There were no negotiations this week. The parties will return to the bargaining table on August 20.

Negotiators next meet on August 20. On tap is a discussion of Article 12 and 26. If time permits the union will advance positions in Articles 27, 31, and 38. In addition, we will present arguments to support our proposals to provide a more flexible work environment. The state at the earlier stages of bargaining indicated that it would have proposals in many different articles. To date, they have not provided the union with specifics in at least 10 of them including Articles 7, 8, 10, 12, 13, 14, 15, 17, 33 and 42. The state may or may not bring with them on the August 20 meeting the language on some or all of these.

Published in THE CHIEF LEADER – August 1, 2003

By Reuven Blau

The two largest state employee unions are taking different approaches to negotiating new wage contracts four months after their old deals expired.

The Public Employees’ Federation, which represents 54,000 state workers, has met regularly with officials from Governor Pataki’s Office of Employee Relations since February and is seeking a three-year contract. The Civil Service Employees’ Association, which represents 77,000 state employees, is scheduled to meet with state negotiators on September 15 for the first time since talks stalled in early May.

CSEA President Danny Donohue’s spokesman, Stephen A. Madarasz, said that when negotiations began in February the state didn’t seem to have any direction,” as the budget was still being hashed out. Mr. Madarasz said the CSEA decided to wait “until the state was ready to provide serious dialogue.”

John Currier, the state’s Employee Relations Director, denied the CSEA’s claims. “I don’t have a clear direction until the unions clearly define what they are looking for,” Mr. Currier said, referring to both the CSEA and PEF. “How in God’s name can I agree to a contract if I don’t know what they are proposing?”

Mr. Madarasz retorted, “You don’t put all your cards on the table before you get any feedback.”

Denyce Duncan Lacy, the spokeswoman for PEF President Roger E. Benson, acknowledged that there have not been any substantial discussions regarding economic issues. “As long as you continue to talk, you are making progress,” she said. “Since the Governor’s communications office is talking about salary increases, maybe that will move along the negotiations on our economic issues.”

She was making a pointed reference to the Governor’s press office having sent an e-mail to reporters a week earlier containing a recommendation that 16 communications department employees get raises. Lisa Stoll, Mr. Pataki’s Director of Communications, said the mailing, which was attached to a $50 million program for affordable housing in lower Manhattan, was sent in error.

Mr. Currier noted that PEF gave the state its economic demands for the first time at a meeting last week, and said that it typically takes six to eight months of negotiations to reach a deal. “How can I say I agree or disagree until I know what it costs?” Mr. Currier said of the proposal.

He added that the length of the contract is not a big concern. As for the possibility of reaching a deal granting a wage increase including a no-layoff cause with the unions, Mr. Currier said “I can’t spend the same money twice.” State officials have estimated next year’s deficit at approximately $5 billion.

Ms. Lacy said that it is important to note the patterns of recent contracts reached throughout the state. Both PEF and CSEA cited the recent deal obtained by Nassau County Local 830 of the CSEA, which represents 5,800 workers: a 5-year contract that provides modest annual wage increases and adds 15 minutes to the work day.

“The signs are there, notwithstanding the problems with the economy,” Ms. Lacy said. “The trends in other contracts, with raises in every year, are very encouraging for us.”

Mr. Currier said, however, “We are not going to negotiate a contract based on some pattern or other groups. We bargain based on our needs and resources.”

Mr. Madarasz maintained, “Even in tough times you have to recognize the hard work of your employees. Just because times are touch, it doesn’t mean you can’t come to a fair agreement.”

What can you do to help generate money for a fair contract?

The success of our negotiations and the maintenance of our members’ job security are directly related to our getting more money into the state coffers. The first step to this campaign was the implementation of 007. The next step is PEF’s “cut state waste” campaign which is designed to save the State more than a quarter of a billion dollars by halting the excessive use of expensive contractors and consultants and transferring the work to the experienced and dedicated state employees.

Get involved in the campaign. Fax a letter to Governor Pataki today. Tell him - "CUT STATE WASTE!" Go to the following website and follow the directions. In less than a minute a fax will be on its way!

http://www.unionvoice.org/campaign/waste_not_workers