terms of tentative agreement


Tom Comanzo said the tentative agreement is a sign of the times. “This tentative deal was struck during


one of the worst bargaining environments for unions in four or more decades,” Comanzo said. “There was a lot of pressure to


negotiate within the framework of sacrifice to get the state back on its financial legs.” PEF Director of Labor Relations and


chief negotiator Robert Carrothers said PEF’s tentative agreement was dictated by the state of the economy. However, this contract proves collective bargaining is still alive in New York. “Members should visit the Contract


EXPLAININGTHE DEAL – PEFVice President Pat Baker addresses a group of members in ManhattanAugust 16 about the gains and trade-offs in the PS&T tentative agreement.


In exchange, PEF employees will be


protected from layoffs resulting from the circumstances that gave rise to the state’s need for $450 million in workforce savings. The tentative agreement contains a


provision stating workforce reductions caused by closing or restructuring of facilities, as authorized by legislation or the Spending and Government Efficiency


—Photo by Richard Dillard


(SAGE) Commission determinations, are excluded from layoff limitations. Brynien said mass layoffs, as a result of


SAGE reorganization or facility closures, are not expected due to the state’s high attrition rate.


Bargaining alive in NY PEF Vice President and Contract Chair


Resource Center on the PEF website, pef.org, to review the specifics of the tentative agreement.” The PEF contract team began meeting


with members in August to discuss and answer any questions about the tentative agreement. For a complete list of locations and times for September meetings, call your regional PEF office, visit the PEF website, or check the weekly PEF Information Line. The schedule is also listed on the previous page.


Prison closings trigger jobs scramble


By SHERRY HALBROOK The governor announced June 30 his


plan to close seven state prisons, but PEF is concerned it could make an already dangerous situation even worse. However, the closings come at a time


when staff reductions and crowded conditions have resulted in increased violence at the state’s correctional facilities. “Inmate-on-inmate assaults, inmate-on-


staff assaults, inmate suicides and contraband all increased from 2009 to 2010,” said PEF President Ken Brynien. “Inmate-on-inmate assaults were up more than 12 percent and inmate suicides doubled.” Four minimum-security facilities for


men will close: Buffalo Work Release in Erie County, Camp Georgetown in Madison County, Summit Shock in Schoharie County and Fulton Work Release in Bronx County. Three medium-security facilities for


men also will close: Arthur Kill in Richmond County, Mid-Orange in Orange County and Oneida in Oneida County. Employees at Arthurkill Correctional


www.pef.org


Facility on Staten Island held a rally July 22 to protest the closing of that facility. “Closing these facilities not only will


force “double bunking,” which puts two dangerous criminals in a space designed for one, at the remaining prisons, it will greatly reduce the “step-down” of inmates. “The minimum- and medium-security


facilities that are being closed, should be more widely used to transition inmates out of maximum-security facilities and into our communities,” Brynien said. The governor


included prison closings in his state budget proposal in January, but did not reveal until the summer which facilities would close. His budget waived the requirement for 12-months prior notice, so the late identification of which prisons would close prevented any opportunity for debate over the potential effect it would have on the inmates,


communities and prison employees. PEF represents approximately 4,500


professional staff in the state prison system, including approximately 240 positions directly affected by the closings. The Department of Corrections and


Community Supervision (DOCCS) is attempting to match as many of the affected employees as possible with vacancies in their job titles at other worksites. More information is expected in early September about how many employees might need to bump down to lower job titles on which they have a hold. According to PEF’s


Department of Civil Service Enforcement, DOCCS is trying to offer everyone at least one opportunity to be


reassigned to a different location.” Of the 47 PEF-represented employees at


DOCCS who were targeted for layoff last December, all but 13 were reassigned or moved to other jobs at the agency.


The Communicator September 2011—Page 5


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