April 3, 2025 — The PEF Executive Board met for the first time in 2025 on March 27 and 28 in Albany. The board approved the union’s budget for the next fiscal year, welcomed the new Contract Team, and discussed mobilizing to fight potential cuts to federal funding, which will impact the services PEF members provide.
New Executive Board members sworn-in
Brooke Bosch from OPWDD Taconic DDSO, Patrcia O’Toole from Helen Hayes Hospital, Sametta Shaw-Lipiec from OPWDD Central NY DDSO, Scott Wendt from DOT in Syracuse and Gina Corona from OMH Hutchings PC were sworn-in to begin their three-year terms. Also sworn-in was new Region 5 Coordinator Scott Staub.
Passing the Budget
PEF Secretary-Treasurer Joe Donahue presented to the executive board a balanced budget for Fiscal Year 2025-26, which funds the union from April 1, 2025, to March 31, 2026. The new budget reflects an increase in revenue as the State continues to hire employees who are part of a PEF bargaining unit.
“Total dues have increased by about $2.6 million as we have experienced a number of new members thanks in part to the efforts of our organizing team,” said Secretary-Treasurer Donahue.
With an increase in dues, there were also increases in some spending. PEF is gearing up for contract negotiations this year and has added a line in the budget to address upcoming expenditures surrounding travel, meetings, and other needs for the contract team.
Additionally, PEF is hiring for several new positions, including senior field representatives in New York City, Western New York and Albany, as well as two multi-regional field representatives. (Check out all open jobs on the Careers at PEF page.)
The Executive Board voted to add an amendment to the budget that would increase meal allowance rates for all regions. For regions 1 through 9, breakfast, lunch and dinner allowances are now $15, $23, and $50, respectively. For Regions 10 through 12, those allowances are $20, $28, and $60.
The largest expenditure in the budget is devoted to union leave, staff salaries and benefits, as well as expenses for committees, regional meetings and the annual PEF Convention. The total change in spending from the 2024-25 amended budget to the 2025-26 proposed budget is about $2 million.
The board approved both the changes in meal allowances as well as the budget.
Remembering Dee Dodson
PEF President Wayne Spence led the board in a moment of silence to remember Doris Ann “Dee” Dodson, a PEF Retiree who passed away on February 23, 2025. Dodson was a long time PEF member and former Region 12 Coordinator in Long Island. She also served on the Statewide Nurses Committee and was employed for a time as PEF’s Nurse Coordinator.
Her advocacy put her at the front of several fights for the union, where she was instrumental in convincing President Spence to become an activist.
“Dee really brought me into the union,” said President Spence. “I met her at a meeting where parole officers were voting to decertify and break away from PEF. I had no love for this union. But Dee convinced me that things take time and instead, I became a steward. She was a true mentor to me.”
Last month, Dodson received a posthumous proclamation from State Senator Robert Jackson and the New York State Senate recognizing her contributions to PEF and her advocacy on behalf New York State workers.
The 2026 Contract Team greets the executive board
With the 2023-2026 Contract set to expire April 1, 2026, PEF President Spence has assembled a team to negotiate a successor contract. PEF Vice President Darlene Williams returns as Contract Chair, along with Director of Contract Administration Debra Greenberg. Labor attorney Mark Richard will serve as chief negotiator.
The PS&T Contract team is:
- Scarlett Ahmed, a Supervising Labor Services Representative from the Department of Labor;
- Vincent Cicatello, a Registered Nurse 2 from Buffalo Psychiatric Center;
- Conrad Davis, a Tax Auditor 1 at the Department of Taxation and Finance;
- George Howard, an Information Technology Specialist 3 at the Office of Information Technology Services;
- Chris Jordan, an Assistant Engineer for the Department of Transportation;
- Maureen Kozakiewicz, a Public Safety Grants Representative 3 from the Department of Motor Vehicles;
- Tanya Oliver, a Teacher 4 at DOCCS; and
- Cynthia Walker, a Teaching and Research Registered Nurse 1 at SUNY Downstate
In addition, PEF has assembled teams to negotiate the contracts for the Rowell Park Comprehensive Care Center at Roswell in Buffalo as well as the School for the Blind in Batavia and the School for the Deaf in Rome. The members on those teams are:
- Jordan Blatz, a Nursing Supervisor from Roswell Park;
- Bruce Jagroop, an Occupational and Environmental Specialist at Roswell Park;
- Theresa Burke, a Team Lead Registered Nurse 2 from Roswell Park;
- Theresa Ash, a Speech-Language Pathologist from the School for the Blind;
- Cathy Sawyer, a Special Education Assistant for the School of the Blind;
- Shari Parsons, a Special Education Assistant for the School of the Deaf;
- William Wiley, a Special Education Assistant for the School of the Deaf
“I really want to make a point to hear from as many people as possible with this team, and travel to listen to the members,” said Vice President Williams. “And I think we are really going to be able to deliver what is deserved for public servants.”
The team begins training this month and will develop a contract survey to solicit input from all members. Any member who has suggestions about what they would like to see in the next contract can email 2026ContractSuggestions@pef.org.
Division Dissolution Vote
New York State Department of Financial Services (DFS) employs about 125 PEF members who are not assigned to a division. At the start of the board meeting, DFS was made up of three PEF divisions: 174, which covered the Banking Department, 260, which covered the Insurance Department for Downstate, and 268, which covered DFS Upstate.
