Pres.Brynienlistschallenges
i
o
n
n
accomplishments,priorities
U
ByDARCYWELLS proposedmoveofthestatefoodlaband theywillhavearole,andhetalkedabout
PEFPresidentKen datacenter.Infact,newfacilitiesare hisrecentmeetingwiththegovernorand
e
Brynienlaidoutalistof beingbuilt.” whatheisaskingoftheunion(Seestory
prioritiesforthecoming BrynienhighlightedPEF’svictoryin page4).
year,outlinedthemany blockingamovebythestateDepartment Toprepareforthebattleahead,
t
h
challengesaheadand ofCivilServicetoswitchstatemedicaljob BryniensetPEF’stoppriority;reducing
BRYNIEN
rattledoffalistofPEF’s titlestonon-competitiveandcelebrateda thestate’srelianceoncostlyprivate
accomplishmentsashe recentlynegotiatedsettlementtoprovide consultants.
o
f
addresseddelegatesat monetaryreliefforcertainemployeesof Healsosetagoalofmobilizing100
PEF’s31stAnnual theLaborDepartment’snowclosed percentofPEF’sdivisionstobetter
e
ConventionheldinNiagaraFalls Manhattan-basedtelephoneclaims communicateandshareintheworkthat
September13-16. center. liesahead.Brynienmadeacommitment
“Thishasbeenaroller-coasteryear “Butmorebattleslieahead,”Brynien toincreasetheCOPEcontributions
withmanyupsanddowns,”Bryniensaid. said. (Seerelatedstory,page7.)andproviding
S
t
a
t
“Yet,consideringthestateofeconomic “Weareconcernedaboutcompliance ethicstrainingforallelectedleadersin
affairsnationallyandatthestatelevel, withtheworkplaceviolencelawand theunion.HenamedVicePresidentTom
we’vedonefairlywell.” implementationofthelawending ComanzochairofthenewPEF
Bryniengavedelegatesexamplesof mandatoryovertime.Weareopposedto LeadershipInstitute.
massivelayoffsandfurloughsofpublic themandatoryfluvaccineforour “Theinstituteisanessentialtoolto
employeesinotherpartsofthecountry memberswhoworkathealthcare trainthefutureleadersofPEF,”Brynien
andpointedouttheseriousthreatstojob facilities.In2011,thefederalstimulus said.
securityandbenefitsof PEFmembers. moneywillexpireaswebeginnegotiating Thepresidentendedhisspeechby
“Intheend,wehadafewdozen anewcontract withthestate.Andour askingifdelegateswerereadytofacethe
layoffs,nolagtoourpay,nofurloughsfor pensionsareunderattack.” challengesaheadandgotaresounding
thestateworkforceand,sofar,noTier5. Brynientolddelegatestheunionwill “yes”whenheaskediftheywerereadyto
Wegotourraisesandfoughtoffthe launchanewimagecampaigninwhich win.
totals$551,000.It’susedtoadvocatefor
Secretary-Treasurer’s Report
betterwages,therighttounionize,
nationalhealthinsuranceandother
Hardtimes,
issues.
“VicePresidentJoeFoxandImetwith
SEIUandsettledongivingSEIU
wisechoices
$300,000thisyearfromourgeneralfund
withnopromiseofbeingabletopaythe
restofthemoneynextyear.Thiswas
ByDEBORAHA.MILES
members’jobs,”Igoesaid.
acceptedandwewillmeetsometimein
The950delegateswhoattendedPEF’s
“Wearepreparingforfightback
2010toseewherePEFiswiththisdebt,”
Igoesaid.
31stAnnualConventioninNiagaraFalls
campaignsinanticipationofmore
The2009-2010PEFbudgetis
walkedawayknowingtheymustmake
membersfacingthethreatoflayoffs.That
$33,164,155.Thatincludesunionleave,
wisechoicesasfarasunionspending
takesmoneyandmakingtheright
salaries,taxesandbenefits,moneyfor
goes.
choices.”
divisions,duestoSEIUandAFT,auto
PEFSecretary-TreasurerArleaIgoe’s
PEFsavedmoneyonfightback
andstaff-relatedexpenses,and
reportontheunion’sfinancialstate
campaignsduring2009bypartnering
committees.
paintedapictureofcaution,sayingthe
withtheCivilServiceEmployees
“ItiscrucialallleadersinPEFbe
unionmayloseapproximately$180,000
Associationonadcampaignsandrallies.
consciousoftheseriousnessofthe
induesin2010becauseofjob
TheAmericanFederationofTeachers
instabilityofoureconomyandact
abolishmentsandtheseverancebuyouts.
(AFT)gavePEF$125,000foractivities.
accordingly.Howwespendourmoney
“InDecember2008,thegovernor
PEFisalocal,belongingtoAFTand
andonwhatwillbecomeevenmore
calledfor584programmaticlayoffsof
theServiceEmployeesInternational
importantinthefuture.
PEFmembers.
Union(SEIU).
“PEFwillconcentrateonsaving
Only36memberswerelaidoffoutof
“WesplitthePEFmembershipfifty-
members’jobsandvaluablestate
theoriginal584programmaticcuts.
fiftyandsendduesaccordingly,”Igoe
services.Ourgoalistohaveafuturethat
“Weexpectthistrendmaycontinueas
said.
isbetterthantoday.Thatwillbe
theeconomyinNewYorkcontinuesto
AtSEIU’sconventionlastyear,itdid
determinedbythechoiceswemake,
haverecorddeficits,highunemployment
notincreasedues,butpasseda
ratesandnocreationofnewstatejobs.
resolutionrequiringitslocalsto
includinghowwespendourmoney.I
Asaunion,weneedtofocusonwhatis
contribute$20permembertoSEIU’s
hopewewillbereadyforanycrisiswe
mostimportantandthatistosaveour
AmericanDreamFund.ForPEF,that
mayfaceinthefuture.Butthatwillbe
Page6—TheCommunicatorOctober2009
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3-2445
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