Recent News
Home Page News Bullets - 2010
June
Jun 28 - Members: Act now to prevent further cuts to the state workforce!
May
May 14 - Find out who voted for the Extender Bill (including furloughs)...
VICTORY!
PEF STOPS FURLOUGHS AGAIN!
Thanks to all our members who made the
statewide day of actions a huge success!May 12 - Our Response to the furlough: Sue the state | Prospects look good! | PEF Fightback strategy - take the survey
May 11 - Budget Update: Legislature passes extender bill including furloughs:
>> Furlough Frequently Asked Questions
>> Furlough vs Lag Pay
>> Effect on Pensions
>> Furlough Fact Sheet
>> DOB Guidelines
>> Take Action at the PEF Action Center!May 6 - Budget Update: Art. 15 Training programs suspended; PSWP and Cont. Educ still available
May 6 - Think state workers are overpaid? Think again.
Get the facts from this studyVideo Message from Pres. Ken Brynien
Stop
the governor's
proposal for furloughs.If the governor’s proposal for furloughs passes the legislature it will mean a 20% reduction in your pay until a final state budget is passed.
This loss of money in the state’s economy could cause the loss of more than 17,000 jobs especially in areas of the state which have already been hard hit by the recession and where the state employees make up a large part of the local economy.
Take Note:
Statewide Day of Action May 10th
Local Rally - West Capitol Park - 12 NoonCall your legislators now at
1-877-255-9417
April
New! Apr 27 - Attend the May Day Rally - Sat. May 1, NY State Capital West Side, Albany, 1- 4pm. Workers of the Capital Region unite!
March
Mar 31 - 2010 PEF Convention Delegate info, Resolution & Legislative Agenda submission deadlines [PDF/228KB]
Mar 31 - OSC 2010-2011 Payroll bulletins now available
Mar 12 - PSWP focus group volunteers needed to develop
new training curriculum for members. Interested? Contact Sue Kent
Read more...Mar 17 - Attention Members! Stewards will be circulating PEF Convention Delegate nominating petitions for the next couple of weeks. Please support your delegates to the 32nd PEF Convention in Washington, DC this Sept!
Mar 16 - AFT Member Poll: What do you think of the Obama administration's blueprint for reauthorizing the Elementary and Secondary Education Act?
Mar 11 - "Spring Into Health" - Women's Health Fair
March 27th at NYSUT Headquarters, Latham Read more...Mar 11 - Photos and video of successful picket on March 10 by Local 471 Hotel Workers and union allies to protest NLRB violations
Mar 7 - Special thanks to departing stewards Bill Artini and Anne Zugalla. Thank you for your service to PEF and our members!
Mar 7 - Rally for Local 471 Holiday Inn Express Workers
WHERE: Holiday Inn Express, 400 Old Loudon Rd in Latham
WHEN: Wednesday, 3/10, from 4-6pm
WHY: Holiday Inn Express has gone to a new low of firing all workers! They are continuing to Union Bust and we must show the workers that we support them against this tyrany of corporate greed! Please click here to take ACTION!
February
Feb 28 - Check out: NYS Black, Puerto Rican and Asian Caucus - Division 194 Photos
Feb 10 - New York State Executive Budget: Agency Presentations [PDF/2.5MB] | PEF Analysis [PDF/486KB]
Are You an Active Informed Member?
Join us - We need your help!
Check out these AIM Updates:
>> State Consultant Spending Out of Control - "Tip of the Iceberg" - Read the report [PDF/970KB]
>> Read the Governor's Task Force on Personal Services Contracting report [Dec2009/PDF/1.64MB]
>> How Important is Union Member Advocacy? - Take the AFT survey
Sign up for PEF Action Center
January
Jan 28 - SETTLEMENT REACHED ON HOLIDAY INN EXPRESS IN LATHAM LABOR DISPUTE by Jon Flanders
After 280 days on strike and three months after the NLRB issued a formal complaint against the hotel owner, workers at the Holiday Inn Express in Latham are one step closer to victory. A trial involving the National Labor Relations Board’s charges against the hotel originally scheduled for Monday has been cancelled due to an anticipated settlement between the NLRB, the Company and the Union. The settlement agreement brings the promise of full back-pay for the fired workers, reinstatement, the counting of challenged ballots, the issuing for a re-run union election if necessary, and the posting of a notice in the workplace detailing a lengthy list of violations that the company will refrain from.Jan 22 - Congratulations and Welcome! To our newly elected Div. 194 Stewards: Michael Fratus, Sabrina Gallop and Cheri Keith!
Health Care Call in Day - Jan 13th
The House and Senate have passed health care reform measures, but now they have to hammer out a final bill they all can agree on. We have to keep the pressure on to ensure that the final version will help, not hurt, us working families.
The National AFL-CIO has scheduled a call-in day to House members to pressure them to hold strong for Wednesday, January 13th. The message is to urge our representatives to support working families by voting for health care reform that:
1. DOES NOT tax our health care benefits.
2. Requires employers to pay their fair share.
3. Reduces costs - and the best way to do that is with a public health care option.
Resources: Please post & Distribute -
Call-in flyer [PDF/23.9KB] | Talking points [Word/72.5KB]
Home Page News Bullets - 2009
December
PEF Div 194/SED Holiday Reception:
Friday, Dec 18 - Dale Miller Restaurant - 30 So. Pearl Street, Albany FREE PARKING - More Info
Bring Your Ticket Stub and Parking Voucher With You to the Party.
