PEF launches statewide ad campaign offering solutions to budget deficit

Albany - The New York State Public Employees Federation (PEF) has launched a statewide television, radio, print and Web advertising campaign to educate the public and legislative leaders on how the state can achieve needed savings without cutting the state work force and sacrificing state services.

"PEF recognizes the seriousness of the current economic crisis, but the governor’s budget has the potential to seriously hamper services New York taxpayers rely on," said PEF President Kenneth Brynien. "The ads point out PEF has offered several options for the state to achieve the same savings the governor is seeking in givebacks from the state work force," Brynien said.

The ads, which feature a mad scientist character, will begin running April 5 on broadcast and cable television statewide and on radio in the Albany and New York City markets. Print advertisements have been placed in targeted newspapers across the state and will be supported by ads on newspaper Web sites including The New York Times, New York Post and NY Daily News.

The television, radio, Web and print ads can be viewed at www.pef.org

This latest ad campaign follows a similar statewide ad campaign which ran in early March, 2010.

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.

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.