{"id":4466,"date":"2024-02-15T15:38:10","date_gmt":"2024-02-15T20:38:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/communicator.pef.org\/?p=4466"},"modified":"2024-03-07T14:19:49","modified_gmt":"2024-03-07T19:19:49","slug":"town-hall","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/communicator.pef.org\/issue\/volume-42-no-2\/town-hall\/","title":{"rendered":"PEF Townhall focuses on contract and budget updates"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"TellyFebruary 20, 2024 —<\/em> As the budget season ramps up, PEF is working hard to make sure that members of the union and state workers are kept high on the list of things for legislators and the governor to focus on. During the second telephone Town Hall of the year on Feb. 15, 2024, PEF President Wayne Spence offered members a chance to know exactly what those priorities are and how they can get involved.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

However, before digging into the details on the budget, President Spence delivered some good news to PEF members: The $400 dental stipend and $600 higher education differentials are on the way.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

For the higher education differential, eligible employees must be on the payroll as of April 1, 2024. Staff must hold an associate’s degree or higher from a college or\u00a0<\/span>university or a professional license from the New York State Education Department (SED). Some agencies may use documentation they already have, but many are requiring members to submit their proof. PEF advises that if agencies ask for proof to make sure to provide it before the deadline of March 29.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span>\u201cProof can be a copy,\u201d said Director of Contract Administration Debra Greenberg. \u201cIt does not have to be an original. A copy of your current license, a copy of your degree, a copy of a college transcript showing the degree, or even a photo of it hanging on a wall.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\"PEF
From the head of the table clockwise: PEF President Wayne Spence, Vice President Randi DiAntonio, Research Associate Jean-Rene Shekerjian, Vice President Darlene Williams, Political Director Leah Gonzalez, Membership Information Systems Director Joe Cocci, Executive Director Todd Kerner, Legislative Director Patrick Lyons and Contract Administration Director Debra Greenberg deliver critical information to members during the Feb. 15 Telephone Town Hall.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Greenberg also said that a copy of degrees may be in agency personnel folders. Both President Spence and Greenberg advised that members check their personnel folders. In the unusual situation where members cannot obtain a copy of their diploma or degree, Greenberg recommends reaching out to Human Resources and to a PEF field representative.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cContact your HR department to request an alternative method of submission. If there is any trouble with that, contact your field representative,\u201d Greenberg said. \u201cWe did make arrangements to deal with unusual situations like that.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

The contract does not define accreditation or exclude foreign degrees. If a member has their proof denied for any of those reasons, Greenberg again recommends contacting a field representative so PEF can work on the issue as soon as possible.<\/span><\/p>\n

Members can expect these first payments to be made on April 24 for those on the administrative payroll, and May 2 for those on the institutional payroll.<\/span><\/p>\n

The dental stipend, which is included in the contract while the state works through a request for proposal (RFP) for a new dental provider, should be hitting PEF members\u2019 paychecks by March 13 for those on the administrative payroll, and March 21 for those on the institutional payroll. PEF anticipates an update this spring on the potential for a new dental provider.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWe expect the state to be making an announcement this spring regarding the final results of the RFP,\u201d Greenberg said. \u201cAfter the announcement is made, there\u2019s usually an implementation period of about six months.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Members will also receive their contractually negotiated 3% salary increase in April, as well as performance awards and advances for those eligible.<\/span><\/p>\n

PEF Budget Priorities<\/span><\/b><\/p>\n

President Spence said that while he knows Governor Hochul has a lot of high-profile proposals to deal with the migrant crisis, affordable housing and many other issues in New York, his priority is still to PEF members.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cGovernor Hochul stated that she was aware that every New York State worker was underpaid and she was committed to changing that,\u201d President Spence said. \u201cWe want to make sure that that does not get lost.\u201d<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

As PEF continues to advocate for across-the-board salary upgrades for all titles, President Spence offered the membership a look behind the curtain to help understand how the New York State Department of Civil Service (DCS) approaches the process and why it is taking so long.<\/span><\/p>\n

Jean-Rene Shekerjian, a research associate in PEF’s Civil Service Enforcement and Research Department, and President Spence both shared that although DCS has been preparing to conduct a pay equity study for some time now, they only just sent out their request for proposals (RFP) this February. And the new study is a follow up to the pay equity study conducted from 2019 to 2022. It will not look at the competitiveness of State salaries.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Shekerjian added that the first pay equity study included a survey of more than 1,000 State job titles and asked survey respondents hundreds of questions to try to determine whether their job title was paid fairly in comparison to other State job titles.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThey had about 9,000 respondents, 200 questions,\u201d Shekerjian said. \u201cThey had to turn that into numbers, then pump that through their statistical instrument to yield results.\u201d<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

While the current RFP only relates to internal studies and information, Shekerjian shared that in the spring, DCS will also send out another RFP to compare how competitive the state is compared to the private sector.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

PEF Vice President Randi DiAntonio also offered a quick update on the union\u2019s efforts to upgrade the salaries of social workers. In September 2023, the Office of Mental Health (OMH) submitted a proposal to DCS to upgrade social workers who work for the agency.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThis was not an easy lift,\u201d DiAntonio said. \u201cThis was months and months of advocacy, arguing, putting pressure on them, writing letters, calling legislators and doing all sorts of things.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

DiAntonio offered that any members of PEF who believe they are underpaid should focus on putting pressure on their employers. Local members can start by advocating at the ground level with PEF\u2019s support.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cMembers should not wait for a wage study to start advocating,\u201d DiAntonio said. \u201cWe can work with members in individual titles, we can work with their leaders, as well as PEF Field Services and Civil Service staff, to highlight specific titles, to identify pay differences, to have it put on your labor management agenda and to push your employers to prioritize. This is never an easy lift, but we know it\u2019s possible.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

As for the state budget under negotiation, PEF Legislative Director Patrick Lyons laid out the union’s priorities and how members can help advance them. PEF has many priorities and challenges ahead, including putting a stop to the fast-tracking of prison closures on a 90-day expedited timeline, and preventing the State from closing SUNY Downstate hospital.<\/span><\/p>\n

However, there are several proposals in the governor\u2019s budget that mirror PEF\u2019s Fund Our Future<\/a> campaign priorities.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cTo her credit, she did adopt our proposal to end the lag payroll system for new hires, and end the salary deferral program for new hires,\u201d Lyons said. \u201cUnder those programs as they exist now, a member coming into state service wouldn\u2019t receive a check for 14 weeks.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cReforming Tiers 5 and 6 of the State pension plan remain the union\u2019s top priority,\u201d Lyons said. \u201cThis is about fairness and it is the most cost-effective way to attract and retain the workers New York needs to deliver services.<\/span><\/p>\n

There are several other issues that members can read about on PEF\u2019s website. Currently, the union is asking all members to send emails about eight PEF budget priorities to their local leaders. (<\/span>Click here to send yours<\/span><\/a>.)<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYou play an important role in this system to try and advocate on behalf of all of our members,\u201d Lyons said. \u201cI know not all of these items effect every single one of our titles and our members at all of our agencies, but at some point, they may.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIf we don\u2019t act in unison as a union of 50,000 strong, we are losing an opportunity,” he said. “We can\u2019t wait until we\u2019re the last ones waiting for a bad thing to happen to us. We have to work together now.”<\/span><\/p>\n

Click\u00a0here or the play button below to listen to the Town Hall.<\/span><\/a>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n