WorkersMemorialDayfocusissafety,
eliminatingabusiveemployers
By DEBORAH A. MILES Woolson,losthislifeinanaccident.Letus
Thedaybeamedwithwarmthand takeamomentofsilenceandbowour
sunshine,butthemoodofthedozensof headsinhismemory.”
PEFleadersandstaffremainedsolemn.As Brynienalsosaidlifeseemstobe
inpastyears,theystoodshoulder-to- movingfasterandfaster.“Taketimeto
shoulderonWorkersMemorialDayin enjoyitandfindmomentsofpeaceand
frontoftheunion’smonumentatits reflection,”hesaid.
headquartersinLatham.
PEFPresidentKenBrynienand Eightfallenworkers
Secretary-TreasurerArleaIgoeplaceda Afewhourslater,Brynienjoinedother
wreathinmemoryofmemberswholost unionmembersattheNewYorkState
theirliveswhileonthejob.Theywere UnitedTeachers(NYSUT)headquarters.
joinedbyPEFVicePresidentJoeFox.
ATPEF—PEFSecretary-TreasurerArlea
Theeventrememberedeightworkersfrom
ItwasjustoneofthemanyApril28
IgoebowsherheadasPEFPresidentKen
theCapitalRegionwhowerekilledonthe
eventsbeingheldacrossthecountry.It
Brynienasksparticipantstosayasilent
jobduring2008.Theyoungest,BrettPeck,
wasadaywhenfamilyandfriendsoflost
prayerforw
—
or
A
k
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ba
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n
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y
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ie
by
d
D
.
eborahA.Miles
20,diedinaconstructionaccident.And
workersstoodinsolidaritytorenewthe 70-year-oldretiredNYSUTmember
fightforsaferworkingconditions. people.Scoresofcaseshavebeen RobertaKingwasamongthoseshotinthe
Brynientalkedaboutthehazardsstate confirmedintheUnitedStates.Manyof BinghamtonImmigrationCentertragedy.
workersfaceonadailybasis. ourPEFmembersareexposedtothe
“Astheyearspass,wefindthereis generalpublicandareatriskofcatching
alwayssomethingonthehorizon,”hesaid. thisflu.
“Thisyear,theswinefluhasbecomefront- “Thisisinadditiontotherisksour
pagenews,withMexicobeingthe memberstakeeverydayonthejob.Last
epicenteroftheoutbreakkillingdozensof month,a41-year-oldparoleofficer,Jeff
Professional Directory
Advertising in this publication does not represent an endorsement by PEF or its members.
Does the thought of going to
Theeventopenedwithmusic
the DENTIST make you
performedbyPEFDirectorof
OccupationalHealthandSafetyJonathan
RosenandhiswifeAnnie.
NERVOUS?
StateHumanRightsCommissioner
GalenKirklandtalkedabouttheneedfor
dignityandrespectforall
v
workers.
I
i
t
s
”Itiscleartomeasthe
c
’
h
s
i
M
t
e
e
e
a
a
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yb
sy
a
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i
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t
n
’s
p
t
u
a
beenalongtimesinceyou
t
l
s
o
o
f
m
fic
e
e
t
?
h
W
in
e
g
u
o
nderstandyou.
commissioner,thousands
o
c
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k
r
-u
o
p
f
.
fi
W
ce
e’
f
d
or
li
a
ke
ne
to
w
in
p
v
a
i
t
t
ff
i
e
l
en
y
i
t
o
k
e
u
ea
x
t
a
o
d
m
v
e
.
i
n
s
t
i
a
t
l
ofpeoplegotoworkevery
dayanticipatingonemore
dayofhell.That’sbecause
Pa
D
in
en
fu
ti
l
s
.
t
A
r
s
y
k
D
a
oesn’tHaveToBe
theworkenvironmentis
dentallase
bouthowournew
oftenhostile,especially
againstpeoplewith
8
wit
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ho
r
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9
c
t
a
n
n
e
-
e
im
4
dl
p
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2
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o
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l
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r
s.
smile
KIRKLAND
differentbackgrounds.
Lastyear,thedivision
reviewed7,600complaintsrelatedto
employmentdiscrimination.Mostofthem
arecasesofextremepsychologicalpainin
R
theworkplace,”Kirklandsaid.
“Weneedtomoveforwardwith
4
o
51
b
0
ertBo
diligenceandspeedandturntoouryoung
people.Weneedtochangethesocial
A
M
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ai
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rs
e
r
t
a
,
r
k
N
H
,
Y
a
D
rle
D
m
S
norms.Wearelivinginthemostbizarre
periodwiththeeconomyinadownturn
andpeoplelosingtheirjobsandhomes.
Page18—TheCommunicatorJune2009 PEFInformationLine:1-800-553-2445
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