10/19/2007

CONTRACT UPDATE #22

HEAD to HEAD

PEF President Ken Brynien met with Gov. Eliot Spitzer and key staff on October 15. They discussed several issues in the approximate half hour meeting including key NYS and PEF bargaining needs. The pace of our bargaining was also discussed and it was agreed that the pace would quicken.

TABLE TALK
The parties continued their discussions about the Article 34 and Article 17 (out of title work) grievance processes.  As sometimes occurs in bargaining, the issues proved to be more complicated than our initial discussions suggested.  Consequently, there was no meeting of the minds on proposed changes and both sides are still considering their positions.  We will try again this next week and hope to bring these two articles to conclusion.  PEF also provided the State with language on modifying the rules for leave from a permanent appointment during a probationary period and to create a right to comment on any proposed changes in classification standards prior to their adoption by the Division of Classification and Compensation.

We return to the table next week, and PEF has proposed that we start meeting more frequently.  We are hopeful that the State will agree and that we can start signing off on different articles to help build the successor agreement.

ECONOMIC JUSTICE RALLY

Members of the New York State Public Employees Federation (PEF) and the Civil Service Employees Association (CSEA) gathered outside the Hauppauge State Office Building for a noontime rally this past Wednesday to call for economic justice for this and other high-cost areas of the state.

Hundreds of PEF and CSEA members carried signs, marched and chanted, urging contract negotiators for the Governor's Office of Employee Relations (GOER) to address this cost-of-living crisis.

"The quality of life for many of our members is eroding," said PEF President Ken Brynien. "Our members are dedicated public servants who are no longer able to afford to live and raise their families in the communities in which they work."

Just seven years ago, 60 percent of the homes sold on Long Island could be classified as affordable for families with incomes of up to $100,000 a year. Last year, that figure dwindled to just 2 percent.

"State employees are being crushed by economic conditions and costs beyond their control," said Dee Dodson, PEF Region 12 (Long Island) coordinator. "The vast majority of state employees living in this region earn far less than $100,000, making the goal of home ownership even more elusive."

PEF Vice President and Contract Chair Lou Matrazzo said the location pay issue continues to be a top priority in contract negotiations with the state.

"Cost-of-living pay increases simply have not kept pace with soaring housing costs, forcing many of the state's engineers, accountants, health care providers and others to consider abandoning their communities in search of more favorable economic climates elsewhere," Matrazzo said. "It's imperative that economic relief is included in our next contract. 

CSEA Long Island Region President Nick LaMorte added, “Long Island is a great place to live, but the cost of living continues to skyrocket. It’s no secret that everything is more expensive here and our members are having a hard time making ends meet. We believe New York State’s current locality pay system is inadequate and we join with PEF today to advocate for the adoption of the federal model.”

The federal government currently provides its downstate employees 10.59 percent of salary to compensate for the high cost of living here.