March 10, 2023 — In 1912, textile workers worked long hours for dismal wages. At the American Woolen Company mill in Lawrence, Mass., more than half the workers were women and girls between the ages of 14 and 18. A Massachusetts law made the situation worse by reducing the number of hours women and children...
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March 10, 2023 — Incarcerated individuals at Groveland Correctional Facility in Sonyea, N.Y., have become an integral partner when it comes to helping dogs find forever homes. Through the Shelter Pups and Incarcerated Individuals Rehabilitation and Integration Training (SPIRIT) program, PEF members at Groveland work with incarcerated individuals to train shelter dogs from the...
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March 9, 2023 – March is the month that we transition from winter to spring. It’s also when the New York state budget is negotiated. Retirees have a stake in these negotiations; therefore, I have focused this article on senior concerns identified by the New York State Alliance for Retired Americans (NYSARA). The proposed state...
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February 17, 2023 — The Supreme Court, Onondaga County, issued a decision January 13, finding unlawful a Department of Health (DOH) regulation mandating certain health care workers be vaccinated. The decision stands in contrast to a number of prior court decisions finding the regulation to be lawfully adopted, including one issued in Supreme Court,...
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February 17, 2023 — This week, acting at the request of Gov. Kathy Hochul, the New York Department of Civil Service published Policy Bulletin 2023-01, “Paid Parental Leave.” The new policy grants 12 weeks leave for any unrepresented employee of the State’s executive agencies so that they may “bond with a newly born, adopted,...
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February 17, 2023 — SUNY Upstate Medical University halted its efforts to acquire Crouse Hospital in Syracuse, instead deciding to enter into a strategic affiliation agreement between the two hospitals. “We said loudly and clearly from the moment the merger was first proposed that this was a bad idea for employees of both hospitals and...
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February 17, 2023 — Since December 2022, the PEF Contract Team has presented the State with 15 comprehensive proposals based on the economic and workplace priorities expressed by PEF members. “Our team is prepared to move negotiations forward with detailed, thoughtful proposals,” said Contract Team Chair Darlene Williams, following negotiations with the State on Feb....
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March 10, 2023 — The generosity of members across the state generated more than $9,000 through the PEF Relief Fund for members in Region 1 impacted by the unprecedented snowstorm over the Christmas holiday. “When the blizzard hit Buffalo, PEF activated its Relief Fund to do what we do best — help our fellow union...
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February 17, 2023 — During Women’s History month each March, PEF recognizes and celebrates members who have demonstrated significant accomplishments or leadership and have excelled and served as a role model to peers. Women’s History Month was established by Congress in 1987 to address the fact that, “the role of American women in history has...
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