Dear PEF Member,

Cognizant of past history, along with the PEF negotiating team, we were able to secure a twopercent retroactive contract from April 2015-April 2016 . This was done as a strategic move to bring
leverage back on PEFs side. Any time you negotiate with an employer, they have the ability to
extend negotiations in the hopes that turmoil amongst the membership will force the leadership to
settle quickly and for far less than warranted. PEF is not taking the same old route of having our
members starved out and worn down over a protracted period of time as a way to settle for less.
This one-year contract agreement puts PEF in the position of continuing to negotiate a long term
contract without concern that the first year would be lost to a zero once we entered the second
year of negotiations. As you know, April 1, 2016 marked one-year without a contract and historically,
that meant the first year would become a pawn for the State.
This contract is the very simple two-percent retroactive from April 2, 2015 through April 1,
2016. There were no givebacks! No health insurance increases! No fifty-hour workweeks! No
firstborns! No nothing! Anything different you hear is simply a rumor spread by uninformed
instigators.
Cynicism is understood considering past negotiations, but your educated vote is necessary, so
please inform yourself via official PEF sources (Website, Facebook, material from PEF) and ignore
the instigators. The FAQ is below.
In addition to the Tuition Reimbursement and Productivity Enhancement Program we were able to
secure earlier, these are the facts for the one-year agreement:
There are no givebacks at all.
2% from April 2, 2015- April 1, 2016.
No changes in accruals or retirement at all, specifically no changes in sick-leave retirement
cap for health insurance.
Yes, the 2% retroactive is pensionable.
If you were entitled for the first time to longevity or the second tier of longevity in April 2015,
then yes, you will receive it retroactively.
Special Assignment Duty (SAD) payments will be retroactive.
The employer contribution for the 2016 Dependent Care Advantage Program is restored for
active participants.
Upon ratification, lump-sum payments are expected in July 2016.

Again, this contract allows you to receive a two-percent retroactive payment for last year and is
permanent in your salary forever! This also allows our negotiating team to continue to negotiate a
long-term contract you deserve.
Wayne Spence
President PEF
2015-2016 PS&T Unit Tentative Agreement
Frequently Asked Questions
Compensation
Q.

What are the across the board salary increases in the Tentative Agreement?

A.

Fiscal Year 2015-16 2% retroactive to April 2015.

Q.

Will my retroactive across the board increase appear in my regular biweekly paycheck?

A.

The State has historically included retroactive salary increases in employees regular biweekly

paychecks. For example, this occurred after ratification of the 2007-2011 Agreement, which included
retroactive raises. Final details cannot be confirmed until the Office of the State Comptroller provides
official notice to agencies for processing these payments.
Q.

Will the retroactive 2% increase be applied to overtime and holiday pay?

A.

Yes. The 2% increase will be applied retroactively to overtime and holiday pay.

Q.

Will I receive my performance advance/increment/step?

A.

Yes. Employees who are eligible to receive performance advances/

increments/steps will continue to receive them during the term of the 2015-2016 Tentative
Agreement.
Q.
A.

What about my performance award/longevity?

The performance award program continues unchanged in the Tentative Agreement. Employees

who are eligible for a performance award in April 2016 will remain eligible to receive subsequent
performance award lump sum payments in each succeeding April, at the same rate received in April
2016 until a successor agreement is negotiated. Employees who are newly eligible to receive

performance awards in April 2017 will not receive them until a successor agreement is negotiated
and ratified.
Q.

Will my location pay, inconvenience pay, hazardous duty pay, standby on-call pay,
special assignment to duty pay and recall pay continue?

A.

Yes. Location pay, inconvenience pay, hazardous duty pay, standby on-call pay, and special

assignment to duty pay all continue at the same rates and on the same terms and conditions as
existed at the conclusion of the 2011-2015 Agreement. Standby pay and recall pay will also continue
to be paid consistently with how they were paid under the 2011-2015 Agreement.
Q.

Do overtime meal allowances continue under the Tentative Agreement?

A.

Overtime meal allowances increase to $6.00 under the Tentative Agreement. This increase is

retroactive to April 2, 2015.

Q.

Does the Firearms Training and Safety Incentive Program for peace officers continue
under the Tentative Agreement?

A.

Yes. The program continues, and the safety incentive payment for training in state fiscal year

2015-2016 increases to $260.

Q.

How will my retroactive 2% increase be calculated if I retired or otherwise left state

service during the term of the 2015-2016 Tentative Agreement?

A.

Your retroactive compensation will be based on the time you served in a PS&T bargaining unit

position covered by the Tentative Agreement.

Q.

How will my retroactive 2% increase be calculated if I was not a member of the PS&T
bargaining unit for the entire period of the Tentative Agreement from April 2, 2015
through April 1, 2016?

A.

OSC may have to do a manual salary calculation pursuant to existing rules for any employee

who went from a PS&T bargaining unit position to another union-represented or M/C position.
Health Insurance
Q.

Are there any changes to health insurance in the Tentative Agreement?

A.

No. The Tentative Agreement makes no changes to present health insurance benefits.

Q.

Will the Productivity Enhance Program (PEP) be available under the Tentative
Agreement?

A.
Q.

Yes. PEP will continue to be available for the entire 2016 calendar year.
Is there any change in how much sick leave I can use toward retirement service credit
or to pay for health insurance in retirement?

A.

No. There are no changes. Employees can still earn and accumulate the same number of sick

leave days, and use those days for retirement service credit or to pay for health insurance in
retirement.
Joint Contract Committees Articles 9, 10, 14, 15, 18, 27, 42
Q.
A.

Does the Tentative Agreement continue to fund the joint contract committees?
Yes. The Tentative Agreement increases funding for the above joint contract committees by

2%. Additionally, the Tentative Agreement continues funding of the committees after expiration of
the Tentative Agreement for the period from April 2, 2016 through December 31, 2016.
Education and Training Funding
Q.
A.

Is there funding for education and training in the Tentative Agreement?

Yes. The funding for the education and training programs offered through Article 15 of the

Agreement has been increased by 2%. Additionally, the Tentative Agreement continues funding of
programs after expiration of the Tentative Agreement for the period from April 2, 2016 through
December 31, 2016.
Q.

Can I get retroactive reimbursement for a class, program, training I took after funding
ended on December 31, 2015?

A. Yes. If the Tentative Agreement is ratified guidelines on education and training benefits will be
developed as soon as possible, and will allow for retroactive reimbursement. The guidelines will be
available at: http://www.goer.ny.gov/Training_Development/PEF/index.cfm