31stAnnualPEFConvention
callsmemberstoaction
!
BySHERRYHALBROOK privatizationofNYSTARandDEDthat Theinvestmentincreatingahigh-
n” wasproposedinthestatebudget.Now, speedrailcorridoracrossthestateand
o
n
T
hethemeof“Ready,Set,Actio
resoundedthroughthe31stAnnual theunionisworkingtoprotectthejobsof bringingbroadbandaccesstothestate’s
PEFConventioninNiagaraFalls. itsmembersatHESCasthefederal ruralcommunitiescouldopenthedoor
ForfourdaysinSeptember,thepower studentloanprogrammovestotakeover foramuchstrongereconomicfuture,she
c
t
i
ofindividualandcollectiveactiontook theprocessofloanmaking. said.
centerstageasmorethan920delegates Delegatesfrombothagenciesthanked NewYorkiswellpositioned,Gillibrand
heardreportsfromtheirleadersand theunionforprotectingthesesmall said,totakeadvantageofstimulus
-
A
guestspeakers,amendedtheunion’s constituencies. fundingtobecomeanationalandworld
constitution,setbothfederalandstate “PEFishelpingusandweare leaderingreentechnologiesandenergy.
legislativeprioritiesforthecomingyear confidentouragencywillcontinuetoexist Thestruggletoprotectexistingjobs
e
t
andtackledarangeofresolutions. underdirectloans,”saidDebraSamuels recentlyfocused,shesaid,onsavingjobs
Whentheyweren’tdebatinginthe ofHESC.“Thank,God,forPEF.” attiremakersinwesternNewYorkwhen
-
S
conventionhall,delegatesgatheredfor PEFExecutiveBoardmemberJeff Chinadumpedcheaptiresonthe
committeemeetingsanddepartmental Janiszewski,whowashonoredforleading Americanmarket.Workingwiththe
caucuses,expandedtheirknowledgeand thefightagainstprivatizationofDED, UnitedSteelworkers,Gillibrandhelped
skillsatworkshopsandexploredthe toldhisfellowdelegates,“Itwasa persuadeObamatotaketherarestepof
d
y
exhibithallandbooths. collectiveeffort.We’rethesmallest institutingatariffontheChinesetiresto
Socialnetworkingcameintofocusin departmentinstategovernment.With stoptheattackonUScompaniesand
theevenings,highlightedbyregional only120PEFmembers,there’snoway workers.
e
a
hospitalityevents,dinners,receptions wecouldwinitalone.”(Seerelatedarticle, Gillibrandsaidshealsowasableto
R
anddances. page23.) helpblocktheoutsourcingofjobsatthe
BuffaloNiagaraInternationalAirporttoa
Allinthefamily Nationalissuesstrikehome
Spanishcompany.
Thedelegatespassedbothproposed U.S.Sen.KirstenGillibrandwasthe
Thesenatorsaidshesupports
amendmentstothePEFConstitution. firstspeakertoaddressthedelegates,
enactmentoftheEmployeeFreeChoice
OneamendmentallowsmembersatNYS outliningsomeoftheseriouschallenges
Acttohelpworkersformunionswithless
HigherEducationServicesCorp(HESC) facingthestateandthenation,howshe
riskofretaliation.
toberepresentedbyaseparateseaton isworkingtoaddressthemandtheneed
Shealsoisseekingwaysto:improve
thePEFExecutiveBoard.Theother forallPEFdelegatesandmembersto
“pensionfundstability”nationwide;
amendmentcombinestheboard becomeinvolved.
ensureequalpayforequalwork;improve
representationofmembersatNYSTAR GillibrandexplainedhowPresident
childhealthanddevelopment;andreduce
withthatofthestateDepartmentof BarackObama’sstimulusplanthat
gangviolence.
EconomicDevelopment. focusesoncreatingjobsandrebuilding
“It’sveryimportantforthisunionto
MembersatHESC,NYSTARandDED theeconomybyinvestingin
helpcreatefuturegenerationswhoare
havefacedseriousjobthreatsthisyear. infrastructureandgreentechnologycan
interestedinpublic
PEFmanagedtoavertthemergerand benefitNewYork.
service,”Gillibrandtold
themembers.
NiagaraFallsMayor
PaulDysterwelcomedthe
delegatestothecityand
toldthemhowhardthe
communityisworkingto
builditseconomy.
DYSTER
Thecommunityisthe
siteof“theworld’sfirst
environmentaltreatyto
createcleanhydropower
inNiagaraFallsandOntario,”hesaid.
Dysteralsocitedeffortstoopenaplant
inthecitythatwoulduseonemegawatt
(MW)ofcleanhydropowerto
manufacturepoly-siliconeforpanelsthat
create15MWofcleansolarpower.
Dystersaidhedreamsofmaking
NiagaraFalls“thegreenestcityinNew
York.”
Page4—TheCommunicatorOctober2009
Both
P
G
EF
ill
I
i
n
b
f
r
o
a
r
n
m
d
at
a
io
n
n
d
L
D
in
y
e
s
:
te
1
r
-8
t
0
o
0
ld
-55
th
3
e
-2445
Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32