Note: No tickets sold at the door.
If you still need a ticket, call Sue Kent at 486-6061 before noon, 12/17
Details | Flyer [pdf/29.7KB]Dec 9 - Sick of all the shameless holiday commercialism and consumerism? Check out WAMC - The Linda "Food for Thought" films including What Would Jesus Buy? playing 12/17 at 7pm. The film focuses on the issues of the commercialization of Christmas, materialism, the over-consumption in American culture, globalization, and the business practices of large corporations, as well as their economic and cultural effects on American society.
Dec 9 - Need help with an upcoming Civil Service Exam? Check out these sample test materials.
November
Nov 30 - Support the Holiday Inn Express workers fight for a union and a good contract! Show your support by boycotting these Morrell businesses.Nov 27- Link to PEF Union Financial Statements
Insructions: Click on link, insert a number to initiate search. PEF is file number 519220. Click submit. Select all files, then click on "Teachers AFL-CIO Local Union 4053". Select year of report, and click on it.Nov 24 - Assembly Passes Legislation to Convert 500 Information Technology Consultant Positions to State Employee Positions [pdf/2.18MB]
Nov 19 - Voluntary Severance is BACK! PEF memo [pdf/16.48KB] | DOB memo [pdf/934KB]
Nov 25 - Last Day to support the SEFA Campaign. Make your pledge or contribution today!
Nov 18 - RALLY to support SUNY Stonybrook Research Assistants in their struggle for a fair contract! Friday, November 20, 1PM - Corner of State & Broadway (35 State St.), Albany - Please post and distribute the rally flyer. [pdf/96KB]
Nov 17 - ONLY 3 DAYS LEFT! to support the Thanksgiving Holiday Food Drive. Donate non-perishable food and toiletries. Let's beat last year's total of $500 & 1,037 pounds!
Nov 8 - Update - We won in the House - Now on to the Senate!
National Healthcare Campaign - It's not too late to have your voice heard. Support universal, affordable national health care for all! Take Action Today!Nov 2 - Here's your one-time opportunity to enroll for or upgrade your Short-term Disability and Group Term Life Insurance. See: PEF Member Benefits for more info.
October
Oct 28 - Attention Members Driving NYSED State Vehicles: Before you enroll in the DMV LENS program, please read this important message from Sue Kent [pdf/18.65KB]
Oct 19 - Come on members, support the 2009 SEFA Campaign!
Oct 29 - PEF Membership Conference - Nov 11-13, Gideon Putnam Hotel, Saratoga. Theme: "LOOKING AT OUR SUCCESS AND BUILDING OUR FUTURE" - All members are urged to attend. Registration deadline is Nov 4! Call 785-1900 for info.
Oct 19 - Update: National Healthcare Campaign - It's not a matter of if we'll win health insurance reform - it's now about winning the kind of real reform working families need. On Tuesday, October 20th, we're uniting with fellow union and community members to make sure members of Congress stand up to big insurance and make healthcare truly affordable for all Americans.
Make Three Quick Phone Calls: Call 1-800-603-SEIU (7348). Tell Your Elected Officials to "Vote YES on real health insurance reform that is affordable for everyone."Oct 12 - For the latest from the 2009 PEF Convention, check this month's Communicator
Oct 3 - SED Employee Survey; PEF's response from Council Leader Sue Kent: Memo to the membership [doc/28KB]
Oct 2 - No Layoffs! - Read the TU Article? Now read the actual PEF MOU. [pdf/42.1KB]
Oct 1 - National Health Care: PEF 2009 Convention Delegates support universal, single payer, guaranteed health care for all. You can too - check out the Physicians For A National Health Program site for more info on what YOU can do!
September
Sep 24 - Check out the latest on the AFL-CIO Convention
- Div. 194 General Membership Meeting - Sept 2nd Meeting Minutes [doc/29KB]
Sep 21 - Thanks for joining us at the "Stop the Furloughs" rally - Tuesday, September 22nd, 12 Noon at Albany Co. Office Bldg - 112 State Street Albany. News coverage: Ch6 | Ch9 | Ch13
Sep 10 - August Council Meeting minutes
Sep 2 - Provisional Exams Status Update [Asst./Assoc in Ed Imp Svcs titles]: Civil Service to administer exams in 2010, PEF lawsuit is off: see Correspondence [pdf/49.3KB]
Div. 194 General Membership Meeting: Wednesday, Sept. 2nd - Meeting Agenda [pdf/4KB] | Minutes [Coming soon!]
Meeting info: Current fiscal climate [.ppt/364KB]Sep 2 - HOLIDAYS ARE COMING! -- PEF Division 194 is preparing for our Annual Holiday Party and we are seeking input from our members. If you have ideas for a type of event (luncheon, cocktail party, dinner, buffet, etc.) and/or a suggested location, please submit them to the Suggestion Box no later than 9/30/2009. Thanks for your input!
Sep 18 - COREY ELLIS FOR MAYOR OF ALBANY CAMPAIGN - THANK YOU PEF member volunteers!
Sep 1 - Attention IT staff - Register for training at GTC East with no out of pocket expenses. Your registration fee will be billed directly to the Voucher Alternative (VALT) program at a discounted rate.
Sep 1 - Annual Council Audit statement [pdf/415KB]
August
Aug 31 - PEF Division 194 Constitution [pdf/24KB]
Aug 22 - Defensive Driving - now available!
July
- July 30 - Latest on Voluntary Severance Program: PEF memo | FAQs | Agreement | DoB Guidelines