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November 7, 2025 | Volume 43. No. 10

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Charting the course for PEF’s bold future, together

PEF members filled the 1932 Olympic ice rink in Lake Placid in October for the 47th annual PEF Convention, setting state and federal legislative agendas, debating resolutions to govern our union, and building even stronger roots for a bolder PEF future.

In my State of the Union address I looked back at some of our biggest victories together this year, like saving SUNY Downstate and the historic $1.1 billion investment in the backbone of health care in central Brooklyn. As we move into the end of the year and beyond, PEF is well positioned to achieve even more success on behalf of its members.

We are participating in talks about transforming the Civil Service system as the state is poised to end the NY HELPS program in June 2026. We have joined the conversation at the ground level, with an eye toward ensuring that merit and fitness don’t fall by the wayside. Our members are highly skilled professionals, and we want to make sure the people who serve New York are qualified and not subject to political cronyism.

For this issue, we also spoke with several members at the Office of Children and Family Services (OCFS) who work as teachers in youth facilities. We listened to the difficulties they face serving this vulnerable population. Short-staffing at OCFS, coupled with stagnant pay, highlights a problem most agencies face – an inability to recruit and retain employees. To achieve any change, we need member engagement, and I encourage you to reach out to your field rep and let us know what you are experiencing. We can’t act without facts. Just call your regional office to be connected.

Engaging with the union secured a recent win for a member at the Department of Transportation when the state installed a surveillance camera outside their private property claiming a need to investigate whether she was running her personal business on state time. That member knew her family’s rights were being infringed upon, so she spoke out and PEF obtained a favorable opinion from an administrative law judge.

Stay tuned to PEF.org, your email, social media, and the PEF app, as we enter open enrollment season for several PEF benefits, including the Productivity Enhancement Program (PEP) and Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA), both now open through December 8.

It’s going to get busy quickly in the New Year, with contract negotiations and the fallout from federal budget cuts on the horizon. An informed and engaged membership is our strongest tool to effect change and better the lives of our members.

In Unity,

Wayne Spence
PEF President