• PEF working to fill Nurse Coordinator position

    PEF working to fill Nurse Coordinator position

    January 9, 2026 — In 1998 under the administration of former PEF President Roger Benson, PEF established the Nurse Organizer position, a full-time staff position responsible for organizing and empowering...

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  • 2025 in one word? Solidarity! 

    2025 in one word? Solidarity! 

    What a year it’s been for your union! From the wildcat strike at DOCCS, to speaking out against federal budget cuts, to saving SUNY Downstate, PEF truly did it in 2025. Together...

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  • Retired PEF member reflects on the good of DOCCS programming and the fight for safety

    Retired PEF member reflects on the good of DOCCS programming and the fight for safety

    December 12, 2025 — One of PEF’s top priorities when it comes to improving working conditions and protecting its members at DOCCS is the delivery of quality programming to incarcerated...

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  • New Steward training prepares union activists for frontline duties  

    New Steward training prepares union activists for frontline duties  

    December 12, 2025 — PEF offers steward training across all 12 of the union’s regions. Each region has different training techniques and the sessions often vary based on the instructors. So when Debbie Egel started working as the Interim Organizer of Field Services for Regions 10-12,...

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  • Blast from the Past: PEF members say, ‘Give Us a Fair Contract Now!’ 

    Blast from the Past: PEF members say, ‘Give Us a Fair Contract Now!’ 

    December 12, 2025 — With PEF’s 2023-2026 PS&T contract ending April 1, 2026, the Contract Committee is gearing up for negotiations at a time when uncertainty seems rampant at every...

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  • Do you want to be a union leader? Executive Board special election coming in January

    Do you want to be a union leader? Executive Board special election coming in January

    December 15, 2025 — The PEF Executive Board meets quarterly and is the highest-ranking deliberative body of the union other than the annual Convention. A full Executive Board assures that...

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  • Jet Dental clinics coming to Cattaraugus County in the New Year

    Jet Dental clinics coming to Cattaraugus County in the New Year

    December 15, 2025 — Jet Dental Clinics are mobile dental clinics that offer a wide range of preventative dental services including cleanings, x-rays, regular exams and more. The clinic travels...

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  • Telephone Town Hall covers health insurance increases

    Telephone Town Hall covers health insurance increases

    December 2, 2025 — Just before Thanksgiving, PEF learned there would be a 9.6% increase in New York State Health Insurance Program (NYSHIP) premiums in 2026, and President Wayne Spence hosted a telephone town...

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  • PEF assists members impacted by DOCCS closure, consolidation

    PEF assists members impacted by DOCCS closure, consolidation

    Dec. 12, 2025 — The New York State Department of Corrections and Community Supervision (DOCCS) announced November 18 that Bare Hill Correctional Facility in Franklin County will close at the...

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  • RAISE Act will protect New Yorkers from unchecked AI

    RAISE Act will protect New Yorkers from unchecked AI

    November 21, 2025 — The following op-ed ran in The Buffalo News on Nov. 14, 2025, co-authored by PEF President Wayne Spence and Assemblymember Alex Bores:  Keeping the public protected...

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