7/24/2003

PEF's 2003 contract team and representatives from the Governor's Office of Employee Relations met on Wednesday, July 23. The union's contract team explained its Article 25 (seniority) language as well as its Article 7 (compensation) proposals and answered employer questions. The union’s position on annual salary increases is that there must be a raise in each and every year of any contract. PEF will clarify what that amount would be in the future when the employer is ready for substantive bargaining on economic matters. Although the state has heard our proposal and discussed it's key elements with PEF, they have not yet offered a single economic proposal of their own. This leads us to conclude that state negotiators are not authorized by their hierarchy to engage the union beyond non-economic matters.

Negotiators next meet on July 30. On tap is a continuation of employer questions on the Union’s Article 7 (Compensation) proposal as well as detailed discussion on Articles 26 (Institution Teachers), 35 (Resignation), 36 (Discrimination) and 41 (Payroll) with the mutual intent being to bring them to closure. Other issues that may be raised include an employer presentation on their Article 12 needs and a Union presentation on its Article 17 ones.

NYS and CSEA Negotiators return to the bargaining table September 15 after taking a couple of months off. (Note: CSEA negotiates four contracts with NYS covering a total of 77,000 employees. PEF represents 54,000 NYS employees covered by a single contract.)

PEF is seeking the help of every member in support of our central bargaining position - a contract with no zeroes.

PEF launched a statewide public relations campaign that blasts state waste on contracting out and consultants’ fees. The half-page ad has appeared in the New York Times and other major newspapers. You can view the ad — that focuses on the savings of using state employees rather than contractors — by clicking on http://www.thecommunicator.org/pradcampaigns/images/privatcouponad.jpg

If the Governor took action to halt this abuse not only would there be enough savings for a fair contract settlement for his employees but the abominable short staffing crisis that currently exists in many agencies would be relieved.

You can help. Click on the scrolling banner on our Home Page (www.PEF.org) and fax a letter to the governor. Tell your friends and co-workers to do the same! Let the governor know you are worth more than an overly paid contractor. It’s time for every PEF member to stand up and be counted.

We can achieve the contract we want, if we all fight together!

While NYS Negotiators are not prepared to discuss raises with its Unions other leaders in the employer’s operation develop plans for raises for 2nd floor employees. Read on.

NY DAILY NEWS

Gov err-mail: Press gets salary memo

By MAGGIE HABERMAN and JOE MAHONEY

DAILY NEWS STAFF WRITERS

Oops!

Somebody in Gov. Pataki's press office inadvertently E-mailed to reporters a confidential memo yesterday calling for raises for more than a dozen staffers - including some who already make more than $100,000 a year.

The memo was attached to a press release touting a news conference about affordable housing - but instead shed unexpected light on Pataki staffers' bid for a better standard of living amid a state and city budget crisis.

The memo called for immediate raises for 16 staffers, among them Pataki's press secretary, Joe Conway, now paid $109,000 a year; Mollie Fullington, his New York City flack, who earns $105,000, and Suzanne Morris, an $80,000-a-year spokeswoman.

Apparently reflecting the governor's interest in courting Latino voters, the memo also urged a raise for $75,000-a-year Pataki aide Mercedes Padilla (though her name was misspelled Padillo). The memo noted her "increased involvement in the Hispanic community" and argued "she will leave if she does not get a raise."

The memo did not list specific amounts requested for each staffer but referred to an attachment that didn't make it out with the rest of the E-mail.

Pataki's $155,000-a-year communications director, Lisa Stoll, said the memo was composed for her as a "draft proposal" by an aide, who mistakenly attached it to the press release.

"This was an attempt to restructure and compensate accordingly," said Stoll, who made news last week when it was revealed she got a $75,000 bonus from Pataki's reelection campaign last fall.

The call for raises for the press office staff came amid a state hiring freeze, a ban on unnecessary travel by state officials and a 10% cut at state agencies. It also followed hard-fought state and city budget deals that required some of the toughest belt-tightening in years.

While insiders said the goof had Pataki's spin doctors nursing their self-inflicted wounds, Stoll tried to downplay the gaffe with some humor. "I knew the press would want to weigh in to ensure our press staff was being compensated adequately," she quipped.

Unions want more

There wasn't a lot of laughter - particularly among union leaders seeking raises for their members.

"We are going to look forward now to seeing them at the bargaining table," said Steve Madarasz, a spokesman for the Civil Service Employees Association, the largest state workers union.

There also could be political fallout for Pataki, some analysts said.

"What's so embarrassing is this makes it appear the governor is giving out rewards that don't need to be given out at the same time he goes around saying we have this tremendous budget problem," said Alan Chartock, a State University at Albany professor of political communication.

Sources said the raises ultimately would have to be approved by John Cahill, Pataki's top assistant.

Pressed on whether the pay-hike plan would be scrapped, Stoll would only say, "It's going to be reviewed."

But one state government source predicted the flap would kill the raises. "They won't happen now," the source said.