SHERRY HALBROOK By SHERRY HALBROOK

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 adopted four more; referred four to the PEF Legislative Department; postponed action indefinitely (tabled) on six; defeated six; and three were withdrawn by their maker.

Resolutions that were adopted include:

  • Recognizes the historical PEF logo and colors of blue and yellow as the official PEF logo and colors;
  • Endorses the PEF line-item program budget process objectives and oversight policy;
  • Celebrates the NYS Fund Our Future campaign, affirms its goals and objectives and commits to ensuring ongoing support; and
  • Suggests that the PEF president develop a commission to study the potential solutions for the problems of state Labor Department members who are hourly workers with regard to status, career mobility, raises and Articles 33 and 34 protections in the PS&T contract. This should be done with input and collaboration from members, elected leaders, and the PEF legislative, civil service and contract teams.  The commission should report to the president and Executive Board before the 2022 PEF convention.

The four amended resolutions that were adopted direct that:

  • PEF’s next PS&T contract team shall propose that the state provide a deferred compensation match of PEF members’ contributions of up to $500 per year;
  • PEF advocate for the alleviation of prison crowding through the reopening of the state Gowanda, Watertown and Clinton Annex correctional facilities, for an eight-year moratorium on closing state correctional facilities and for a state study on how to handle any future closings;
  • PEF leaders at agencies that are not providing the union with its legally and contractually obligated orientation time (for new hires) bring this issue to the joint labor-management process and call for the orientation release time to become an immediate priority. PEF is directed to develop and implement in-person orientation training for local leaders, and a virtual orientation package that local leaders can use to orient members virtually; and
  • PEF allow past presidents to address PEF conventions for up to 15 minutes, but bar them from making anti-union, profane or malicious comments attacking current or past PEF presidents, officers, leaders or political figures.  If a past president does not comply with this policy, their microph