PEF Provides savings and bridge safety to DOT’s Capital Plan

Albany, NY - The New York State Public Employees Federation (PEF) today provided examples of ways the state can save an estimated $55.6 million to $84.3 million a year. The savings can be achieved by having state employees do between 50 percent and 90 percent of the work currently done by more expensive private consultants at the state Department of Transportation (DOT).

Edward Lucas, PEF Executive Board Member and DOT civil engineer, testified at an Assembly hearing on DOT's two-year capital plan. Lucas provided testimony that showed how much the state can save by having state employees do the work currently being done at a much higher cost by consultants.

“Now more than ever the state simply can't afford to continue wasteful spending. Our research shows the cost, on average, of a DOT engineer, including benefits, is $50.11 an hour. Comparable private consultant engineers charge the state up to $99 or $49 more an hour,” Lucas testified.

“Even more work is going to consultant engineers this year. For the first half of the current fiscal year, DOT’s capital-projects’ consultant spending has increased by more than 22 percent from $113.5 million to $138.45 million for bridge inspection, engineering, engineering supervision and materials testing.”

Lucas also said, “If DOT’s current capital program continues on the same path, the number of state bridges considered deficient will increase from 31 percent of all state bridges currently to 35 percent in 2016 and to 40 percent in 2025.”

Since 2000, the number of DOT state employees has decreased by 1,900 employees, with more than 1,000 being engineers.

“We’ve reached a tipping point. The work force at DOT has been slashed and cut to the point where DOT no longer has the capability to do work that was done more efficiently and cost effectively in-house. New York faces multi-year deficits that could be as high or higher than $10 billion. We have a responsibility to make sure every tax dollar is well spent. We can no longer afford policies that benefit the corporate CEOs of engineering firms at the expense of middle-class workers,” Lucas said.

PEF Members Ratify Revised Tentative Agreement, 3,496 Jobs Saved

Albany - By a count of 27,718 to 11,645, members of the New York State Public Employees Federation (PEF) ratified a revised four-year agreement with the state that averts significant layoffs.

The ratification of the new agreement saves the jobs of 3,496 PEF members and preserves the vital services our members provide.

The agreement preserves the pay-scale, the employment and the careers of PEF members.  It maintains increments and salary-grade parity, longevity payments and co-pays for doctor visits at their current levels.  It calls for no salary increases for years 2011, 2012 and 2013. A salary increase of 2 percent is included for 2014.

The new contract increases the share members will pay of their health insurance premiums, but includes changes to the productivity enhancement program which will allow members greater opportunity to use vacation time to offset health insurance costs.  The new contract includes reimbursement for the 9 furlough days payable at the end of the agreement.

“More than 75 percent of our membership voted on the agreement,” said PEF President Ken Brynien.

“Although this was a difficult decision for our members, it demonstrates they are willing to do their part to put New York state on a stable financial footing, as all New Yorkers should, and are helping to resolve a fiscal crisis for which they were not responsible.

“This agreement preserves our members’ jobs and the services they provide.  During this economic downturn, the state’s citizens are more dependent on these vital services than ever, in the wake of the flooding earlier this year.

“We are certain the governor understands the sacrifice our members have agreed to accept, and recognizes the value PEF members and other public employees provide to the citizens of the state.

“We now call on the governor as part of his efforts to increase the efficiency of state government, to direct his attention to areas where PEF has highlighted cost savings.  These areas include the elimination of wasteful contracting out and reducing the state’s excessive authorities, commissions and public benefit corporations that make up the state’s shadow government,” Brynien said.

Contract Vote Count

PEF will hold a press conference at PEF headquarters in Latham today (Thursday, November 3) at 2:30 pm to announce the results of the revised contract vote count. PEF Vice President and Contract Chair Tom Comanzo will be joined by Vice President Joe Fox and Secretary-Treasurer Arlea Igoe to make the announcement.

PEF President Ken Brynien and Vice President Pat Baker and the contract team will be at the Manhattan office of the American Arbitration Association where the count is taking place.

Parole Officers Demonstrate at Parolee's Bronx Arraignment

BRONX, NY - Many state parole officers used their personal leave to turn out in force today at the arraignment of parolee Jonathan Lee in Bronx Supreme Court. Lee was arraigned on charges he injured and attempted to murder several state parole officers September 2 when they were attempting to arrest him for parole violations. Three officers were injured in the incident.

"Protecting the public's safety is the most important thing we do as state parole officers," said parole officer V. Antonio Perez.

"We put our safety on the line to protect you, the public, so it's important to make sure we have the resources we need to keep you safe and for us to be as safe as possible on the job."

Perez is a steward of Division 236 of the NYS Public Employees Federation, the union that represents approximately 900 state parole officers and other parole-related employees. Perez said he and the other officers attending the arraignment want to draw the public's attention to the dangers and complex responsibilities and challenges they face on the job every day, and to the possible layoff of officers November 4.

"We are the public's best investment. In supervising these convicted felons when they are released on parole, we do it all: enforcing the law, criminal investigation, social work, mentoring, and transporting prisoners. No one gives the taxpayers more professional services for their dollar than we do," Perez said.

"We need more, not fewer, officers and resources to do this job right," Perez said. "Right here in the city, less than two years ago, an officer was shot in his office, in another incident, a parole officer was taken hostage at knife point in the parole office. This is dangerous work and it's no time to be cutting our staff or raising our caseloads."

Perez said the officers also want to send a strong message to present and future parolees that "we are united and we will not tolerate assaults on parole officers. Any attacks on us or other law-enforcement officers will be prosecuted to the full extent of the law."

PEF President Ken Brynien talks about the importance of ratifying the revised contract agreement

Ken Brynien, President of the NYS Public Employees Federation encourages members to vote on the revised contract agreement. Brynien explains why his administration is encouraging members to vote ‘yes’.

If the contract is ratified by the full membership it will save the jobs of 3,496 PEF members who have been targeted by the governor to be laid off as early as November 4.

Ballots have been mailed and will be counted by AAA on November 3, 2011.