Statement of PEF President Ken Brynien on Council 82 contract vote

Albany - The New York State Public Employees Federation (PEF) continues to negotiate with the state in an effort to reach a fair contract for our members. Today’s vote by members of Council 82 to reject its tentative contract agreement with the state speaks for itself.

It is unfair to ask any employee, public or private-sector, to absorb a long-term wage freeze while making permanent cost shifts in benefits to address what is a short-term problem. The members of Council 82 and the ALES unit have said as much in their vote.

PEF has offered the state solutions that will meet the short-term fiscal need identified in the state budget. We are willing to do our part to help the state during this fiscal crisis, but any agreement must be fair. We are willing to accept short-term sacrifice, but not the long-term hardship the state is seeking.

Statement of PEF President Ken Brynien on Contract Negotiations

ALBANY, NY - The New York State Public Employees Federation (PEF) is very familiar with the tentative contract agreement announced today between Council 82 and the state of New York. The state offered PEF a similar proposal.

PEF has not accepted the state's initial offer because it would impose an unfair burden including long-term hardships on our members and their families. The state's proposal would require an average PEF member to give up as much as $10,000 in salary and benefits every year of the contract. Additionally, the state made it clear that accepting these concessions would not ensure PEF members would not be laid off anyway.

PEF has a counter proposal on the table that would achieve the savings the state needs for this fiscal year. We are willing to accept short-term hardships for what may very well be a short-term fiscal crisis.

The Council 82 agreement in no way sets the groundwork for our continuing negotiations. It should be noted that the bargaining unit that agreed with the governor represents less than 1 percent of the state work force and is a very specialized unit that has been working without a contract since 2005.