PEF's new leadership means a clean slate at the negotiating table

In 2011, after contentious and difficult negotiations, the state employees unions made a huge concession to the Cuomo administration. Like the rest of the country, the state was still recovering from the recession, so the major unions accepted a pay freeze.

“There is no question that in 2011 there was a very real economic challenge in the state of New York, and our members stepped up in a big way to try to help the state deal with that,” said Stephen Madarasz, communications director for the Civil Service Employees Association. “We don’t have quite the same circumstances now, but that doesn’t mean it’s not going to be a challenging negotiation either.”

With New York in a better economic condition, state unions are hopeful for a better agreement this time around. The Public Employees Federation contract expired in April and the state union has already begun negotiations with the Cuomo administration. CSEA’s contract expires March 31 next year.

While each union is unique, the governor’s office will likely try to establish increases that are consistent across the board, so state unions will be closely watching PEF’s contract negotiations.

“The state’s goal is to keep the contracts within an economic number that they’re trying to do and the unions’ goal is to try to push out beyond that number and to create the unique items that relate directly to their members,” said Ed Draves, a labor lobbyist for Bolton-St. Johns. “Something that is very important to a CSEA member may be not important at all to a (New York State Correctional Officers & Police Benevolent Association) member or a PEF member.”

One roadblock PEF may face, observers say, is retribution after the union, under the leadership of then-PEF President Susan Kent, endorsed Zephyr Teachout last fall as a Democratic primary candidate against Gov. Andrew Cuomo.

“I’ve been hearing through various sources, none from the second floor, that the governor was very upset with my union … with the Zephyr Teachout endorsement and as a result was going to not play nice with us at the bargain table,” newly elected PEF President Wayne Spence said. “I am optimistic that is not that case.”

Draves said PEF’s change in leadership would allow the union to have a clean slate with the Cuomo administration.

“They basically changed the entire leadership team in preparation for these negotiations,” Draves said. “If the governor’s office and the PEF leadership jointly choose to forge a new relationship, they can do that.”

Spence remains hopeful his union and the Cuomo administration will be able to come to an agreement, but said he would not walk away from the negotiating table until he got a contract he believes reflects the value and the self-worth of the workforce.

“A pay freeze and zeroes across the board does not reflect the current economic climate of New York state,” Spence said. “No state union that has negotiated with the governor thus far – including TWU 100 and the various divisions within the state police system – have taken a pay freeze. So, I would say that would be a sign of disrespect from the governor if the governor put that on the table.”

Nonetheless, Spence told City & State he is up to the task of negotiating with Cuomo.

“I’m not saying being a president isn’t difficult, but it’s actually a cakewalk compared to my job as a parole officer,” he said. “I think the job gave me 200 percent preparation for this. If I wasn’t afraid to go into murderers’ homes, sex offenders’ homes, why am I going to be afraid of some guys in suits?”