{"id":2816,"date":"2023-03-09T14:57:39","date_gmt":"2023-03-09T19:57:39","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/communicator.pef.org\/?p=2816"},"modified":"2023-03-10T14:25:44","modified_gmt":"2023-03-10T19:25:44","slug":"pef-to-legislators-bolster-state-workforce-by-improving-civil-service-adjusting-pay-grades-and-fixing-tier-6","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/communicator.pef.org\/issue\/volume-41-no-2\/pef-to-legislators-bolster-state-workforce-by-improving-civil-service-adjusting-pay-grades-and-fixing-tier-6\/","title":{"rendered":"PEF to legislators: Bolster state workforce by improving Civil Service, adjusting pay grades, and fixing Tier 6"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"Wayne
PEF President Wayne Spence, at podium, and Vice President Randi DiAntonio, to his right, led a \u201cState of the State Worker\u201d press conference on March 1 outside the New York State Senate.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

 <\/p>\n

March 10, 2023<\/em> \u2013 <\/em><\/span>Ahead of a joint budget hearing on workforce development, PEF President Wayne Spence and Vice President Randi DiAntonio called for changes that would address pay equity, the Tier 6 pension plan, and Civil Service shortcomings, which would drive recruitment and retention efforts.\u202f<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The press conference took place outside the Senate Chambers in Albany and PEF leaders and members were joined by State Senators Robert Jackson and Jessica Ramos, who chair the Civil Service and Pension and Labor committees, respectively.\u202f<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\"Randi
PEF Vice President Randi DiAntonio speaks at the press conference.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

\u201cPublic employees take care of this state, and we have to really take care of them,\u201d DiAntonio said. \u201cThe world of work is changing, and we need to get on board with that change if we really want to attract the best and the brightest and if we want to keep the folks that we currently have on the job.\u201d\u202f<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Lower starting salaries, lack of promotional opportunities, an overreliance on overtime, and an inferior Tier 6 pension plan have decimated and starved the state workforce.\u202f<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThere is a national shortage of skilled municipal workers,\u201d Spence said. \u201cTheir value cannot be understated. There was once a time when the state didn\u2019t care: \u2018Oh, there\u2019s nowhere to go.\u2019 Telework and technology is making it so that other states are looking to places like New York for the excellence that we have.\u201d\u202f<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Many people are jumping to the private sector for opportunities to improve work-life balance. PEF encourages state agencies to consider alternate work schedules and remote work to help retain staff.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re heartened by the fact we are sitting here having a dialogue about improving staffing at state agencies and improving how government operates,\u201d she said. \u201cWe\u2019re hoping that a new day is dawning, and we thank the governor for lifting the hiring freeze last year. We are committed to rebuilding this workforce. There are things that we need to fast track.\u201d\u202f<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

She emphasized the staggering shortage of staff and its repercussions.\u202f<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019ve seen over the last several years an increased reliance on overtime,\u201d she said. \u201cOur workforce is stressed out, they\u2019re exhausted, and they work under sometimes toxic and unsafe working conditions. Not only do we have a problem on the front end with recruitment; we have a problem on the back end with retention.\u201d\u202f<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

According to statistics from the governor\u2019s office, the state is down 12,500 workers, with 26% more ready to retire in the next five years.\u202f<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWe don\u2019t have people coming on board fast enough to replace them,\u201d said DiAntonio. \u201cWe need an emergency staffing plan.\u201d\u202f<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The onboarding process itself doesn\u2019t help matters.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cOnboarding can take six months,\u201d DiAntonio said. \u201cWe\u2019re losing good people.\u201d\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

She said the state used to do mentorships and internships, connecting with colleges to bring in young professionals who then stayed in state service. Now, new hires are thrown into the fire, she said, and oftentimes overwhelmed.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cPEF fully supports the various improvements to the civil service testing, hiring and on-boarding processes proposed in the Executive Budget,\u201d she said.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

PEF submitted several budget requests<\/span><\/b><\/a>, including legislation to standardize mandatory employee contributions at 3% after 10 years for Tier 6 participants and legislation to modernize the Civil Service pay structure, develop a job evaluation system to align Civil Service with the private sector, and adjust every title upward at least two pay grades.\u202f<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWe know pay equity is a huge problem,\u201d said DiAntonio. \u201cWe know many of our titles can go to the private sector and make more money. And we\u2019re hearing from Tier 6 workers that it isn\u2019t worth making a career out of state service.\u201d<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Her testimony also urged lawmakers to support expansion of the Healthcare Worker Bonus program to include all staff deemed \u201cessential\u201d during the COVID-19 state of emergency.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWhile health care employees rightly received supplemental payments for their services during this crisis, tens of thousands of state workers have not received any hazard pay,\u201d DiAntonio said. \u201cThis has hurt morale and the overall culture of work in state government.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

As lawmakers continue to work toward enacting a budget for Fiscal Year 2023-2024, all PEF members are urged to participate in the union\u2019s letter-writing campaign, which allows them to send letters to local lawmakers urging support of PEF\u2019s budget priorities.\u202f<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Get started sending letters,\u202f<\/span>here<\/span><\/b><\/a>.\u202f<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n