November 18, 2021 — This update to November’s Communicator arrives shortly before Thanksgiving. I hope those of you who can safely do so enjoy some well-deserved time with friends and family next week. I spent some time this month in Puerto Rico at the annual SOMOS conference and then as a member of the...
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PEF Trustees’ Report to the 2021 Convention Delegates. Presented at the 43rd Annual Convention in Niagara Falls, NY. October 24th – 27st, 2021 Submitted by Christopher Buman, Bruce Giddings, and Muriel Hardy-Lee
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What do you do for the people of New York? The answers given during the “In the Public Interest” workshop at the 2021 PEF Convention ranged widely, from archaeology to social work to Department of Motor Vehicles staff. What PEF members do is what PEF wants to know and gather for its Fund Our Future...
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The best way to fight back against health and safety issues in the workplace is to know what is going on at the worksite. “The first step to making changes is to document,” PEF Health and Safety Director Geraldine Stella told members at the annual Health and Safety breakfast at the 2021 PEF Convention. “The...
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Stop enabling non-vaxers To the Editor: Barring a true medical reason (rare), any of the nurses that don’t get vaccinated deserve to get fired. Stop enabling them. DAVID PRATT Henrietta —– Are there exceptions to vaccination mandate? To the Editor: I am a bit confused. There is no religious exemption in New York. I did...
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October 4, 2021 — PEF’s gratitude and best wishes go out to its members who are retiring and moving on to the next chapter of their lives. The union hopes they will join PEF Retirees and remain active and valued participants in the PEF family. This month, we salute: Joyce Ernst, PEF Division 280, Staten...
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November 4, 2021 — The work of PEF conventions is judged by some members based on how many of the resolutions are dealt with by the delegates. By that standard, delegates to the 2021 PEF Convention get an A+ because they dealt with all 27 before them. They adopted four as submitted; amended and then...
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November 4, 2021 — PEF Secretary-Treasurer Joe Donahue, in his annual report to PEF convention delegates, said the union is in a strong financial position. The COVID-19 pandemic shutdown saved the union considerable expense by curtailing in-person meetings and travel and the closing of headquarters and regional offices. PEF ended its 2020-21 fiscal year with...
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October 4, 2021 — Pledging change, a sitting governor addressed delegates during this year’s PEF Convention. Gov. Kathy Hochul spoke to delegates on Oct. 25, the first plenary session of the 2021 Convention. She expressed her gratitude and camaraderie with public sector workers. “You’ve never before seen a governor who has worked her way up...
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November 4, 2021 — “I say ‘power,’ you say ‘PEF’!” That’s what New York State Attorney General Letitia James called out as she addressed delegates at PEF’s annual Convention in Niagara Falls on Oct. 25. “New York State is the second most unionized state in the nation and one of just two states with union...
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