hurts us all To the Editor: Years ago, when American multinational


corporations started sweatshops and slave- labor practices in distant lands, the American labor unions led the public- awareness campaign about these unethical and unjust practices. Today, those same corporations, unable


to find cheap labor overseas, have turned their attention to the United States of America. Now, after the 2008 financial disaster,


which most economic experts now blame on the devastating effect of corporate greed and corporate-sponsored government deregulation, those same corporations are campaigning heavily to convince the American people our national financial woes are the result of the labor unions, in general, and the civil-service unions, in particular. Hence, we have a new wave of anti-


union sentiment in America, where public opinion seems to be based on how many times a lie or false propaganda is repeated in the media. The American middle class must realize


the rollback of the cost-of-living adjustment, the freeze of salaries and the increase of employee contributions toward health care, all translate to turning the American working class into slaves of the corporations, through the corporate-sponsored, corporate-lobbied, and corporate-elected state and federal government. After breaking the kneecaps of the labor unions, our corporate-elected officials will


Union busting


have us convinced we have no need for minimum-wage requirements and we should let the market economy set wage and benefit levels, so more bankers can keep their salaries and benefits in the hundreds of millions. New Yorkers must send a clear


message to Gov. Cuomo that what New York needs is not an austerity measure, but a plan for prosperity.


KEVORK K KALAYJIAN Jr Palisades


(This letter also was published in The Rockland Journal News)


Insults just keep on coming


To the Editor: As a recent retiree and former PEF


steward, I want members to know even at the end of your career with the state of New York you are treated with no respect. You must wait eight to 10 months to


receive your “full” retirement monthly income. Upon my inquiry, I was told this is because of the backlog of retirement applications. So, in the meantime, you have a


reduced fixed income and no availability of direct deposit until the state Comptrollerʼs Office finalizes your full determination. People who work for public utility


companies tell me their pensions are figured out right away when they retire. Their first pension check is for the whole amount, without this waiting time we go through to


get our rightful amount so we can pay our bills. I suspect the state is holding on to our


money as long as it can, just as it is now holding PEF members hostage with the contract. Just the other day, I heard Gov. Cuomo on the news stating how state pensions canʼt be sustained at the current levels and are too generous. Wow! Another insult to state workers


who sacrificed higher pay scales for their professions so they could gain health care and reasonable pensions. Itʼs insulting to hear a former state


attorney general, such as Cuomo, say these things when he pursuedWall Street to regain some of the money lost due to malfeasance and duplicity. Where did all the money go from


settlements of millions of dollars from the brokerage firms that participated in the credit-default-swap scandal?Wasnʼt it restored to the state pension fund?Why arenʼt people in jail? Former state comptroller Alan Hevesi


was just convicted of improprieties, and hedge fund managers, CEOs, accountants, and lawyers from elite firms get away with criminal behavior and insult state workers to boot! They just pay fines that look substantial, but we donʼt know how much money was really affected in our pension fund. Many of our leaders in government sing


the same song about how the pension fund can not be sustained at its current levels: another insult to our intelligence. Insult added to insult, added to


insult.


STEPHEN DeMARCO Retiree


Hawthorne, NJ Parole officers remember, reflect


Rain poured as parole officers from around the state gathered


July 18 at the Parole Memorial in Albany to honor those who died on the job. The event also recognized working parole officers for their


bravery, valor and dedication to helping parolees transition into productive citizens and to keeping communities safe. Commissioner of Parole Brian Fischer presented five awards to


PEF members who have provided continuous and exemplary service to the division. They are Denise Bridgers, Dalton Bolder, Jacqueline Pharr,


Jorge Madan and Gary Morgiewicz. The state Division of Parole dedicated the gray granite memorial


surrounded by flower gardens in a courtyard within the Empire State Plaza in 2002 in memory of parole officer Brian Rooney. Since that year, six more names have been added to the memorial. PEF Division 236 Council Leader John Walters and Susan


A CONTINUINGTRIBUTE – PEF Division 236 Council Leader JohnWalters places a wreath at the Parole Memorial inAlbany July 18. He was joined by dozens of officers to remember those who died in the line of duty. The event has been held annually since 2002.


Page 2—The Communicator September 2011


Jeffords, a parole revocation specialist, placed the wreaths in front of the memorial. Angela Jimenez, deputy commissioner of parole, officiated at


—Photo by Deborah A.Miles


the ceremony. PEF President Ken Brynien was among the distinguished guests.


—Deborah A. Miles PEF Information Line: 1-800-553-2445


YOU SAID IT


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