Contract Negotiations Updates 2011
Saturday October 15, 2011
We met with the state for 10 hours on Friday and resumed talks Saturday morning. Meetings are still ongoing. PEF remains committed to saving the jobs of 3,496 PEF members targeted by the Cuomo administration for elimination. The PEF Executive Board is tentatively scheduled to meet on Monday, October 17 for a vote on any new agreement. We urge you to continue to check this website for the most up-to-date information.
Friday October 14, 2011
We continue to meet with the state, including meetings from early in the morning to late in the evening on both Wednesday and Thursday. Meetings continue today. PEF remains committed to saving the jobs of 3,496 PEF members targeted by the Cuomo administration for elimination. If we make the necessary progress, our Executive Board will meet on Monday, October 17 for a vote on any new agreement. We urge you to continue to check this website for the most up-to-date information.
Wednesday October 12, 2011
The lines of communication between PEF and the state remain open as the union works toward reaching an agreement with the governor on a new contract. Several discussions were held on Tuesday and more continue Wednesday. PEF remains committed to saving the jobs of 3,496 PEF members targeted by the Cuomo administration to be eliminated. If we make the progress we need to make, our Executive Board will meet on Monday, October 17 for a vote on any new agreement. We urge you to continue to check this website for the most up-to-date information.
Tuesday, October 11, 2011
PEF members, many of them targeted by the governor to be laid off later this month, held a rally at PEF Headquarters Tuesday morning.
PEF President Ken Brynien and Vice President Tom Comanzo addressed the members and answered questions from the press. The PEF leaders explained the Executive Board meeting scheduled for Tuesday afternoon had to be postponed as there was not yet a contract agreement with the state.
Negotiations with the state are continuing with the goal of saving the jobs of the 3496 PEF members targeted for layoff by reaching an agreement with the state PEF members will ratify.
Wednesday, October 5, 2011
Last night President Brynien met with the Executive Council, which is made up of the statewide officers, the 12 Regional Coordinators and the PEF Trustees to discuss the current situation. During that meeting President Brynien laid out the broad parameters of changes to the tentative agreement voted down by the members. The Executive Council agreed with the changes and after the meeting these changes were shared with the state.
We will know by Friday whether or not we have a new agreement to present to the PEF Executive Board. If we do, we will present it to them next Tuesday, October 11th.
We will continue to keep you updated.
Tuesday, October 4, 2011
PEF is currently in informal negotiations with the governor over the possibility of reaching a new tentative contract agreement. Our goal is to reach an agreement that will be ratified by the membership and avoid the layoffs scheduled for October 19th. At this point the situation is very fluid. We will have more information in the days ahead.
Tuesday, September 30, 2011
Statement of President Brynien
Tuesday, September 29, 2011
Statement of President Brynien on Layoffs
Tuesday, September 27, 2011
PEF Members Reject Tentative Agreement
Click
Here for the Video Message from President Brynien
Click Here for New
Release
Click Here for Video of Secretary-Treasurer Arlea Igoe Taking Questions from the Media
Tuesday, August 2, 2011
Tentative Agreement - Clarification Regarding Two Issues
Based on questions received from our members regarding the tentative agreement PEF has posted the following memos:
- Impact of the Empire Plan losing its "grandfathered status.
- Retiree Health Insurance Sick Leave Credit Calculation.
Tuesday, July 26, 2011
Click Here For a Summary of The Tentative Agreement.
PEF has set the ratification schedule as follows:
- August 11-12 - Executive Board Reviews and Votes on Sending Tentative Agreement to Members.
- August 11 or 12 - Contract Communicator Supplement Sent to Members - *Supplement Will Include Complete Text of Contract, Summary of Changes, and a Table of Gains and Trade-offs in The Agreement.
- August/September - Regional Informational Meetings scheduled
- September 2 - Ballots Mailed to Members.
- September 26 - Deadline For Receipt of Ballots.
- September 27 - Ballots Counted.
Wednesday, July 20, 2011
Details of the tentative contract will be made available on line as quickly as possible; PEF is currently in the process of finalizing previously agreed upon contract language and preparing information which will address many of our members questions regarding details of the agreement and how it may affect them.
The Executive Board will be meeting on August 11 and if the tentative agreement is approved, ballots will be mailed to members sometime in September.
Complete contract language and a summary of contract tradeoffs will be mailed to the Executive Board two weeks prior to their meeting and to the members upon approval by the Executive Board for ratification by the membership.
The PEF Contract Committee will be announcing scheduled meetings across the state where they will be available to answer member questions concerning the tentative agreement prior to ratification.
Saturday, July 16, 2011
The New York State Public Employees Federation (PEF) has reached a tentative contract agreement with the state. As a result of the conceptual agreement, the governor has agreed to rescind the planned layoffs of nearly 1,000 PEF members.
"This was a difficult agreement to reach, but with our members' jobs in peril and the state's fiscal hardship we've stepped up and made the necessary sacrifices," said PEF President Ken Brynien.
"The agreement will preserve our members jobs and careers while bringing long term fiscal stability to the state. We are confident this is the best agreement that could be negotiated in the current environment," Brynien said.
The agreement provides the state with the required savings needed to preserve PEF's share of the 9,800 jobs targeted if the $450 million in Labor Management Partnership savings were not achieved.
"This agreement reflects the financial reality of the times," said Governor Andrew Cuomo. "I am pleased that we could avoid these layoffs, protect the workforce and the taxpayer," Cuomo said.
"This agreement could not have been achieved without the hard work and dedication of PEF's contract team made of up union members representing a variety of titles and agencies across the state," said PEF Contract Chair Tom Comanzo.
Formal negotiations for a successor agreement to the 2007-11 NYS-PEF agreement are scheduled to begin Wednesday March 16th, 2011
Meet your team
Tom
Comanzo - Contract Team Chair
In addition to Comanzo, other full-time team members are:
Brian Alvarado of Region 11, Education Department;
Mike Blue of Region 8, Office of the State Comptroller;
Manuelita Clemente, of Region 10, Division of Parole;
Region 7 Coordinator Tom Donahue, Department of Correctional Services;
Todd Fryer, Region 8, Insurance Department;
Jim Hassett, Region 12, University of NY;
Charlie Kelefant, Region 8, Transportation Department;
Todd Kerner, Region 8, Taxation and Finance;
Region 3 Coordinator John Prince, Office for Persons with Developmental
Disabilities;
John Ruiz, Region 10, Office of Children and Family Services;
Anna Schrom, Region 8, Health Department;
Region 5 Coordinator Mary Twitchell, Health Department; and
Darlene Williams, Region 10, Office of Mental Health.
Vice President Pat Baker will join the team when it bargains for health
benefits.
PEFs health benefits staff members, Deborah Stayman and Lorraine Simpkins,
also will advise the team on that bargaining.