Local 203
New York State Department of Public Service

Tom started the meeting by introducing himself, and explained the recent elections process and the current council.

1. Treasurer's Report. Doug reported that there is $4,415.82 in the treasury. This was Doug's last report as the Council Treasurer after being in that position for the past 14 years. Doug did not run for a PEF steward position in the most recent election. Barry Bedrosian made a motion to accept Doug's treasurer's report, and Karen Anderson seconded the motion, and it was approved by the members.

2. 2005 PEF Convention. The Convention begins on Sunday, September 19th. Our agency has only one delegate for the Convention this year (Doug) and we are entitled to have five non-NYC delegates. Tom said he would like to solicit for delegates for the 2006 Convention. The application should be in the PEF Communicator next year if anyone if interested in attending the Convention. The location of next year's Convention is not know at this time, as that will be decided next week at the 2005 Convention in Rochester.

There are no major issues at the Convention this year that would affect DPS employees. There is no dues increase. The main issue is the slate of candidates for the PEF officer elections next year since Roger Benson and Jane Hallum are not running for re-election. Another issue that will probably be discussed is a discrimination issue at the Dept. of Labor related to employees being relocated to Troy and Elmira from NYC. Eighty percent of the people in the Dept of Labor call centers being transferred are minorities.

3. Steward Elections. The nomination petitions were due on August 30, 2005. There will be no election held because only four applications were submitted. The new stewards are: Tom Rienzo, Bob Laurenzo, Patrice O'Connor, and Marlee Bickel. Tom let everyone know that there is one more position open for steward in our agency if anyone is interested.

Tom presented Doug with a plaque for his 15 years of service as a PEF steward in the Department of Public Service.

4. Communications. Tom reminded everyone to check the bulletins boards in Delmar (one on each floor) for important information about PEF. Our division also has a web site which is maintained by Marlee Bickel. If members want to send their personal e-mail addresses to the web site, they will get update information sent directly to them so that they can see what is new on the web site. The web site address is: www.pef.org and then click on the Division 203 (Public Service) area.

5. Scholarship Update. There were 18 applicants in total, with two from Delmar. The three Scholarships will be drawn randomly on Friday, September 16, 2005, at the membership meeting in Albany. The Scholarships are $300 each.

6. Old Business: Update on the electronic swipe card system. The Office of General Services plans to install an electronic security swipe card system in Agency Building 3, and all of the buildings in the Empire State Plaza. There was a discussion at the last membership meeting in Albany regarding such a system and members had concerns about timekeeping issues and swiping in and out of each office space. It's been clarified that employees will only be swiping into the office space and that the agency is prohibited from using any information collected by OGS in its database, for timekeeping purposes.

7. New Business. Ron Vero mentioned that there are several big issues at PEF right now that don't really affect DPS employees. There are issues of workplace violence at some of the agencies in which PEF members work. Another big issue is outsourcing of work/use of consultants which is taking the place of PEF members doing certain jobs. Ron mentioned that we have been very successful in our agency in working out issues before they become grievances, and our agency management has been good to work with.

Sue Herlands asked about PEF retirees. There is a packet that Sue can get from PEF Headquarters which explains the PEF Retiree organization and contains a lot of information about benefits.

Doug made a motion to adjourn the meeting, and Dave La Bombard seconded the motion. The meeting was adjourned at 12:54 pm.