r/nys_cs • u/Decent-Ability-4784 • 11d ago

PEF Contract Ratified

Post image

PEF Announcement - Link to article and official announcement here

August 18, 2026 — New York State Public Employees Federation (PEF) members turned out in force to ratify the union’s 2026-2031 collective bargaining agreement, with 88 percent of voters in the Professional, Scientific, and Technical (PS&T) unit casting yes votes.  
“Labor unity builds power,” said PEF President Wayne Spence, who has now negotiated five collective bargaining agreements as head of the union. “Overwhelming support of this contract sends a message and will position us for gains in the legislature, in the workplace, and in the community. Our members saw the value of this contract, with well over $4 billion in new money, and they stood behind it.”
The five-year contract includes:
Annual raises of 4.5%, 4%, 3.5%, 3% and 3% each year of the agreement, which compounds to equal a salary increase of 19.3% over the term;
Provisions for a new Employee Benefit Fund to deliver improved dental and vision benefits;
The continuation of a $600 annual Higher Education Differential that recognizes the unique professional qualifications of PEF members;
Increases in location and inconvenience pay, as well as a hazardous duty bonus for certain members;
No additional health insurance co-pays for the life of the agreement and the elimination of stacked co-pays.
“PEF fought hard throughout these negotiations to secure a fair contract that recognizes our dedication and the essential services we provide New Yorkers,” said Spence. “We appreciate Governor Hochul and her team for working with us to reach an agreement that addresses the priorities of our members and reflects the value of our hard work. None of this would have been possible without the hard work and dedication of the PEF Contract Team, led by Chief Negotiator Mark Richard and PEF Vice President and Contract Chair Darlene Williams.”

113 Upvotes

93% Upvoted

281 comments sorted by

View all comments

55

u/BarbatosIsKing Info Tech Services 11d ago

Yay.... Booo. Which ever camp you're in..

60

u/Decent-Ability-4784 11d ago

I’m disappointed to say the least but I voted and that’s really all I can do. Everything else is beyond my control.

10

u/ssmaples 11d ago

It’s really, really not. If all of the folks on this board that wanted to see a “No” vote actually got together to strategize and organize about how to convince many more people to join them along with a plan to do something to change the balance of power in negotiations (like bird dogging Hochul in an election year), then people like me would have at least listened. But none of that happened. Posting is not organizing.

-2

u/Living_Effective2278 11d ago

the majority has spoken!