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PEF leaders meet to discuss organizing around issues, strengthening Labor-Management committees 

December 21, 2023 — When management isn’t at the labor/management table, things at your agency can take a turn for the worse. And even when they are there, managers may not fully understand the implications of changes in the workplace.  At the Labor/Management Advisory Council meeting on December 8 in Albany, attendees heard legislative updates,...

PEF on the Plaza: Educating members about the value of their union 

December 21, 2023 — This year more than any other, PEF members received multiple dishonest communications via email and regular mail containing false details about opting out of the union. Organized labor is often the target of propaganda and disinformation at the hands of anti-union groups seeking to weaken and divide the power of working...

2024 Empire Plan, HMO Premium Rates Finalized 

The Option Transfer Period is open until December 29, 2023  The New York State Department of Civil Service has finalized the Empire Plan and HMO premium rates for 2024. Empire Plan premium rates are adjusted annually based on enrollee utilization and projected costs.   These rates are not negotiated by PEF. The union negotiates the level...

Executive Board welcomes NYS AFL-CIO president; discusses health and safety, financials, and upcoming union campaigns 

December 5, 2023 — During the Executive Board’s final meeting of 2023, the board heard from NYS AFL-CIO President Mario Cilento and conducted other regular business of the union, including review of the independent audit, ratification of the staff contract, and issues PEF will champion in 2024.  Union solidarity  President Cilento praised PEF for its...

Programming course bolsters members’ knowledge and use of Python 

December 5, 2023 — Executive Board Member Prakash Lal recently organized a week-long in-person training for PEF members working for the Office of Information Technology Services (OITS) through the Public Service Workshop Program in Albany. The training, which ran the week of November 13, focused on teaching members the Python programming language. A specialized instructor...

New legislation strengthens worker protections 

December 5, 2023 — A recent package of legislation, supported by PEF and signed into law by Governor Kathy Hochul on November 21, helps strengthen the rights of public sector workers in New York.    “On behalf of the 50,000 members of the NYS Public Employees Federation, we thank Governor Hochul for her continued work...

DMV members are dedicated to safety for all on the roads 

December 21, 2023 — Since joining state service six months ago, PEF member Jiangni Brown, a Highway Safety Program Analyst with the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV), already wears a few hats and spends a lot of time out in the community ensuring safety on the road.  Shortly after she came aboard, Brown took on...

Beware of scammers this time of year

December 21, 2023 — Happy Holidays, PEF Retirees!  I am providing information from our Attorney General as well as AARP in this edition of Retirees in Action.  Dear New Yorkers,  It’s unfortunate, but true: Seniors are often targeted for financial exploitation and investment fraud. A recent study found that, in just a single year, older...

2024 PEF Calendar

PEF Telephone Town Hall informs members about carried-over accruals, anti-union propaganda, legislative agenda 

November 21, 2023 — President Wayne Spence and several PEF directors updated members on important updates regarding carried-over vacation accruals, anti-union activity, and PEF’s legislative agenda on Nov. 15 during a Telephone Town Hall.   “Let me start with what I believe is the most urgent item,” President Spence began. “This could literally be costing...