December 21, 2023 — PEF members were honored for their contributions to health and safety in the workplace at the 2023 PEF/State Health & Safety Conference December 11 to 13 in Saratoga. The recipients are listed below. For more details, click here.
Judith Scanlon PEF Health & Safety Activist Award
Region 9 Coordinator Diane Jaulus received the Judith Scanlon PEF Health & Safety Activist Award.
Named for Judi Scanlon, an intensive case manager in Buffalo who was beaten to death in 1998 during a home visit to a patient, the award gives recognition to grassroots health and safety activists who fight for safety on the job and workers’ rights.
Jaulus is a member of the DOCCS Statewide Health & Safety and Workplace Violence Prevention Committees and is passionate about fighting for Region 9 members and for DOCCS members across New York.
Bernie Kahn Outstanding Service Award
Region 3 Coordinator and Article 18 Co-Chair Leisa Abraham received the Bernie Kahn Outstanding Service Award.
Named for Bernie Kahn, who chaired the PEF Health & Safety and PEF Article 13 Committees for many years, this award recognizes a health and safety activist for their sustained and outstanding efforts to improve the lives of workers.
Abraham recently took up the fight to put more safety measures in place for workers in high crime areas who are traveling to and from work. She has also built a powerful coalition with other advocates to coordinate safety controls that will benefit OPWDD and other Western New York facilities for years to come.
Agency Award
The Agency Award is given by the Office of Employee Relations and PEF to agency chairs who demonstrate dedication to health and safety; development of programs; model labor/management cooperation; and have an interest in new approaches to health and safety.
This year, the award went to the chairs of the Office of Mental Health Multi Union H&S Committee (OMH MUHS) – Darlene Williams and Bryce Therrien. The MUHS demonstrates how coalitions between unions and state agencies can work to make a successful health and safety program.
Kathy D’Arminio Special Recognition Award
Recognizing the life-long recontributions of individuals who have distinguished themselves through a career of hard work and dedication to improve the lives of workers, this year’s Kathy D’Arminio award went to Matt London.
London was a PEF member at the Department of Health and heavily involved in health and safety before joining PEF staff during the fight for the Workplace Violence Prevention law and PESH Standard. He trained thousands of PEF members and others across the country over his long career. He is now the executive director of the newly formed Northeast New York Coalition for Occupational Safety & Health (NENYCOSH).
Chairs Special Commendation Award
The Article 18 chairs honored PEF staff member Shawn Bobb for his invaluable contributions to the PEF Health and Safety Department for more than 30 years.
Bobb helped get better protections on the job for PEF members and all public employees in the fight to pass and shape the Workplace Violence Prevention law and the Public Employee Safety & Health (PESH) standard and has been a leader in infectious disease and bloodborne pathogen injury prevention programs.