PEF Statement on New York Legislative Workers United

Posted on: July 15, 2022 by rmerrill

The following statement was issued July 15 by PEF President Wayne Spence, in response to media reports that more than 75 staff who work in New York Senate offices across the State have declared their intent for form a union.

“New York Legislative Workers United seeks voluntary recognition by the State. PEF stands behind them in solidarity as they embark on this journey. New York has a long and proud history of fighting for workers’ rights, and we hope this union is quickly established and recognized. Public employees are the lifeblood of government operations and New York would not function without them.”

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Tell Gov. Hochul to support New York’s nurses!

Posted on: July 11, 2022 by rmerrill

PEF scored major wins for its nurses in this year’s legislative session, but now we need Gov. Hochul to sign these meaningful pieces of legislation into law. We’re asking all members to take a moment and add your name to two letters we’ve created. The first deals with the subject of mandatory overtime. Bills passed by both houses of the legislature will finally put some teeth in the 2008 law that was intended to end “mandatory overtime” for nurses. One would impose a financial penalty on employers who violate the law and force nurses to work overtime, while also further compensating nurses who worked the illegally mandated overtime. Another bill will close a loophole that placed nurses who joined the SUNY Stony Brook Work Study Program into the Optional Retirement Program (ORP) instead of the New York State and Local Employees’ Retirement System (NYSLERS). Those nurses would be given the option to transfer from ORP to NYRSLERS, which is the choice offered to all nurses hired at Stony Brook. Please take a moment today – and it only takes a minute – to sign on to our letter writing campaigns and let Gov. Hochul know it’s time for her to deliver on her promises to New York nurses.

Nurse Overtime (A.286-A & S.8063-A)
https://actionnetwork.org/letters/nurse-overtime-a286-a-s8063-a

SUNY Stony Brook Retirement Plan – Work Study Program
https://actionnetwork.org/letters/suny-stony-brook-retirement-plan-work-study-program

July 4th

Posted on: July 4, 2022 | Updated: July 1, 2022 by ccanham

PEF celebrates Independence Day and all the liberties we enjoy in America, such as the freedom of association! Thank you for making PEF Union Strong and we wish you a joyous and safe Fourth of July

PEF Does It: Secures geo pay for additional nurses across state

Posted on: July 1, 2022 | Updated: July 5, 2022 by rmerrill

On July 1, 2022, PEF announced the successful negotiation of geographic pay differentials (“geos”) for additional nursing titles statewide. This memo from the New York State Department of Civil Service Division of Classification & Compensation lays out the amount of the geos and which titles are covered at which agencies. (Note: XXXXX in the agency column denotes a title that spans multiple agencies.)

These geos, in combination with previously announced geos for PEF members at the three SUNY hospitals and OMH, will serve as a critical recruitment and retention tool for the state in a profession where private employers and so-called “nurse agencies” are paying very high wages to attract skilled healthcare professionals.

PEF worked directly with Gov. Kathy Hochul and her leadership team to get this done, along with key managers at various agencies statewide. The final push began during National Nurses Month in May, when hundreds of you answered the call and contacted your lawmakers to let them know that the compensation of New York nurses needs to be overhauled. Our Nurses Day of Action that month attracted more than a dozen lawmakers while the legislature was in session and that activism helped generate the momentum that resulted in today’s announcement.

We know there is always more work to be done to improve the lives of all the hardworking professionals in our union, but we are grateful to all the members who stepped up to let leaders and policymakers know just how overworked and underpaid healthcare professionals are. Together, our efforts have paid off in a major win for the nurses of PEF.

PEF leaders express concern about radical Supreme Court

Posted on: July 1, 2022 | Updated: July 1, 2022 by rmerrill

The following statement was issued July 1 by the undersigned Statewide Officers and members of PEF’s Executive Council regarding the recent decision by the U.S. Supreme Court to overturn Roe v. Wade.

PEF is deeply troubled by the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision in Dobbs v. Jackson overturning women’s right to control their bodies and lives. The announcement by a radicalized Court opens the door for a complete elimination of the right to abortion and the erosion of other hard-fought protections such as marriage equality, access to contraception and family planning services, and the right to privacy, self-identity, and expression.

Moreover, the forces that placed these extremist justices into power have long sought to undo not just Roe, but much of the progress of the Civil Rights movement. Everything from desegregated schools, access to public education and fair housing, to voting rights is in danger.

