money for raises in excess of 3 percent for their consultants and contractors, as well as to settle a contract with union members at the Metropolitan Transportation Authority that continued fully employer-paid health insurance. We deserve no less. 

The state’s budget gap and the deterioration of municipal finances imperil the gains we have made in tier equity and pension COLAs, and threaten to shackle our ability to preserve these gains. Many of the pension “reforms” proposed to address the current fiscal crises ignore the needs of future retirees, only to shift pension costs away from the employer. We have fought too long and hard to create more equity among the retirement tiers and will fight any efforts that will make complete achievement of this goal more difficult.

We have the opportunity to use these challenges to continue to build PEF’s influence, but we cannot do this alone. Our record of achievement has been built on our ability to mobilize and involve our membership. Last year, we saw an unprecedented cooperation with the Legislature in the budget fight. Now we must again work to take another step and stave off the challenges we face and continue to realize our core goals of job security, stronger contracts and retirement reform.

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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