December 12, 2025 — The Executive Board held its quarterly meeting December 4 and 5 in Albany with a full agenda of business and updates. They sent a tentative agreement to Albany Housing Authority members for ratification; discussed current issues at the Department of Corrections and Community Supervision; and were briefed on union finances and Jamaican relief efforts.
Albany Housing Authority agreement
The board voted to send a tentative one-year agreement to the members of PEF Division 503 at Albany Housing Authority, one of several smaller units PEF represents outside of the PS&T contract.
The agreement features a 2% raise and improvements to personal leave, with a few minor givebacks.
Union finances, membership
PEF received a favorable audit from the Bonadio Group, with no material weaknesses discovered. Auditors reported no issues with investments and said the organization’s total net assets of $13.8 million will “allow PEF to weather any storms in the future and put the union in a good financial position.”
Secretary-Treasurer Joe Donahue echoed the sentiment.
“PEF has never been in a stronger position than it is today and that is because of the good work of the members,” he said, reporting a cash balance at the end of the quarter of more than $31.6 million of net cash and investments, with dues income $872,000 over budget as membership exceeded projections.
There were several line items over budget, including Employee Organizational Leave, computer fees, occupancy, parking and scholarship expenses, but these were largely due to the timing of the charges.
“Current assets show the fiscal strength of the union,” Donahue said.
Director of Organizing Scott Harms reported membership stood at 55,705 as of Nov. 7, 2025, up from 53,976 at the end of 2024.
“We have continued to add new members to our bargaining unit and grow the power of our union,” he said. “We need everyone’s help to make sure new members are signed up timely, so please reach out to new hires when they start at your locations. We are also focusing our efforts on permanent nonmembers through organizers, Division leaders, and Regional Coordinators.”
Harms also shared a new one-page PEF application that includes both membership and COPE signups. It is available on the PEF website or via the Resources tab in the app. Since the form went live in May, PEF has gained nearly 250 COPE contributors. COPE, the Committee on Political Education, helps PEF advocate for federal legislation, funding and policies that support union priorities – union dues cannot be used for federal lobbying.
Jamaican disaster relief
President Wayne Spence reported out on relief efforts following the massive category 5 hurricane that devastated portions of Jamaica in late October, with PEF raising approximately $22,000 in collaboration with parent union AFT.
“We raised that money under the AFT umbrella, not the PEF Relief Fund, which is specifically for PEF members,” he said. “PEF is the only union I know under AFT that is leading an effort like this.” (Members may still donate using this link.)
Of the money raised, $20,000 has been released to the Jamaican Teachers Union, to support the island’s school system and counter a push for privatizing the system, which would force kids to travel to city centers for education.
PEF Executive Board member Joan Rosegreen, a nurse at SUNY Downstate, traveled to Jamaica in October as part of a medical mission and rode out the storm, unable to return home for almost a month.
“For you to see it and experience it, it’s really traumatic,” she told the board. “The day after the hurricane, we went out into the community and got involved.”
In the western section of the island, Rosegreen said five parishes were hit particularly hard, reducing centuries-old buildings to rubble.
“Be assured that when your money goes to the Jamaican Teachers Association, it’s being used for the kids,” she said.
RELATED STORY: PEF member in Albany delivers Jamaican relief
DOCCS updates
President Spence played two videos for the board. The first was silent footage from various body cams worn by staff during the fatal beating of Robert Brooks on Dec. 9, 2024, at Marcy Correctional Facility, followed by the president’s testimony before a joint legislative hearing in May that was convened in reaction to Brooks’ murder.
While his testimony focused on suicides, short-staffing, and safety and security for staff at correctional facilities, legislators turned the discussion to abuses of incarcerated individuals. President Spence said PEF supports increasing the use of fixed and body-worn cameras, which prompted a shakeup in PEF leadership at DOCCS.
“I welcome cameras, it would make everybody transparent,” President Spence told the board. “What came out of what took place with Robert Brooks is a changed trajectory on how people view corrections.”
Highlights from the president’s panel testimony on May 14, 2025, can be viewed here.
The president next invited new DOCCS Statewide Labor-Management Co-Chairs Tanya Oliver and Lori Greenizen to discuss the closure of Bare Hills Correctional Facility and consolidation of Collins.
Greenizen and Oliver said no members would be laid off following the November 18 announcement that Bare Hill Correctional Facility in Malone would close and Collins Correctional Facility in Gowana would be consolidated from two facilities separated by a road into one campus.
“All they are doing at Collins is taking staff from one side and consolidating them with the other side,” Greenizen said. “It will help increase security and no staff are being transferred away.”
PEF attended the Reduction in Force meetings at Bare Hill, where 59 members are impacted. With two large correctional facilities (Franklin and Upstate) with vacancies in close proximity to Bare Hill, job losses are not expected.
President Spence also reported a successful walkthrough at Fishkill Correctional Facility in Dutchess County in October after exposures necessitated EMS transport to area hospitals and angered residents of the town concerned with diverting resources to the facility. PEF pushed back on efforts to force members through a full decontamination process at the facility, which would have necessitated full strip downs and showers.
Legislative updates, letter campaign
With several of PEF’s priority bills on Gov. Kathy Hochul’s desk for signing, the importance of legislative advocacy is apparent, and members are urged to visit the PEF website and send letters of support to the governor.
Federal funding cuts loom over state agencies that depend on federal dollars, said Legislative Director Pat Lyons. In the end, the One Big Beautiful Bill Act accomplished two different things – it cut federal spending by $2 trillion over the next 10 years, and it spent $4.5 trillion on individual and corporate tax cuts over that same period.
“When talking about the federal tax cut package in the OBBBA, we didn’t get as big a piece of the pie as we think is appropriate for our PEF members,” he said. “The biggest slice of the tax cut pie went to the few New Yorkers who need tax relief the least – those with incomes over $400,000 per year.”
“On the federal spending cut side, the large reductions in federal support enacted in OBBBA may very well result in significant reductions in program spending in the out years,” Lyons added.
Early State budget projections were dire, but Lyons told the board revenues are up and this year is close to a balanced budget for the state. Trouble really ramps up in 2027-28, when Medicaid cuts hit and New York is looking at the potential for a $10-15 billion deficit even if the economy stays on track.
“The Medicaid cuts enacted in the OBBBA don’t take effect until January 2027, so we are hopeful that some improvements may still be possible,” Lyons said.
“We have a lot of asks, including a good contract and Tier 6 improvements,” Lyons said. “We can’t recruit and retain staff with the current Tier 5 and 6 pension systems. We have broad support for changes, the question is how to pay for them given the out-year budget gaps. PEF will keep advocating for changes while also recognizing the broader budget picture may limit the size and scope of the potential changes.”
There will be a multi-union rally to push for fixes to Tier 6 on March 8, 2026, in Albany.
Staffing updates, farewells
President Spence recognized two long-time staff members, Health and Safety Director Geraldine Stella and Executive Director Todd Kerner, who recently announced their retirements.
In October, PEF hired Omotolani (Tolani) Elumade to serve as Director of Human Resources, who most recently served as Assistant Deputy Superintendent of Operations at the state Department of Financial Services, where as a senior advisor she played a key role in supporting strategic planning and oversight across several critical divisions—including IT, HR, DEI, compliance, training, and emergency management.
This was the final Executive Board meeting of 2025. The first one of 2026 will be held March 26 and 27 in Albany.
Editor’s Note: The end of the year always brings with it several board retirements, so check the union’s Elections page to see if there is a vacancy in your agency.