ROAD TO CONTRACT — PEF Region 8 Coord. Lou Matrazzo answers members’ questions about the contract.
— Photo by Sherry Halbrook
PEF leaders credit activists for contract success
PS&T members overwhelmingly approve contract
By DEBORAH A. MILES
In a landslide vote of 24,330 to 4,325 — an 85 percent approval rating — PEF members in the PS&T unit approved a four-year contract with the state in September.
Retroactive to April 1, 2003, the new contract provides an $800 bonus for full-time employees; a base-pay raise of 2.5 percent retroactive to April 2004; a 2.75 percent raise in April 2005; a 3 percent raise in April 2006; and, $800 added to base salary on the last day of the agreement.
The precise schedule of payments is not yet available. However, members should expect to see their bonus and raise by late October to mid-November.
“Our members recognized the gains and enhancements of this contract,” said PEF President Roger Benson. “Despite a severe state budget shortfall and skyrocketing health care costs, we negotiated an agreement that provides a compensation package that is remarkable within this economic environment, plus several benefit enhancements specifically for PEF members.”
Contract highlights
Highlights of the new pact include dental benefit enhancements such as a $500 increase in the maximum allowable annual coverage; a portable longevity award for employees who are promoted; 13 days sick leave for all members; a merit-advance salary step for salary grades 1-18; and, a pre-tax transportation benefit for New York City members.
The contract also retains timekeeping restrictions unique to PEF members, which was one of the stumbling blocks during the 19-month bargaining stretch.
“Our goal during negotiations was to stand together with pride, power and purpose,” Benson added. “We achieved that goal because our membership delivered strong support when the contract team needed backing. This vote is a sign of our solidarity and strength.”
PEF Vice President and Contract Chair Ken Brynien said it took a combined effort from both the contract team and the membership to accomplish the union’s goals.
Hats off to members
“I would like to thank all of our members who came to the pre-and post-bargaining meetings, sent the postcards, wrote the faxes, made the phone calls and participated in the rallies,” he said. “I appreciate their support of our efforts and their patience over the course of the 19-months of actual bargaining.”
Brynien also thanked members of the contract team, who each spent hundreds of days, during the course of almost three years, immersing themselves in the contract process.
“Most of them spent this time in hotels in Albany, living apart from home and family several days each week,” he said. “For their selflessness, their dedication and their perseverance, we owe them all a debt of gratitude.”
Team, take a bow
In addition to PEF staff, members of the contract team included:
Kartikey Adhvaryu, a civil engineer 2 with the state Department of Transportation;
June Edwards, co-chair of the PEF Nurses Committee and a nurse 2 at SUNY Upstate Medical Center;
Todd Fryer, a senior insurance examiner at the state Insurance Department;
Lola Parks Guerra, an administrative assistant at the state Department of Health;
Arlea Igoe, a PEF trustee and supervisor of data processing at the state Office of Temporary Disability Assistance;
Lou Matrazzo, PEF Region 8 Coordinator and a data processing supervisor at DOH;
Rosemary Rossi-Williams, chair of the PEF Region 3 Veterans’ Committee and a health information management technician at Rochester Psychiatric Center; and,
Joe Tewksbury, a parole revocation specialist 2 at the state Division of Parole.
Members who worked on the team but left for other positions or retirement prior to the end of bargaining include:
Juanita Babcock from the state Office of Mental Retardation and Developmental Disabilities;
David Stallone, former PEF Region 4 coordinator from the state Department of Correctional Services; and,
Donna Jacobs and Olivia Robinson, both formerly tax auditors at the state Department of Taxation and Finance.
The
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