Now hear this: All members,and
mobilizers to your battle stations
LBROOK
KeepingPEFmembersinastateof
fullymobilizedreadinesstorespond
t
i
o
n
BySHERRYHA
rapidlyandeffectivelytoanycrisisisa
taskthat’sneverfinished,butalways
critical.
“Wemustgetarmedandgetreadynow
forthebigbattlesjustahead,”said
MargaretMesser,PEF’sdirectorof
membermobilization.“PEFwillbedealing
o
b
i
l
i
z
a
withdifficultstatebudgetandspending
cutsthiswinterandnextspring.Then,
M
we’llbeinvolvedinpoliticalcampaignsfor
candidatesforgovernor,theLegislature
andCongressnextsummerandfall.After
that,we’llbefacedwithanotherstate
budgetandthen,by2011,we’llbe
b
e
r
negotiatinganewPS&Tcontract.”
Easier said than done
e
m
Lastsummer,PEFwrotetoitsdivision
leadersremindingthemoftheneedto
M
keeptheirmobilizingnetworkscurrent
andtoreplacethevolunteermobilizersas
GETTINGITRIGHT—PEForganizerLisaPulverandstewardPatPafundichart
theyretireormovetootherpositionsor
Division205membersandmobilizers. —PhotobySherryHalbrook
worksites.Thee-mailaddressesandthe
listsofmembersassignedtoeach
membersworkatseveralstateDivisionof seriousnessofthethreatsahead,notjust
mobilizeralsorequireconstantupdating
Parks,RecreationandHistorical tojobs,andstateservices,butto
toremaineffective.
PreservationsitesinPEFRegion8,andat pensionsandhealthbenefits,too,Ferro
“It’simperative.Wemustdoit,”Messer
thestateRacingandWageringBoardin said.
said.
Schenectady. “Itellthem,‘Don’tthinkitcan’taffect
“It’shard.It’sreallyhard,”saidPEF
BecauseDivision305’stwoother you.Don’twaituntilsomethingbad
ExecutiveBoardmemberAnnaSchrom,
officersarenotstewards,Bartlettsaidhe happensandthentrytochangeit.’”
councilleaderofPEFDivision205atthe
meetswithitsmobilizersquarterlyand Whenitcomestochangingpublic
stateHealthDepartmentinAlbany.
dependsonthemtoprovide,aswellas policies,Ferrosaid,“Youneednumbers,
Withapproximately2,485members
receive,information. lotsofmembersspeakingout.Ultimately,
spreadovertwoPEFregionsandabout14
themainthinglegislatorsandgovernors
worksites,it’saconstantchallengeforthe
Recruiting mobilizers critical areworriedaboutisgettingre-elected.
unionjusttokeepupwithwhoisinthe
Division205hastheoppositesituation Theycanhelporhurtus,sowemust
divisionandexactlywheretheywork,
andstrugglestokeepfullychartedandin makethemseethatwecanhelpor
muchlesskeepinganup-to-datenetwork
constantmobilizationreadiness. hurtthem.”
ofonemembermobilizerforevery10-20
InlateOctober,PEForganizerLisa
members.
PulvermetwiththeDivision205steward
PEF
PEFcreatedthenetworksoitcane-
counciltotalkabouttheneedtoreach
mailinformationtothemobilizers,who
full-mobilizationstatus.
NEEDS
thennotifythemembersassignedtothem
“Irelyalotonmystewardcouncilto
aboutimportantunionactions,suchas
serviceourdivisionmembers,”Schrom YOU
ralliesandlegislativeandpoliticalactions.
said,“andthestewardsarecrucialin
“SomeofthePEFdelegatesbrought
developingourmobilizingnetwork.”
Volunteer now
updatedmobilizingnetworkchartsfor
Division205stewardandTreasurer
to become a
theirdivisionstotheconventionin
KenFerroisdeeplyinvolvedintheeffort. member mobilizer
September,”Messersaid.“Sofar,wehave
“Ithinktherealprobleminrecruiting PEFdependsonitsmobilizer
about30divisionsthathavecompleted
mobilizersandgettingmembersinvolved networktorespondquicklyand
theirupdates.”
istheythinklayoffsandstatebudgetcuts effectivelytochallenges.Currently,
ExecutiveBoardmemberWesley
won’taffectthembecausetheyhaveso manymobilizerpositionsarevacant.
Bartlettmanagestokeepthemobilizing
manyyearsofseniority,”Ferrosaid. Tovolunteerorlearnmoreaboutit,
networkforhisdivision,305,current.
contactyourPEFdivisionleaderorcall
Bartlettalsoisthedivision’scouncil
You’re in it, like it or not thePEFMemberMobilizingDepartment
leaderanditsonlysteward.The178
Memberstendtounderestimatethe at(800)342-4306,ext.227.
Page8—TheCommunicatorDecember2009/January2010 PEFInformationLine:1-800-553-2445
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