May 8, 2024 — Nurses have always been one of the largest single job groups in PEF, working across several agencies from DOCCS to all the “O” agencies like OASAS, OCFS, OMH, OPWDD, and of course the three SUNY hospitals. However, it wasn’t until 1998 under PEF President Roger Benson, that PEF established the position of Nurse Organizer.
Today Nora Higgins holds the title of PEF nurse coordinator, but 26 years ago, Lenore Boris became PEF’s first nurse organizer.
Boris was tasked with working with the Statewide Nurses Committee and Organizing Committee to bring together PEF’s nurses across the state and across all agencies. As Higgins does now, Boris worked to help further the union’s state and federal legislative priorities and communicated them to PEF nurses.
Though Boris has moved on from PEF, the importance of the position is still evident, as PEF nurses recently gathered in Albany for their annual Nurse Lobby Day, talking directly to legislators about issues that impact their profession.
See below for The Communicator story from May 1998 announcing Boris’ appointment as the first PEF Nurse Organizer.
