NYSPEC

Chairman’s Message



Welcome to the official website of the New York State Public Employee Conference (NYSPEC). We have revised this site to make it more useful for our member unions and for those interested in finding out more about our organization. NYSPEC is growing each year as more unions realize there is truth to the adage “strength in numbers”. NYSPEC today is a force to be reckoned with. We‘re constantly adding more members in both civilian and uniform titles, which makes our membership list quite impressive. I’m proud of how far the organization has come. In light of all the problems the labor movement deals with on a regular basis, such as reductions in health benefits, and talks of reducing pension benefits, along with contract battles, it’s now more important than ever for unions to band together as one. With input from our individual unions, NYSPEC fights the battles that need to be fought in order to protect our members. The best example of this, and one of my proudest accomplishments, was getting the 9/11 bill signed into law. With all the hours I spent, along with our Legislative Committee (Co-Chairs Bing Markee and Floyd Holloway and Legislative Director Lou Matarazzo), on pushing this bill through the Senate and Assembly, it was ultimately the voice of so many unions speaking in solidarity that got this bill signed into law. I would like to thank Marci Rosenblum of RWD Group for having the foresight to realize our ever-growing organization needed a new website. She spent countless hours designing, writing and uploading information to our new site in order to give it just the right look. In addition to the time spent on this site, she writes and produces our newsletter, the PEConnection. Her time and commitment to NYSPEC is unwavering. If you have suggestions for what you’d like to see on the site, please contact NYSPEC.

An Additional Message From The Chairman

As we closed out 2008 with our Annual Convention and began 2009 with our Legislative Breakfast in Albany, our organization now, more than ever, needs to stay focused on the current economy, being mindful of the bizarre and irrational suggestions in the budget of both Governor Paterson and New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg.

In the past few years, NYSPEC has successfully had two very important pieces of legislation signed into law guaranteeing protection for our Public Employees who responded so valiantly to the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001 -- the 9/11 Presumptive Disability Bill and the Death Benefit Legislation known as the Zadroga Bill. The Task Force that was created on the 9/11 Bill to monitor its implementation and address all on-going 9/11-related issues was successful in pushing forth six additional changes to the original bill in the past few years.

We are once again thankful to the Senate and Assembly members for recognizing the need for these changes and recommending their passage to the Governor. We are also extremely grateful to the Governor for signing these new bills into law. The Task Force continues to meet and address additional concerns as they arise. It can be frustrating as we forge ahead to realize that still more recommendations and updates are needed to the original law, especially when we still receive opposition from the Mayor’s representatives. I have said it before when we were fighting for the original bill’s passage and I will say it again now: There is no dollar amount that can be placed on the lives or health of public employees who gave of themselves so valiantly while responding to a tragedy and saved the lives of so many.

In addition to monitoring the 9/11 issues, we are closely watching all proposals put forth aimed at decreasing our health and welfare benefits and pensions. We are also addressing existing Workers’ Compensation issues that need to be revised. We are appealing to all Legislators to carefully consider the impact of all proposals upon public employees of the State and City who continue day in and day out to show their commitment to the people of New York State. These workers, at the very least, need to be guaranteed that they and their families will continue to receive the benefits they currently enjoy. While we realize that not all legislative proposals we submit will be acted upon favorably, we are asking Legislators to keep an open mind to all of our issues and allow us the opportunity to meet and discuss them.

The legislative proposals we put forth in our 2009 annual legislative booklet are the views of all member organizations. They are developed and unanimously approved by all unions represented in the public employee conference. Throughout the years, the State Legislature has shown great concern and compassion for all public employees, and we hope that sentiment will not be different this year. In the coming months, we will be seeking support for our legislative program to ensure the well-being of our members. The Conference and I wish to continue our partnership in working together to accomplish mutual goals.