STATE FAIR TIME — PEF President Ken Brynien and his grandchildren, Dylan and Brittani, join PEF Region 4 members at the NYS Fair and Labor Day Parade in Syracuse in September.
— Photo by Karen A. Proudlove-Banks
You hold the key to success
By Kenneth Brynien
We all know the core responsibility of a union is to improve the terms and conditions of employment of its members. For us, this means better wages, job security, health insurance, pension benefits and working conditions.
I’ve spent much of the past year on the road meeting directly with many of our members and leaders, strengthening our relationships with our international affiliates and working to build relationships with Gov. Eliot Spitzer’s top advisors and commissioners. All of these people have the ability to affect the terms and conditions of our employment.
However, as much as we can rely on others to address our issues, we hold the key to our own success. As public employees, we are our own best advocates. When we are involved, informed and committed, the chances for success increase significantly. We have example after example where results bear this out. The Go Public anti-privatization campaign, the Stop Workplace Violence campaign, our efforts against the Berger Commission proposal for Upstate Medical Center and our budget fights, to name a few; all of these are examples of the successes of our own advocacy.
Your advocacy will become increasingly important as we continue PS&T contract negotiations. Nearly six months has gone by since our contract expired. Although there has been progress in negotiations, there are onerous proposals on the bargaining table to shift costs in the areas of health insurance and prescription drug coverage, which are unacceptable. There are also opportunities for gains in bargaining. Your advocacy in support of our positions will ultimately determine our success as a union.
While PEF can and does lead — working to effectively represent you — our true strength and the muscle behind our actions in all the areas dealing with terms and conditions of employment lies with you.
I encourage all of you to embrace the opportunity to help secure a brighter future and become part of our future successes.