{"id":3005,"date":"2023-04-03T11:37:58","date_gmt":"2023-04-03T15:37:58","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/communicator.pef.org\/?p=3005"},"modified":"2023-04-03T11:37:35","modified_gmt":"2023-04-03T15:37:35","slug":"executive-board-approves-2023-24-budget-gets-pst-contract-update-and-votes-to-send-out-albany-county-probation-agreement-for-ratification-vote","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/communicator.pef.org\/issue\/volume-41-no-3\/executive-board-approves-2023-24-budget-gets-pst-contract-update-and-votes-to-send-out-albany-county-probation-agreement-for-ratification-vote\/","title":{"rendered":"Executive Board approves 2023-24 budget, gets PS&T contract update, and votes to send out Albany County Probation agreement for ratification vote"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Wide<\/p>\n

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April 3, 2023 \u2013<\/em> The Executive Board approved the 2023-24 budget, voted to send the Albany County Probation tentative agreement to the agency\u2019s membership for ratification, and discussed legislative and contract updates at its March 23 and 24 meeting in Syracuse.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\"ExecutiveBudget highlights<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Secretary-Treasurer Joe Donahue presented a $41.4 million proposed budget, with a total net projected annual revenue increase of $2 million, offset by increased expenditures due to inflationary pressures on many expense items such as lodging and food, as well as increases related to staff salaries and benefits.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI wanted to present to you a balanced budget based on anticipated revenues and anticipated expenditures that was fair to all and fair for all,\u201d Donahue said. \u201cOur total dues income increased by over a million dollars, and I want to thank Divisions, Organizing and Field Services for their hard work. We increased our membership by about 1,500 from the last fiscal year and that is great, but at the same time, things are getting more expensive.\u201d<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The three largest expenses break down to 47.6% for union leave, salaries, taxes, and benefits; 23.7% toward per capita and affiliation fees; and 10.6% for operating expenses.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Donahue also submitted for approval an amendment to the 2022-23 budget that balanced out increases in staff travel, office supplies, utility, janitorial and security expenses, computer fees, insurance, arbitration fees, and temporary hires, by using funds originally allocated to Employee Organizational Leave.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Both the 2023-24 budget and the 2022-23 amendment were approved by the board.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\"The
Six new board members were sworn-in at the start of the two-day meeting: Tanya Oliver, Stephen Powers, Christopher Jordan, Tamara Martin, Mamadou Diallo, and William Ferguson.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Contract programs set to sunset\u00a0<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The state finally passed some full-language proposals across the bargaining table at negotiations March 21 and 22, allowing the two sides to begin bargaining in earnest now that the 2019-2023 Collective Bargaining Agreement has expired.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWith both sides having proposals on the table, we are hopeful that we can now move forward with the more extensive, hard bargaining necessary to reach an agreement,\u201d said Contract Team Chair Darlene Williams.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Williams reported the state denied extensions of several provisions of the contract that sunset when it expired, and no decisions have been made on others.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cMost contractual items do not sunset,\u201d said Williams. \u201cHealth insurance benefits; performance advances, which are coming out in April; performance awards or longevities, for which we eliminated sunset language in the last contract. Also, grievance and arbitration rights pursuant to articles 33 (discipline), 34 (contract grievances) and 17 (out-of-title grievances).\u201d<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The following programs sunset March 31 and extensions have been denied:<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n