Randi DiAntonio – PEF Vice President, SWPAC Chair

Thank you for visiting the PEF Political Action page. This page is specifically designed with resources and information to help you navigate the complex world of legislation and politics in New York state. I’d like to call your attention to some key items: Our legislative calendar, information about how to volunteer, and a tool to look up your state lawmakers.

Your PEF leadership team understands that the union’s involvement in political and legislative action is absolutely critical to you and every PEF member. We need to be involved because our elected representatives in Washington, D.C., and in Albany enact laws and implement policies that impact the terms and conditions of your employment, as well as your health and retirement benefits.

We know that there are politicians who will use any excuse to cut your retirement benefits, increase your health care costs, eliminate your due process rights or privatize your job.  Your union makes sure you are represented and heard by monitoring bill introductions, attending and testifying at public hearings, conducting bill analyses, drafting new bills, developing amendments to pending bills and developing talking points and memoranda in support or opposition to pending legislation.

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Send an action letter to your lawmakers about PEF Priorities!

Thanks to the late negotiations over the budget, State legislators have until June 9 this session to debate additional bills addressing the needs of New Yorkers. PEF’s legislative team is hard at work pushing the union’s priorities, but as always, lawmakers tend to listen to the people who actually elect them! So please take a moment today to send an email to your local legislators letting them know you support the bills PEF is pushing. At this time, we have seven active letter writing campaigns. Just click the links below to get started.

Reform Tier 6: Standardize public employee pension contributions at 3%

https://actionnetwork.org/letters/reform-tier-6/

Hazard pay for ALL essential workers!

https://actionnetwork.org/letters/hazard-pay-3/

End toxic workplaces: Stop workplace bullying!

https://actionnetwork.org/letters/workplace-bullying-policy/

Protect union health insurance

https://actionnetwork.org/letters/health-insurance-protection

Amend the “Less is More” parole law

https://actionnetwork.org/letters/less-is-more-amendments

Change the way COLA is calculated for retirees

https://actionnetwork.org/letters/permanent-cola-increase

Make telework a permanent reality

https://actionnetwork.org/letters/state-telecommuting-policy

Legislative Priorities

Agenda and Highlights

Working closely with the PEF Legislative Department, the Statewide PAC organizes and coordinates political activity on a statewide basis. Each Regional PAC Chair coordinates political activities and programs between the Statewide PAC and the Regional PAC.

Each year, the SWPAC receives membership input for our Legislative Agenda. With technical assistance from our Legislative staff, the SWPAC puts together a draft of our legislative priorities which is reviewed and approved by our Executive Board and then voted on by delegates at the union’s annual convention in the fall. Our agenda is then communicated to all state legislators and promoted throughout the legislative session.

PEF Budget Priorities for FY 2023-2024

2023 State Legislative Agenda

2023 Federal Legislative Agenda

Political Action Committee

Contact Information

Randi DiAntonio – Statewide PAC Chair
NYS-PEF
1168-70 Troy-Schenectady Road
Albany NY  12212-2414
585-615-2465 | RDiAntonio@pef.org


Region 1 Chairs – (Erie, Cattaraugus, Chautauqua, Niagara, Wyoming)

Michele Iorfida

716-628-1233 | MIorfida@pef.org

Joe McCann

716-655-6668 | JMcCann@pef.org


Region 2 – (Alleghany, Chemung, Schuyler, Steuben, Yates)

Shelby Wisneski

585-313-0817 | swisneski@pef.org


Region 3 Co-Chairs – (Genesee, Livingston, Monroe, Ontario, Orleans, Wayne)

Leisa Abraham

585-232-6980 | LAbraham@pef.org

Gregory Salamida

610-360-8877 | GSalamida@pef.org


Region 4 Co-Chairs – (Cayuga, Cortland, Jefferson, Onondaga, Oswego, Seneca)

Gina M. Corona

315-243-6399 | GCorona@pef.org

Donna DiTullio

315-727-8158 | DDiTul1030@aol.com


Region 5 Co-Chairs – (Broome, Chenango, Delaware Otsego, Tioga, Tompkins)

