If they can’t see the light, make them feel the heat
By ROGER E. BENSON
PEF worked successfully over the last three months to achieve nearly every one of our budget priorities and maintain them through the final horse trading that occurred as the budget negotiations are completed.
The fact that the Legislature completed the budget on time and we were able to analyze, react, mobilize and effectively lobby on our issues in a much shorter timeframe speaks volumes about the leaders in PEF and our political program.
As successful, prepared and resourceful as we were, a handful of issues arose during and immediately after the budget process that we were unable to stop — specifically, the Legislature’s creation of a new shadow agency at the state Department of Economic Development.
The proposed closure of a Department of Labor Telephone Claim Center in New York City was announced shortly after the state budget was approved. PEF is already mobilizing on this issue to strongly oppose the forced transfer of members from Manhattan to Glendale and Troy. We will take the fight on this issue to whatever forum is necessary to defeat this ill-conceived plan.
As the remainder of the legislative session passes, we also will focus on the pursuit of our Go Public Accountability Bills. We have begun our million-dollar anti-privatization
media campaign, blitzing state lawmakers throughout the entire legislative session with messages identifying just how wasteful privatization is, and offering a solution.
We are educating our members at the grassroots level and taking our accountability message to legislative leaders at our Go Public forums. The campaign includes a rally on June 8 in Albany to remind the Legislature and the governor just how we feel, as public employees and taxpayers, about the wasteful practice of privatization.
There is an adage in politics: “If they can’t see the light, make them feel the heat.”
Experience has taught us the most effective way to realize our goals — be they contract, budget or legislative issues — is through political action, member mobilization and public relations. We owe it to ourselves and our fellow members to make sure our elected leaders feel the heat. These challenges demand no less.
See you at the the Go Public rally June 8 at the Capitol.
The
Communicator May 2005
Inside This Issue
Features
Union scores
big in state budget
Corporate tax loophole widens
Middletown OMH saved
Departments
President's
Message
Nurses Station
Member's Mailbag
Retirees In Action
PEF
Membership Benefits &Travel
Union Matters:
PEF backs two in May Elections
Student health insurance reminder
Nurses
Conference offers insight
Unions plan nurses' rally to end OT
Weak security bugs near WTC
PEF fights to
keep DOL in NYC
Vet returns mementos
to Japan
Privatization Nomination Form
Member
stresses summer safety
E. Board vacancies filled, open
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