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No. 4 Download PDF PEF makes it happen! The 2023-2026 PST contract continues to put money into members’ pockets, with dental stipend payouts , and the new, first-of-its-kind higher education differential . I heard your call for a better dental plan and later this year, you’ll have one! With just about 10,000 nurses among PEF’s ranks, we know the value they bring to their patients and their community, and we thank them for their dedication and service. May is National Nurses Month, and we’ve gone all out to honor them in this issue, featuring PEF’s Nurse Lobby Day and the successful campaign to save SUNY Downstate , as well as looking back at the creation of PEF’s nurse organizer position, celebrating PEF nurses Clara Shamatanga and Cynthia Walker , and remembering a pillar of nursing history, Lavinia Dock . On May 1, in a show of strength and courage, members at Kingsboro Psychiatric Center made it very clear that they are done with the bullying and toxicity at the facility. They engaged in a Day of Action outside Kingsboro in Brooklyn, with signs and chants and stories calling out management for creating a toxic work environment. Change is overdue and we made sure OMH heard us! In this issue, we also share a Value of the Union story in which PEF fought for an employee placed on leave then terminated by her agency and secured $50,000 in back pay for her; report on another successful PEF Community Wellness Fair and Book Giveaway ; and provide a roundup of union scholarships available. Thanks for staying informed and engaged and I wish you all a restful summer. WAYNE SPENCE Featured Stories PEF celebrates New York State budget accomplishments, vows to keep advocating Read More Honoring PEF nurses and the nursing profession during National Nurses Month Read More PEF members at Kingsboro PC to management: Stop workplace bullying! Read More PEF Community Wellness FairBook Giveaway brings community together Read More PEF member one of 3 stabbed by patient at Buffalo PC Read More PEF members need your leave donations Read More Table of Contents PEF makes it happen! PEF celebrates New York State budget accomplishments, vows to keep advocating Honoring PEF nurses and the nursing profession during National Nurses Month PEF members at Kingsboro PC to management: Stop workplace bullying! PEF Community Wellness FairBook Giveaway brings community together PEF member one of 3 stabbed by patient at Buffalo PC NYS celebrates Corrections Officers and Employees Week Nurses visit State Capitol, meet with legislators on Nurse Lobby Day Lobbying and advocacy help nurses make headway Cynthia Walker: Nurse, union leader, health care activist Clara Shamatanga: Balancing union, family, and work Lavinia Dock: Nurse, suffragette made invaluable contributions to the nursing profession Renewing PEF’s commitment to workplace safety on Workers’ Memorial Day Looking for college scholarships? PEF and Union Plus have options for you! Value of the union: PEF fights for employee placed on leave and terminated by agency; secures $50,000 in back pay PEF MBP Family and Friends Day tickets now available! Funding Our Future: New report from Comptroller shows support and funding for mental health Second dental stipend expected be paid this month PEF Nurse Organizer position established in 1998 Know your Contract: Bulletin Boards PEF Telephone Town Hall: April 9, 2024 Are you prepared for the election season? Taking the mystery out of leave donations PEF members need your leave donations Communicator Staff Reporter/Editor Kate Stickles has been covering PEF news and features for five years. A native New Yorker, Kate enjoys chronicling the unique work of members, issues members are facing in their workplaces, and more. She previously worked as a legal editor and daily newspaper reporter/editor. Send tips or feedback to communicator@pef.org . Reporter/Writer Najee Walker covers news, events and member features at PEF. Born in the Bronx and educated in Western New York, Najee enjoys getting to know members, investigating issues, union history, and more. He previously worked in activist spaces and as a freelance reporter in Buffalo, NY. Send tips or feedback to communicator@pef.org . Become a PEF Member! As a New York State employee, working in the PST Unit, you have the opportunity to join the New York State Public Employees Federation (PEF). As a member of PEF, you will have a voice on the job and in the community. PEF, the union for PST Unit employees, advocates for the work you do because your work protects and improves the quality of life for all New Yorkers. Sign Up Online Learn More Quick Links Newly Hired Membership Card Form Updated Existing Membership Form Membership Benefits Website Contact Public Employees Federation 1168-70 Troy-Schenectady Road PO Box 12414 Albany, NY 12212-2414 Phone: (800) 342-4306 or (518) 785-1900 FAX: (518) 785-1814 Connect With Us Facebook Twitter Instagram Latest Updates PEF Telephone Town Hall: May 8, 2024 A PEF Telephone Town Hall held on May 8, 2024, brought together PEF President Wayne Spence, Vice Presidents Randi DiAntonio and Darlene Williams, PEF Legislative Director Patrick Lyons and PEF Contract Administration Director Debra Greenberg to discuss budget accomplishments, the future of the Fund Our Future campaign, and more. Here are some general time codes... Read More PEF 2024 Triennial Election Debate: Questionnaire Available The 2024 Triennial Election Debate will take place on Tuesday, May 28, 2024, at 6 p.m. All members may submit questions for the candidates to answer at the debate. An independent moderator from the League of Women Voters’ of New York (LWVNY) will conduct the debates for the elected PEF positions of President, Secretary-Treasurer, Vice... Read More Second dental stipend expected be paid this month The $400 dental stipend for the 2024-2025 fiscal year, negotiated as part of the 2023-2026 PEF/State Agreement, is expected to be in checks dated May 22 (Administration) and May 30 (Institution). It took tenacity and hard work to secure the two $400 dental stipends for 2023 and 2024, while holding the State’s feet to the... Read More Careers at PEF Technical Details Privacy Policy Join PEF Contact Us © PEF. All...