{"id":8860,"date":"2026-05-04T12:00:15","date_gmt":"2026-05-04T16:00:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/communicator.pef.org\/?p=8860"},"modified":"2026-05-07T07:55:32","modified_gmt":"2026-05-07T11:55:32","slug":"contract-tour-swing-through-western-new-york-focuses-on-affordability","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/communicator.pef.org\/issue\/volume-44-no-4\/contract-tour-swing-through-western-new-york-focuses-on-affordability\/","title":{"rendered":"Contract Tour swing through Western New York focuses on affordability\u00a0\u00a0"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"A<\/p>\n

May 7, 2026 — <\/em><\/span>From Buffalo to Allegany, April 20-24, members of the PEF Contract Team \u2013 led by PEF Vice President and Contract Chair Darlene Williams and Region 1 Coordinator Vincent Cicatello \u2013 heard one common message: The cost of living is too damn high.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

That’s why addressing affordability issues in the next PEF contract is so crucial.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWe have heard PEF members loud and clear,\u201d Cicatello said to members at OMH, DOCCS, DOT, DEC, Parks and Recreation and other worksites who came out in high numbers to hear updates from the team. \u201cSalaries are not keeping up with inflation — including the high cost of groceries, utility bills and gas prices. Many members are experiencing insecurities in being able to pay the bills required to support their families. Some members are telling us that they cannot afford rent, and putting food on their table has become challenging. Other members are seeking assistance and are getting in line at local food pantries.\u201d\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Among the 24 PEF proposals delivered to the State on the first day of negotiations \u2013 Feb. 2, 2026 \u2013 was one dealing with Article 7, Compensation.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWe know that many of you are struggling, and we know that 3% just isn\u2019t going to cut it,\u201d said VP Williams. \u201cWe also know that with all the instability in the world, we may need more as time goes on. That is why for each year of the contract, we\u2019re asking for a percentage increase. We do not want to end our next contract at a lower percentage than where we start.\u201d\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Health care costs have increased for PEF members by nine percent. The Contract Team noted that at the negotiating table, the state has tried to push for a change in healthcare costs.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThe members are concerned, and several are facing hardships in being able to support themselves and their family members,\u201d said Cicatello. \u201cOne anonymous member during the tour said, \u2018New York State is just disrespecting us,\u2019 when talking about the proposed medication increases and seemingly wanting to force us to go in network. Many PEF members are not only upset. but are concerned that they will not be able to afford the cost to care for themselves and their loved ones.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Members across Region 1 spoke candidly about different issues. For members at OMH and DOCCS facilities, safety was one of the central concerns. As violence continues to rise and illegal contraband makes its way into the facilities, members felt that more needs to be done to keep them safe at work. For other members, bullying and retaliation were also top of mind.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWe have been negotiating articles that deal with hazardous duty pay,\u201d said VP Williams. \u201cWhile this is being negotiated, PEF is committed to working with the legislature to pass more significant changes to DOCCS and O-Agency facilities to help keep our members safe.\u201d\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

For members at DOH, OMIG, OTDA, WCB, and several other agencies located in the Ellicott Square building in Buffalo, parking was a main concern. Many pay hundreds of dollars for parking, on top of other commuting costs.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The Contract Team also met with members at Roswell Park. They discussed both the main table contract, which applies to all PEF members as well as special provisions for Roswell Park members, including proposals on safety and security at the cancer hospital.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIn the past, we have negotiated Roswell Park contracts separately and after we finished the main contract,\u201d said VP Williams. \u201cIt was important for the team, and the PEF members at Roswell Park, that we not do that this time. The members at Roswell Park deserve a fair contract as soon as possible, just like we all do.\u201d\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Finally, the Contract Team shared that they are seeking to bring dental coverage under PEF\u2019s control. On the table is a proposal for the union to administer its own dental plan, like CSEA and UUP, which should result in cost savings and more network dentists across the State.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019ve heard that some people are fine with the current coverage, but we\u2019ve also heard plenty of members say otherwise,\u201d said VP Williams. \u201cWe believe it\u2019s time to take the dental coverage in-house and to figure out how best to serve all members.\u201d\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

At the end of each meeting, VP Williams came back around to affordability and told members no matter where they live in New York, the reality is the same.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cComing from Downstate born and raised in Brooklyn and now living on Staten Island, I understand firsthand the challenges our members face in the lower regions,\u201d she said. \u201cHowever, what this past week has reinforced for me is that regardless of geography, the core issues impacting our members remain the same. Whether you are in the heart of Brooklyn or in Buffalo, affordability is a challenge for all of us.\u201d\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Editor\u2019s Note: The contract team met again with representatives from the State the last three days of April and will be meeting again May 20 and 21. Members can find the latest updates at <\/span><\/i>www.pef.org\/contract<\/span><\/i><\/a>.<\/span><\/i>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\"Region<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

May 7, 2026 — From Buffalo to Allegany, April 20-24, members of the PEF Contract Team \u2013 led by PEF Vice President and Contract Chair Darlene Williams and Region 1…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":6,"featured_media":8876,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"division":[],"allowed_regions":[],"allowed_divisions":[],"class_list":["post-8860","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized","issue-volume-44-no-4"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nContract Tour swing through Western New York focuses on affordability\u00a0\u00a0 - PEF Communicator<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/communicator.pef.org\/issue\/volume-44-no-4\/contract-tour-swing-through-western-new-york-focuses-on-affordability\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Contract Tour swing through Western New York focuses on affordability\u00a0\u00a0\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"May 7, 2026 — From Buffalo to Allegany, April 20-24, members of the PEF Contract Team \u2013 led by PEF Vice President and Contract Chair Darlene Williams and Region 1...\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/communicator.pef.org\/issue\/volume-44-no-4\/contract-tour-swing-through-western-new-york-focuses-on-affordability\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"PEF Communicator\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2026-05-04T16:00:15+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2026-05-07T11:55:32+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/communicator.pef.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/05\/Contract-Feature.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"640\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"435\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"ccanham\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"ccanham\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"5 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/communicator.pef.org\\\/issue\\\/volume-44-no-4\\\/contract-tour-swing-through-western-new-york-focuses-on-affordability\\\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/communicator.pef.org\\\/issue\\\/volume-44-no-4\\\/contract-tour-swing-through-western-new-york-focuses-on-affordability\\\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"ccanham\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/communicator.pef.org\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/0677b03b1fcdadfe00f4e905b97b90e4\"},\"headline\":\"Contract Tour swing through Western New York focuses on affordability\u00a0\u00a0\",\"datePublished\":\"2026-05-04T16:00:15+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-05-07T11:55:32+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/communicator.pef.org\\\/issue\\\/volume-44-no-4\\\/contract-tour-swing-through-western-new-york-focuses-on-affordability\\\/\"},\"wordCount\":848,\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/communicator.pef.org\\\/issue\\\/volume-44-no-4\\\/contract-tour-swing-through-western-new-york-focuses-on-affordability\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/communicator.pef.org\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/sites\\\/2\\\/2026\\\/05\\\/Contract-Feature.jpg\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/communicator.pef.org\\\/issue\\\/volume-44-no-4\\\/contract-tour-swing-through-western-new-york-focuses-on-affordability\\\/\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/communicator.pef.org\\\/issue\\\/volume-44-no-4\\\/contract-tour-swing-through-western-new-york-focuses-on-affordability\\\/\",\"name\":\"Contract Tour swing through Western New York focuses on affordability\u00a0\u00a0 - 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