vacancies filled


these two seats. Those ballots must be returned by March 12 to AAA for counting March 13.


Second quarter elections No nominating petitions were submitted


by the January 29 deadline for candidates to fill the remaining three mid-term vacancies: • Seat 130 – NYS Office of Parks,


Recreation and Historic Preservation; • Seat 197 – state Health Department


main office and other offices in PEF Region 8, including 875 Central Avenue, Corporate Plaza and 800 N. Pearl St. in Albany; and • Seat 545 – City of Albany Housing


Authority, Albany County Probation Department, and Allegany County. These three vacant seats and any


additional vacancies that arise on the board will be part of the second-quarter special elections process that begins in April. Nominating petitions will become


available April 2 and must be submitted by April 23 in the second quarter special election. If more than one candidate is certified for a seat, ballots will be mailed May 14. They must be returned by June 5 for counting June 6. So far, five vacant seats are expected to


be part of the second quarter elections. In addition to Seats 130, 197 and 545, they are: • Seat 90 – Higher Education Services


Corp.; and • Seat 280 – Rochester Psychiatric


Center, Rochester Children’s services and PEF Region 3 state Office of Mental Health positions only under the OMH central office and at Central New York Psychiatric Center.


Farewells • Bonnie Hahn, PEF Division 190, state


Department of Taxation and Finance; • Brian Harbour, PEF Division 357,


state Office of Information Technology Services;


• Lori Mattoon, PEF Division 202, state


Labor Department; • Valerie Randall, PEF Division 183,


Mohawk Valley Psychiatric Center; • Scott Sbaraglia, PEF Division 357,


state Office of Information Technology Services; and


• Paul Szwedo, PEF Division 190, state


Department of Taxation and Finance. Are you or PEF members you know


retiring? Please send information for this column to thecommunicator@pef.org.


www.pef.org


70 - 50 Austin Street, Suite LL115, Forest Hills, NY 11375 (718) 793-9629


The Communicator March 2014—Page 23


Take PEF survey; help stop bullying Are you being bullied at work? If you are, PEF wants to


know. In fact, the union is surveying its members to assess this issue. “We invite all current PEF members to complete this


confidential survey that will inform PEF’s efforts to improve the work environment,” said PEF President Susan M. Kent. “Workplace violence and bullying continue to be serious


problems for the state workforce,” said PEF Health and Safety Chair Rocco Brindisi. In 2006, the state passed workplace violence prevention


legislation requiring employers to implement comprehensive prevention programs in state government agencies. However, this legislation did not specifically include bullying.


“Bullying is abusive behavior that is repeated over time. The victim experiences


difficulty defending himself or herself. Both victims and witnesses are negatively affected,” said Paula Hennessy, who directs PEF’s health and safety program. Delegates to the 2013 PEF Convention passed a resolution to address bullying in the


workplace. PEF is conducting the member survey in response to that resolution. “By taking the survey, you can help PEF determine how widespread workplace


bullying and other related behaviors are,” Hennessy said. To access the survey, go online to https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/972JJ32. If you have any questions, contact the PEF Training and Education, Health and Safety Department at 800-342-4306, ext 254.


– Sherry Halbrook For advertising Information contact Kathi Blinn at 518-785-1900 or 800-342-4306 X276 Email: kblinn@pef.org


• PEF PROFESSIONAL DIRECTORY • Advertising in this publication does not represent an endorsement by PEF or its members.


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