Statement of PEF President Kenneth Brynien on state worker pay raises

Albany - “If the governor withholds state employee raises, that is a violation of our contract,” said PEF President Kenneth Brynien.

“The New York State Public Employees Federation will hold the state accountable.

“The governor, himself, has said breaking our contract is illegal.

“We will take every action necessary to ensure our members get their negotiated raises.

“I met with the governor yesterday to discuss the financial problems the state is facing and we agreed to have further discussions. We reminded the governor of PEF’s solutions to help close the budget deficit, including the millions in savings to be realized by replacing high-cost consultants with lower-cost state employees.”

Statement by PEF President Kenneth Brynien on Re-opening of PS&T Contract

Albany - "The New York State Public Employees Federation (PEF) will not reopen its contract with the state of New York.

PEF has repeatedly demonstrated the state can meet the governor's target for savings replacing high-cost consultants with lower-cost state employees, as well as through other options the union has provided.

Until the state moves decisively to slash the use of costly consultants, PEF will not accept any demand for give-backs and we will continue to work to protect state jobs.

The anonymous statements from the governor's office vilifying the state workforce and the unions that represent them does not create an atmosphere conducive to a positive solution.

PEF will also hold the governor to his promise of no layoffs through his current term in office that ends December 31, 2010," said PEF President Kenneth Brynien.

PEF President sets record straight at hearing on work force issues

Albany -The president of the New York State Public Employees Federation (PEF) testified today before the state Assembly Ways and Means and Senate Finance Committees on work force issues setting the record straight on the size of the state work force and how it affects state spending. PEF President Kenneth Brynien also laid out a detailed plan for how the state can save hundreds of millions of dollars without eliminating jobs and services.

“There has been no growth in the size of the state work force, yet the proposed budget is striking, once again, at the public servants who deliver vital services,” Brynien said. “If the proposed budget is enacted, the state work force will be the same size it was 10 years ago and more than 15,000 positions fewer than in 1994, despite an increased need for state services,” Brynien said.

Brynien pointed out the budget proposal includes a $250 million cut in the salary and benefits of state employees while agencies continue to increase spending on private consultants that already cost more than state employees.

“New York State continues to pay thousands of consultants performing professional services an average of $160,719 annually. That’s 62 percent more than it cost to have state employees do similar work, including the cost of their benefits,” Brynien testified.

Brynien also said the proposal to eliminate salary increases and to lag pay violate negotiated labor agreements, noting contracts negotiated in good faith must be honored.

PEF proposed ways to achieve the work force savings identified in the Executive Budget proposal, but without the negative effects that would come from cutting state services, and still honoring the state’s contractual commitments to its employees.

“This can be achieved by: instituting a consultant-reduction plan to save $656 million over the next three years; expanding the voluntary severance program; instituting a Workplace Injury Reduction Program to reduce workers compensation costs; and reducing overtime costs by 60 percent by hiring entry-level state employees for a savings of $33.5 million annually,” Brynien said.

Statement by PEF President Kenneth Brynien on proposed state budget

Albany - The governor's proposed 2010-11 budget calls for a quarter of a billion dollars in negotiated give-backs from state employees, when the savings could easily be achieved by reducing the state's reliance on costly private consultants, instead.

The New York State Public Employees Federation (PEF) applauds the governor for recognizing savings can be achieved by reducing the use of consultants. The governor recently proposed to reduce the use of information technology consultants for an estimated savings of as much as $15 million per year.The governor also identifies a savings in his proposed budget by reducing the state's use of more costly private contract insurance examiners.

However, the governor's consultant reduction plan is only the tip of the iceberg and does not go far enough. Our more aggressive proposal to cut the use of consultants across-the-board in state government can easily achieve the quarter of a billion dollars the governor is targeting from the state work force to close the budget gap.

I cannot and will not go to my members and ask them to reopen the contract we negotiated with the state in good faith when many of my members are sitting alongside more costly private contractors doing the same work. However, we are always willing to discuss issues that do not involve reopening our contract.

We await more details on the closures and consolidations the governor is proposing for the Office of Children and Family Services. We will seek to preserve the vital services our members provide to the state's troubled youths and ensure that troubled and sometimes dangerous youths are not recklessly cast into our communities without adequate support.

PEF has identified significant potential savings for the state, such as the reduction in the use of consultants and reducing workplace injuries and their associated costs and has communicated these proposals to the governor.

PEF plan reveals millions in cost-savings

Albany - The New York State Public Employees Federation (PEF) today released comprehensive research that reveals the state can save $656 million over three years by implementing PEF’s cost-savings recommendations. The research also includes examples of irresponsible uncontrolled spending by some state agencies, a complete disregard of state law by others, and sloppy and incomplete record keeping by many.

“At a time when the state is facing severe fiscal constraints, spending on consultants rose to $2.9 billion; a $100 million increase,” said PEF President Kenneth Brynien. “That’s the equivalent of 23,329 full-time consultants working for the state, over 2,500 more consultants than the previous fiscal year. If that many state employees were added to the payroll during this fiscal crisis, there would be outrage.”

PEF’s research revealed some state agencies incurred astronomical consultant costs. The Racing Association Oversight Board paid a New York City law firm $689,901 for 1,275.40 hours of legal services which breaks out to $541 an hour. The same board paid paralegals even more. The law firm billed the state $51,535 for 93.20 hours of work by paralegals. That comes to $553 an hour! These are just some of the examples of irresponsible spending.

The biggest savings is in replacing Information Technology (IT) and engineering consultants with state employees. This week, the governor announced an effort to in-source IT consultants for an estimated savings of as much as $3 million. While we applaud the governors acknowledgement of what PEF has been saying for years that state employees can do the same work for much less than consultant, the governors plan doesn’t go far enough. PEF’s proposal to cut the use of IT consultants is much more aggressive and can save the state a minimum of $116.9 million by replacing half of the IT consultants with state employees. Our plan to replace engineering consultants can achieve a minimum savings of $95 million annually.

The potential future savings from PEF’s consultant reduction plan could be even more because only 20 percent of total consultant expenditures are filed properly with the state Comptrollers Office as required by the contract disclosure law. Some reports that were filed are so riddled with errors and typos that the New York State Research Foundation reported paying a consultant less than a penny per hour.

“This out-of-control spending, and improper and sloppy filing is costing the state millions. New York’s professional workforce has come up with ways to change that. Now it’s up to the governor and legislative leaders to make that change happen,” Brynien said.