The labor movement cannot be silent in the face of this threat. We must do our part in the struggles to come.

PEF will publicly defend women’s right to make their own reproductive health care decisions and to exercise their fundamental right to privacy. We will work with our state, national, and international affiliates to encourage union members to participate in rallies and demonstrations, lobbying efforts, and educational events in support of reproductive rights.
PEF will demand legislation that strengthens reproductive rights at the state and federal levels, including a state constitutional amendment.

New York State residents and PEF members do not want to go back in time to an era when women were second-class citizens. PEF is standing up in defense of our families, colleagues, neighbors, and fellow Americans as we push back against the assault on fundamental rights.

Wayne Spence, President
Joe Donahue, Secretary Treasurer
Randi DiAntonio, Vice President
Darlene Williams, Vice President
Scarlett Ahmed, Chair, PEF Women’s Committee
Michele Silsby, Regional Coordinator, Region 1
Leisa Abraham, Regional Coordinator, Region 3
David Dubofsky, Regional Coordinator, Region 5
Nora Higgins, Regional Coordinator, Region 12

Juneteenth

Posted on: June 19, 2022 | Updated: June 16, 2022 by ccanham

PEF recognizes Juneteenth as a day of celebration as well as a day of reflection. We are proud to celebrate, while recognizing that more work must be done to achieve racial justice and equity.

The Communicator

Posted on: June 17, 2022 by ccanham

The June 2022 Issue of the PEF Communicator is now available! Read about the union’s legislative wins, PEF’s Executive Board meeting, the work of the Joint Affirmative Action Advisory Committee, public loan forgiveness success stories, and much more.

PEF Endorses Governor Kathy Hochul

Posted on: June 10, 2022 by ccanham

ALBANY – The New York State Public Employees Federation (PEF) endorsed Governor Kathy Hochul for a full term at this week’s quarterly meeting of the PEF Executive Board.

“Governor Hochul recognizes the challenges members of the Public Employees Federation face delivering quality services to their fellow New Yorkers,” said PEF President Wayne Spence. “PEF members went above and beyond to provide vital services during the pandemic despite ongoing difficulties and staffing shortages. Her commitment to state workers has been evident since she took office. Our ongoing dialogue with the Hochul administration and their responsiveness to our issues demonstrates that she takes the concerns of PEF’s 50,000 members seriously.

“She delivered a budget that invests in the critical public services PEF members provide and for the first time in years, we are not fighting to save jobs or services, or to keep state facilities from closing. PEF’s Executive Board voted overwhelmingly to endorse Governor Hochul. I am proud to stand with her and look forward to working together to strengthen the state’s services for all New Yorkers.”

“Our state workers are heroes,” said Governor Kathy Hochul. “These are the men and women who were there for New York during the darkest days of the pandemic and we’re going to make sure we have their backs in the fight for higher wages, better working conditions and the benefits they deserve. It is an honor to receive this endorsement as we continue to rebuild our state and move forward together.”

Early voting in the New York gubernatorial primary begins June 18 and the primary election day is June 28. Registered voters can find their polling place here: https://voterlookup.elections.ny.gov/

PEF pushes NYS Legislature to ‘Fund Our Future’

Posted on: June 9, 2022 | Updated: June 9, 2022 by rmerrill

The 2022 New York State Legislative session gaveled to a close this weekend. Building on the most favorable State budget for public employees in decades, state senators and members of the assembly delivered a raft of bills that will help thousands of PEF members provide more efficient and higher quality services to New Yorkers. PEF Legislative Director Patrick Lyons sent this memo to members of the Executive Board summarizing the session and the department put together this document detailing the bills passed that will most impact PEF members.

“I want to make one point very clear: PEF did this,” said PEF President Wayne Spence. “The Fund Our Future campaign conceived in the Spring of 2020 identified the issues addressed by these bills. Gov. Hochul adopted our language in her budget and lawmakers took it even further, drafting legislation that will improve the working lives of nurses, cut back on expensive contracting out, and bring transparency to staffing decisions at the OPWDD, to name a just a few. I’d like to thank all PEF members for their tireless work advocating on behalf of these priorities, from the Statewide Political Action Committee, chaired by PEF Vice President Randi DiAntonio, to members across the state who took the time to send letters and contact their lawmakers. This legislative cycle truly demonstrated PEF’s political power. I am more convinced than ever that when we work together to advance our common interests, we can do great things for the hard-working professionals of PEF.”