Privatization – the silent killer of the state work force

By DEBORAH A. MILES

During the last decade, the fight against

privatization and overuse of consultants has remained one of PEF’s toughest battles. Members across the state have alerted the union and taken brave steps to put the brakes on privatization when it started to become a threat at their agencies. PEF Vice President Pat Baker said she

salutes all the members who have gone the extra mile to stop privatization. “These individuals have made a

difference to protect job security,” said Baker, chair of the Employment Security Committee, which oversees the award. “PEF has seen how the state operates

and how privatization creeps in like a silent killer of the state work force,” Baker said. In past years, the award was given to

Greg McBride for his mission to reduce the number of outside contractors working at the state Office of General Services. He was courageous in speaking out, not only at the labor-management table, but also to the press. “McBride made a conscious effort to

address the problem, as OGS was a targeted agency,” Baker said. “Contract employees were doing the same work, using state equipment, and earning two to three times more money.” The award also was given to a state Department of Correctional Services

vocational instructor, Bill Parolari, in 2003. He halted a situation that has been plaguing the prison system for years – inmate labor. When it came to his attention managers at Wyoming Correctional Facility were going to use an inmate to do work that belonged to a position in the PS&T unit, he nipped it in the bud. A PEF member was subsequently awarded the position. In 2001, PEF Executive Board Member

Dennis Beagle won the award. He became aware of a bill introduced in the House of Representatives that would have essentially eliminated the disabled veterans’ outreach program and the local veterans’ employment representatives. Had it passed, it would have replaced them with private employment initiatives financed by the federal government. Beagle fought long and hard against this bill. He testified at hearings in Washington, and the bill was eventually killed. A major effort was launched by PEF

members at the state Department of Transportation (DOT) in 2003 to stop privatization. Members developed a DOT report. It explained how excessive consultant costs were slowing down the department’s ability to maintain and improve the highway/bridge infrastructure

_________________________________________________________ Name(s) of nominee(s)

_________________________________________________________ Job Title(s)

_________________________________________________________ Location

(_____) _____________________ (_____) _____________________ Work Phone

Home Phone

_________________________________________________________ Nominator's Name

(_____) _____________________ (_____) _____________________ Work Phone

Home Phone

_________________________________________________________ Names of the agencies being impacted

_________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________ Explain the privatization threat

www.pef.org

and how reducing use of consultants could save taxpayers millions of dollars. Members at DOT launched a letter-writing campaign to legislators about the savings. The Privatization Buster Award was accepted by Lou Ferrone Jr, PEF

labor-management chair at

DOT. Mary Lou Vasilev, co-chair of

the Fight-Back Against Privatization

Award Committee, said these are just a few examples of how members can stop privatization. “It doesn’t matter if privatization is

affecting one position or many,” Vasilev said. “What is important is the effort to stop it.” Baker said members should follow three

steps when fighting contracting-out. The first is to take immediate action, because the opposition has had time to organize and strategize. The next step is to enlist help and the endorsement of others. And finally, seek bi-partisan political support for your position. “The recipient of PEF’s Fight-Back

Against Privatization Award receives one of the highest honors in our union. We look forward to tipping our hats to someone special in 2010,” Baker said. “Nominate someone today.”

You can fill out this form online at www.pef.org/privatization_fightback_form.htm

_________________________________________________________ Highlight the strategies the nominee(s) are using to wage a fight-back effort

_________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________ Tell us about the nominee(s) proudest fight-back effort during 2009-2010

Must be received by June 1, 2010, to be eligible.

For more information call: Mary Lou Vasilev at 315-473-5018

Mail To: NYS Public Employees Federation Attn: Mary Lou Vasilev P.O. Box 12414 Albany, NY 12212-2414

The Communicator April 2010—Page 13

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