David Dubofsky

607-761-3021 | DDubofsky@pef.org

Scott Staub

607-222-7683 | SStaub@pef.org


Region 6 Co-Chairs – (Hamilton, Herkimer, Fulton, Madison, Montgomery, Lewis, Oneida)

Christopher Dunham

315-731-7996 | CDunham@pef.org

Shannon Goodhines

800-724-5005 | shannongoodhines@gmail.com


Region 7 Chair – (Clinton, Essex, Franklin, St. Lawrence)

Barbara Stransky

(315)-956-2753 | BStransky@pef.org


Region 8 Co-Chairs – (Albany, Columbia, Greene, Saratoga, Schenectady, Schoharie, Rensselaer, Warren, Washington)

Danielle Bridger

518-320-5479 | DBridger@pef.org

Martin Robinson

518-253-6769| MRobinson@pef.org


Region 9 Co-Chairs – (Dutchess, Orange, Putnam, Rockland, Sullivan, Ulster, Westchester)

Diane Jaulus

914-830-4335 | DJaulus@pef.org

Dan McCormack

845-665-9167 | SrInvestigator@yahoo.com


Region 10 Co-Chairs – (Manhattan, Bronx)

Radhakrishna Mohan

347-630-1715 | RMohan@pef.org

Tamara Martin

917-553-2038| TMartin@pef.org


Region 11 Co-Chairs – (Kings, Queens, Richmond)

Bernadette O’Connor

347-350-5416 or 347-261-1110 | BOConnor@pef.org

Charles Roland

917-846-6637 | CRoland@pef.org


Region 12 Co-Chairs – (Nassau, Suffolk)

William Holthausen

631-360-4360 | WHolthausen@pef.org

Olga Souto

olgamsouto@gmail.com


Retiree Representative

Jim Carr

607-425-3267 | JCarr.Cortland@gmail.com


Trustee

Chris Buman

Chris.Buman@pef.org

Legislative Office

Roles and Contributions

Role of the Legislative Office:

Identify legislation/budget initiatives that will advance or endanger PEF members’ working conditions and other interests and working to stop or get approval of such legislation/budget initiatives.

Work with legislative leaders, legislators and their staffs to introduce and advance legislation identified as a priority in PEF’s State & Federal legislative agendas.
Coordinate PEF’s lobbying efforts at the federal, state, and local levels.
PEF Endorsement Process

Regional PACs interview and endorse candidates. Slates sent to SWPAC. Once approved, slate submitted to Executive Board, which includes PEF leadership, for review and final approval. PEF-endorsed candidates had a proven record of supporting PEF’s legislative and budget priorities.

Campaign Contributions – State and Federal

PEF’s contributions to state and local candidates come from members’ dues. These funds are held in its political action fund. New York State (NYS) Election Law sets the parameters for these contributions. Additionally, PEF has developed statewide PAC guidelines for the use of these monies.

PEF’s federal campaign funds come from voluntary member contributions to its Committee on Political Education (COPE) Fund. PEF works in concert with its two international unions – American Federation of Teachers and Service Employees International Union – on federal elections and campaign funding and activities.

Legislative Staff:

Patrick Lyons – Legislative Director

Leah Gonzalez – Political Director

Scott Lorey – Political Organizer/Lobbyist-State

Danielle Blue – Legislative Assistant

Legislative Testimony - 2023

March 1, 2023: Workforce Development/Labor – Joint Legislative Budget Hearing | Submitted written testimony

Feb. 17, 2023: Mental Hygiene Joint Legislative Budget Hearing | Submitted written testimony

Feb. 7, 2023: Public Protection Joint Legislative Budget Hearing | Submitted written testimony

Jan. 18, 2023: Attorney General hearing on access to mental health care in Western NY | Submitted written testimony

Interested in joining our PAC?

PEF Political Action Volunteer Form

  • PEF Member Identification Number

PEF Political Endorsements - 2022

Candidate Office
Kathy Hochul NYS Governor
Antonio Delgado NYS Lieutenant Governor
Tom DiNapoli NYS Comptroller
Letitia James NYS Attorney General
Charles Schumer US Senator

 

2022 NYS Senate Endorsements

2022 Congressional Endorsements

2022 NYS Assembly Endorsements