PEF DIVISION 198

        

 

 

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  BREAKFAST 2009    BREAKFAST

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Many of you may have heard that there will be a buyout of targeted positions, with State workers who take advantage of the program getting a $20,000 payout.  Most likely SUNY will NOT be part of the program - and even if does take part, Nurses will not be targeted.  Do not delay or change any plans to retire because of this buyout program.

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  PEF and the Governor have reached an agreement concerning the State's budget deficit.  The Governor agreed not to layoff State workers, and to stop trying to get us to give up our raises and lag our pay.  In return, PEF (and CSEA) agreed not to oppose the Legislature passing a bill to create a new Tier 5 pension plan.  This new Pension plan would only affect employees hired in the future - no present State worker would have their pension benefits changed.  Under Tier 5 new State workers would have to pay 3% into the plan for as long as they work for the State, would be vested in 10 years, and could not start collecting their pension before age 62.

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*** SUNY Empire State College is one of the State University of New York’s thirteen colleges of arts and sciences. Founded in 1971, the college is committed to serving working adult students and to date, more than 57,000 students have graduated from SUNY Empire State College. In recent SUNY student surveys, Empire State College consistently ranks #1 in student satisfaction.

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PEF STATEWIDE ELECTIONS

The results of PEF's Statewide elections are in.  Locally, Council Leader Don Morgenstern was returned to his Executive Board seat, while Assistant Council Leader Gale Baptiste was certified as the Executive Board Member in the new seat Downstate obtained this year.  Statewide President Ken Brynien and Secretary/Treasurer Arlea Igoe were also returned to office.  Our own Jemma Hanson remains as our Regional Coordinator for another 3 year term.

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INCREASES, LAYOFFS, AND PROTESTS

We will be getting our 3% salary increase in our 4/29 paychecks.  Longevity payments for those who have been at the top of their salary grade for 5 years or more will also be paid on 4/29 – but will come in a separate check, no direct deposit.  There also will be no lag of our paychecks. 

As we have said all along – PEF, and the other State Unions, will not reopen our contracts and give back our hard earned raises, as the Governor has demanded.  We realize the State has a budget problem, but we shouldn’t be forced to unequally shoulder the burden.  When the State was pulling in billions in tax revenues from Wall Street, I don’t recall anyone saying that our contracts should be reopened to let us share the wealth.

The Governor has responded by threatening to layoff over 8,000 State workers (none here at Downstate) because we won’t give up our raises.   Yet recently he gave his own staff raises that averaged over 28% and he has not listened to any of the cost saving measures that the Unions have suggested.  For example, the State could save billions by replacing costly private contractors with State workers.  Just think how much Downstate alone could save if Traveling and Agency Nurses were replaced by Staff Nurses.

The threat of laying off State workers and the Governor’s attacks on the employee unions are political ploys.  His poll numbers are the lowest of any Governor in history and he has obviously made the decision that attacking State workers and their Unions will help him raise those numbers.  This really isn’t about balancing the budget or the deficit - it’s about him trying to get elected as Governor in 2010, running on a platform as someone who stood up to the “powerful State Employee Unions.” 

PEF and CSEA are working together to stop the layoffs and the loss of State services.  We are picketing at every public event the Governor attends.  This past Friday over 500 State workers protested in Saratoga outside a talk the Governor was giving.  Inside, the Governor was booed and a number of people, including a few State Legislators, walked out of his talk in protest.  Locally we will be having a rally on April 30 at 11:30 at the Governor’s office in Manhattan.  Buses will leave from Downstate and we need you to attend to support your fellow State Workers.

OTHER NEWS

The State is conducting an audit of eligible dependents in our Health Insurance Plan.  You should have received mailings about this.  Do not ignore these letters.  Read them carefully and send back the forms as required. 

Our educational benefits have doubled.  You can now get reimbursed for up to 4 courses per year (not per semester) - $600/course for undergraduate, $1200/ course for Graduate level.

When the Staffing Office calls your unit they are allowed to ask which Nurses are present and can require that Nurses who are late call the Office to let them know that they have arrived.  They cannot ask to know the exact times that each Nurse has arrived.  If they ask for this information, call me immediately at ext. 1362. 

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November 2008 quicknote   Quicknote

October 2008 Newsletter   Newsletter

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