Joining rally


raises issues To the Editor: In your June issue, you reported on


PEFʼs participation in New York City-based May Day activities, and also report the presence of thousands of workers there who rallied, demanding rights for “undocumented immigrants.” Your conflating the two events, without


further comment, suggests that you approve of giving support and legitimacy to those who have entered and stayed in this country illegally. One of PEF's chief functions is to


ensure labor laws are enforced. It is, on this basis alone, hypocritical of


PEF to be in any way supportive of movements or factions which champion lawbreakers, here in the millions, draining Medicaid, filling our prisons, and, in some cases, actually posing a direct threat to our national security. PEF does its membership a grave disservice here, and embarrasses itself.


RICHARD STEINBERG Middletown


Editor’s Note: It was one rally, not two. The 2011 PEF Federal Legislative Agenda adopted at the 2010 PEF


Convention states: “PEF supports comprehensive immigration reform that provides a pathway for earned legalization for currently undocumented immigrants.” PEF opposes violation of any law, state


or federal.The union strongly supports enactment and enforcement of laws and regulations that protect all workers, whether documented or not, from exploitation and abuse.


We’re getting


steamrolled To the Editor: Recently, I saw an article on theWeb


about how Republicans want to attenuate the power of the new federal Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, even before it begins to advocate for the consumer. This is just one of many examples of


how the Republican Party is making inroads to change legislation to disenfranchise the working class. They are attacking voter registration, environmental protection, collective bargaining, transparency in lending, tax reform and womenʼs rights, to name but a few. The Republicans are steamrolling over


the working class. If they have their way, the only things left in existence when the


earth finally dies will be cockroaches, sharks, petroleum refinery smoke stacks and banks!


THOMAS FORRISI Staten Island


His state pay


pays his bills To the Editor: A while ago, I explained the NYS


contract situation to my 12- year-old son. He


helped me make tickets saying we pay our bills with money I earn as a state employee. We give them to businesses where we


shop and ask them to call the governor to tell him cutting state workers means cutting their customers. Other PEF members could do this too, should they wish.


GENE SHACKMAN Albany


Editor’s Note: Similar stickers are available from PEF. Members mobilize statewide


Page 2—The Communicator July/August 2011


PEF Information Line: 1-800-553-2445


YOU SAID IT


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