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Office of General Counsel
TO: Roger E. Benson Jane Hallum FROM: William P. Seamon DATE: November 23, 2004 RE: 2004 Convention Actions Our File: 2004 PEF Convention Alpha As set forth below, this memo highlights the major actions taken by the delegates at the 2004 Convention. Convention Actions The delegates defeated a proposed Constitutional amendment which would have reduced the percentage of petition signatures needed for nomination to PEF elective office from 10% of the appropriate constituency to 5%. To pass, the amendment needed a two-thirds vote of the Convention members present and voting, provided that the affirmative vote represented at least a majority of the registered delegates. The final tally was 363 votes against the amendment and 351 votes in favor. The delegates adopted a State Legislative Agenda with minor amendments. The State Legislative Agenda continues to emphasize, among other things, the delivery of quality services by a stable public workforce, the improvement of working conditions and the protection of retirement benefits. The delegates approved PEF’s first-ever Federal Legislative Agenda, also with some minor amendments. Among the issues addressed in the Federal Legislative Agenda are PEF’s opposition to repeal of the Federal Unemployment Tax Act ("FUTA"), improved funding of Medicaid, opposition to Social Security privatization and improvements in the Transportation Equity Act. President Benson delivered his annual State of the Union Address to the delegates. The delegates also requested and received a full accounting from President Benson on the background and status of the Parole fragmentation case currently pending at PERB. The delegates received reports from Secretary-Treasurer Hallum and the Trustees. Resolutions The 2004 PEF Convention adopted thirteen resolutions, eight as amended and five as printed. The eight resolutions adopted as amended are numbered 2, 11, 14, 24, 30, 31, 33 and 35. The five resolutions adopted as printed are numbered 3, 13, 15, 26 and 34. Two resolutions (numbered 10 and 12) were referred to the President and appropriate staff for further review. Resolution No. 2 -- Commuter Benefits Resolution The resolved paragraph of this resolution provides that PEF should propose to the State to immediately expand the transit pre-tax benefit to include all PS&T employees and that all PS&T employees should also be offered the transit subsidy payment benefit, telecommuting, compressed work week, flex hours and rideshare coordination. Resolution No. 3 -- Dental - Medical - Industrial Complex - Improved Dental Plan 2004 This resolution calls for PEF to continue to work to improve the dental insurance available to all PEF members. Resolution No. 11 -- Pension Fund COLA - Fine Print Improvement Resolution 2004 This resolution provides that PEF continue to direct its regular lobbying efforts in conjunction with other interested entities to obtain improvements in the pension COLA to better protect against inflation. Resolution No. 13 -- Unused Vacation Resolution 2004 This resolution provides that PEF will continue to work for a pre-retirement option for members that would allow the cash value of unused vacation credits to be converted to cash and added to the calculation of final average salary for all pension tiers. Resolution No. 14 - Veterans Pension Buy-Back Fine Print Improvement and VA Funding Resolution 2004 The resolved paragraph of this amendment provides that PEF continue efforts to further improve the pension buyback benefit for veterans where needed and to oppose Federal VA budget cuts through lobbying and legislation. Resolution No. 15 -- Alternative Energy Resolution 2004 This resolution provides that PEF, as part of its regular lobbying and other activities, support a national energy policy which includes major emphasis on alternative energy and conservation and support the continuation and expansion of existing New York State programs in this area. Resolution No. 24 -- Freeze the Freeze This resolution, as amended, provides that PEF will continue to fight the impact of the Governor’s hiring freeze by directing appropriate resources towards specific agencies in instances where the freeze has had its most dire consequences and when there is a definable impact on State services. Resolution No. 26 -- Increase Limit on Convention Stipends This resolution recommends that the limit on stipends to Convention delegates be increased to $100. Resolution No. 30 -- Let PEF Assume the Cost of Division Steward Elections This resolution provides that PEF will assume the cost of all steward elections. Resolution No. 31 -- List E-Board Constituencies on Division Membership Lists This resolution provides that the quarterly membership reports to Division Treasurers shall include the Executive Board constituency to which the member/fee-payer is assigned, and that any errors in Executive Board constituencies should be brought to PEF Central’s attention. PEF Central should then update the membership list accordingly. Resolution No. 33 -- Pay Upgrade for DOT Pay Grade 10 or Below This resolution seeks an upgrade for all PEF DOT pay grades 10 and below to a pay grade of 10 or higher, and requests Civil Service do a study in order to upgrade all lower pay grade levels to a pay grade level of 10. Resolution No. 34 -- Pay Equity Between PEF, CSEA and Thruway Authority This resolution provides that PEF shall request that Civil Service do a study or a comprehensive review for all titles within PEF and its CSEA and Thruway Authority counterparts. If the results of the study determine that the pay in the PEF titles is lower than the comparable CSEA and Thruway Authority titles, PEF should then pursue equal or greater pay for its titles. Resolution No. 35 -- PEF Division-Level Leadership Training Program This resolution requires PEF to develop a leadership training program for Division Council Officers beginning in the 2005-06 PEF fiscal year, and to explore developing such leadership training in an on-line format. Resolutions Referred By The Convention Delegates Two resolutions were referred by the Convention delegates. Resolution No. 10, "Retirees’ Health Care Spending Account," was referred to the President and appropriate staff and committees to research and report on at next year’s Convention. Resolution No. 12, "Pension Fund Contributions Resolution 2004," was referred to the President and appropriate staff. Please let me know if you have any further questions. WPS/mab bcc: Martin O’Connor Click Here to Go Back to Convention/Contract Page
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