No
resting on laurelsBUDGET
NEEDS CORRECTIONS — PEF President Ken Brynien calls on state lawmakers to
restore funds for state prisons at a March 31 joint rally at the Capitol.
— Photo by John Epting
By KENNETH BRYNIEN
Last month’s record ratification vote on the new PS&T contract represents
the culmination of a contract process that began in October 2005, when the
PEF contact team was named. PEF analyzed and prepared for negotiations, but
all the while in our back pocket was a trump card that concerned the state’s
leaders; the reputation and ability to mobilize our members in PEF’s
efforts.
Our ability to continue to get our members involved in contract, budget,
legislative, political action, and labor-management issues is a powerful
tool for us and one that has been effective and paid huge dividends for our
members.
We were able to thwart budget proposals that threatened our members. We
worked with other unions to keep correctional facilities open and, through
the efforts of our members, saved two of the five residential facilities in
the state Office of Children and Family Services (OCFS) that were slated for
closure. All of this despite overwhelming odds against our success and, in
the case of OCFS, an unprecedented push-back by the agency and a
commissioner’s ideological bent against state-run facilities that runs so
deep she suggested the agency might leave funded facilities vacant. Though
we were not completely successful with all of the OCFS facilities, we will
continue to work to maintain the job security of our members and, if
necessary, bring these same resources to bear to ensure their job security.
As proud as we are about the achievements of the last few months, we cannot
afford to rest on our laurels. The fiscal situation of the state is
deteriorating daily, and the governor continues to propose additional cuts
to state spending, including a hiring freeze. The next several months
leading into the state’s 2009-10 budget will no doubt test PEF and our
members with new struggles and challenges. With your involvement and
activism, I am certain we will continue to succeed.