Attacks on unions put PEF on high alert


Members urged to ‘be active, be proud, be PEF’


By DEBORAH A. MILES In newspapers across the country,


headlines cry out how lawmakers propose to strip public employees of collective- bargaining rights, cut their pay, lay them off and gut benefits and pensions. State workers also have been unfairly portrayed as unnecessary and over-paid. This attack on workers, both nationally


and statewide, has put PEF and other labor unions on high alert. PEF President Ken Brynien said, ”This is


the biggest attack on unions in the history of PEF. “We have a fight on our hands like none we have had before,” Brynien said. “Now,


more than ever, we need to let members know their support and participation in union activities is necessary for job security and a fair contract. To achieve this, PEF has several strategies and campaigns in the works.”


First time technology By using a revolutionary and powerful


tool in mass-personal communication, PEF, for the first time, will host a Tele-Town Hall meeting Sunday, March 6 at 7 p.m. The union will attempt to reach all


56,000 members. If you want to participate, be sure to sign-up for the Active Informed Member (AIM) bulletins on


Attention PEF Members! All Aboard AIMtrain!


the PEF website at pef.org. During the Tele-Town Hall meeting,


members will have the opportunity to ask questions. Operators will field the questions to a PEF statewide officer. All will be answered either on the call or with a follow-up e-mail. In February, robocalls also reached


47,000 PEF members urging them to sign- up for the AIM bulletins. And, PEF’s regional coordinators will schedule meetings to educate and motivate rank- and-file members to participate in the union’s campaign. PEF


PEF now on


launched its Facebook page in February. It’s called “Public Employees Federation (Official)” and provides members the latest news on everything from contract negotiations to the state budget, legislation and PEF news. You also can access the online edition of The Communicator.


The real PEF image Along with technology, PEF is adding


Don’t let the AIMtrain leave the station without you! —Art by PaulMurphy


You may be familiar with a town hall meeting, but may wonder how does a Telephone Town Hall meeting work? With high technology, these meetings can reach


thousands of people at the same time through a web- based control center. PEF members will receive a call from PEF


President Ken Brynien in March at a specific time asking them to simply stay on the line to join the first ever PEF Tele-Town Hall meeting. Once you have joined the event, you will hear


Brynien on the phone. If you would like to ask a question or make a comment, you will be prompted to press a button on your phone. Each question will be screened by PEF leaders before being shared in the call. For example, if 100 people ask when PEF and the state will


begin PS&T contract negotiations, only one of the calls will be shared. There has been some recent success using live telephone town


hall meetings. www.pef.org


another dimension to its fight-back campaign with the human touch. PEF members from every region are being videotaped for television ads that will air for Continued on next page


High-tech telephone town meetings reach thousands


The Illinois Federation of Teachers was able to activate 14,000 members in a single call, informing educators about pending legislation that would have limited collective- bargaining rights. Teachers and school-related employees generated tens of thousands of phone calls and e-mails to targeted legislators to stop the bill and pass new revenue for public education. The Baltimore Teachers Union held two Telephone Town Hall meetings taking members’ questions about their new tentative agreement, which introduced a new pay scale with innovative ways for teachers to increase their pay at their own pace. By a 2 to 1 vote, these members


voted with confidence for their new groundbreaking contract. PEF leaders feel this is another way to reach members and get


them involved. “When your phone rings and you know it’s me calling to send


an important message and get your feedback, be a part of this event,” Brynien said. “PEF needs the input and backing of every member.”


—Deborah A. Miles The Communicator March 2011—Page 5


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