September 27, 2023
Jose Medina, a retired PEF member who worked as a wage investigator with the Department of Labor, and Scarlett Ahmed, a council leader and member of the executive board, contributed to the New York Focus story, “Hands-Off Labor Department Retreats From Wage Theft Enforcement.” The story calls out Commissioner Roberta Reardon, stating that under Reardon, the agency has recovered fewer workers’ stolen wages, and has suffered increased resignations and lagging staff replacements. Click here to read the story.
On September 14, 2023, Hudson Mohawk Magazine Labor Correspondent Willie Terry was at a ‘Starbucks Day of Action’ gathering sponsored by PEF. The event took place at the Latham Starbucks located at 549 Troy-Schenectady Road. PEF members collected customer signatures to support all Starbucks workers’ right to organize a union. In this audio segment, Terry interviews PEF Region 8 Coordinator Danielle Bridger and Trustee Bruce Giddings, who is also the treasurer of PEF Division 169 (ENCON). Click here to listen.
Spectrum News was on hand for PEF’s Toxic Workplace rally on Sept. 21 in Albany. Executive Board members and members who work downtown marched during their lunch break from the Albany Hilton to Empire State Plaza, calling out toxic work environments in state agencies and demanding respect in the workplace. Spectrum reporter Kate Lisa produced this report. Click here to read the story.
The Toxic Workplace rally on Sept. 21 also garnered a front-page photo in the Albany Times Union the following day, under the headline “Union workers say ‘enough.’” The story on page three included three more photos and a quote from PEF President Wayne Spence: “We can’t allow this behavior to continue. No one should have to go to work and feel unsafe or be harassed. Enough is enough!” Click here to read the story.
The Chief — New York’s newspaper focused on the labor movement – couldn’t attend the Sept. 21 rally, but spoke to PEF President Wayne Spence the following week about the union’s push to stop workplace abuse at state agencies. Click here to read the story.