Divisions Committee Chair Gwendolyn Culpepper informed the board that Divisions 174 and 260 had invalid and outdated Constitutions. They were based on old agencies which no longer exist since the banking and insurance departments merged into DFS 14 years ago.
“The committee reviewed these operating units and found that DFS does not consistently provide PEF with updated unit assignments, and this, along with internal disputes between Division 174 and 260 leadership, stalled efforts to resolve these problems,” Culpepper told the board. “There has been no consistent way to define these operating units due to the many shared titles between the former banking department and the former insurance department.”
A motion to dissolve the two divisions was made. The committee also recommended that a new “DFS Downstate” Division, 415, be created in place of the two dissolved divisions.
The Executive Board voted to approve the recommendation put forward by the committee. Members who were unassigned to a division will now have the opportunity to elect a new Division 415 Council and participate directly in local PEF activities.
PEF rolls out new app and social media account
PEF Communications and Membership Information Systems (MIS) introduced a new PEF mobile app to inform, engage and organize members. The app requires members to login using the same Member Identification Number (MIN) and password they use to access the PEF and PEF MBP websites. Download instructions can be found at www.pef.og/app.
PEF is also moving away from using X (formerly known as Twitter) and on to a similar app gaining popularity: Bluesky. Members are encouraged to follow the union on Bluesky @nyspef.bsky.social.
Revisiting the DOCCS Strike
As part of his President’s Report, President Spence discussed the unauthorized strike by corrections’ officers (COs) that began on Feb. 17 and lasted almost a month. The strike resulted in the termination or resignation of more than 4,000 COs and had a profound impact on PEF members who work at DOCCS or for OMH in Corrections Based Operations.
President Spence invited members to speak about their experiences. Several thanked the union for fighting to protect their health and safety and negotiating Memorandums of Agreement that outlined what PEF members could and could not be asked to do during the strike.
“I appreciated all the help from staff when I called and had heated debates and asked what PEF was doing during this strike,” said Robert Hodson, a senior parole officer based in Syracuse. “I had members who think because (parole officers) are so small we don’t get enough union representation. After everything PEF has done, I now have members who are grateful for everything PEF did to represent them.”
Sharon Lamb, who co-chairs the DOCCS Labor-Management Committee and works at Franklin Correctional Facility in Malone, said that even though her facility is typically well-staffed, the crisis tested their limits and pushed them in ways she couldn’t have imagined.
“We had a lot of people volunteering and a lot of CSEA members also working alongside us to keep things running,” said Lamb. “In the end we lost only 40 staff members, but we have now gained 100 new incarcerated individuals.”
Vote of No Confidence
Members who work at the Office of Mental Health (OMH) also shared stories of abuse, mistreatment and overwork. Psychiatric facilities around the State have seen an increase in violent attacks by patients.
Many members of the executive board hoped to hear from OMH Commissioner Ann Marie Sullivan following multiple stabbings in April 2024 at Buffalo Psychiatric Center or following a violent assault of a PEF nurse at South Beach Psychiatric Center on Staten Island in September. But according to the members, Sullivan has not reached out or spoken to union leaders at all.
Following the discussion, the Executive Board unanimously approved a motion to draft a resolution for a vote of no confidence against Commissioner Sullivan. The board will consider the resolution when they next meet on June 12.
“The board spoke strongly and in unison because they are sick and tired of the lack of action by Commissioner Sullivan when it comes to addressing conditions in the agency that are leading to violent assaults against PEF members and other staff who work there,” President Spence said.
Federal funding cuts loom
The PEF Legislative Department reported on its progress so far during the budget session. As of this writing, the Governor and Legislature have not yet come to terms on the State budget, but PEF Legislative Director Patrick Lyons said the union is hopeful it will contain some forward movement on union’s top priorities.
“We have seen both houses include $12 million in additional operating expenses for the State Museum, and up to $150 million in capital for renovations,” said Lyons. “Additionally, we have seen an additional $250 million for SUNY Upstate to rehabilitate their emergency center and we have also seen a commitment for $1 billion in capital money for SUNY Downstate to renovate – the real challenge is the major cut in federal support for New York that is coming down the tracks.” “All of these items must be included in the final state budget agreement to become a reality,” Lyons added.
On the federal level, PEF has been fielding phone calls and emails from members concerned about the future as the federal government continues to cut funding across agencies and services. Ultimately, these cuts will likely hurt all New Yorkers, including many PEF members and their families.
“The proposed federal budget cuts and the program cuts being made unilaterally under DOGE are too far reaching to not have an immediate negative impact on our members, our state and our economy — Medicaid alone, New York State received $56 billion for that,” said Lyons. “Other healthcare programs, including the Affordable Care Act, $15 billion. Social welfare programs, about $5.5 billion. Funding for education, museums, libraries, $4.4 billion,” said Lyons. “There’s $9 billion we’re getting this year under the Covid and American Relief Act money. The tail end of those monies, as they run out, is the money that the President is going after right now.”
There have already been stories about programs halting or ceasing operations due to cuts or proposed cuts. PEF and its parent unions, AFT and SEIU, are working to spotlight the harmful impact federal funding cuts will have on public services. PEF has put together a primer on how members can share their stories and speak out against the cuts.
The next meeting of the PEF Executive Board will be in Albany, June 12-13, 2025.