The New York State Fair is an annual chance to celebrate all the things that make New York a great place to live and work. Games, rides, food and all the work and innovation that make New York a leader across the U.S. are on display for 13 days, including the work of state employees and the unions that support them.
The PEF booth in the Center of Progress building let members and non-members know how the union supports New York’s working professionals. Visitors signed thousands of petitions urging Governor Kathy Hochul to sign PEF priority bills into law before year’s end, including bills that address abusive conduct and bullying in the workplace as well as legislation to expand Workers’ Compensation benefits for work-related mental health injuries. Those were only two of seven petitions, which all members are encouraged to sign online at www.pef.org.
PEF member volunteers and staff spent time at the booth getting to know members from across the state, and rekindled relationships with retirees and former PEF members.
Across the fairgrounds, PEF members from almost all State agencies staffed booths — from the Department of Transportation, to the Office of Cannabis Management, and the Workers’ Compensation Board, fairgoers were provided information about what state workers and PEF members do for them, and how they themselves could become part of a strong workforce backed by unions.
For Colleen Cox, a technical writer at the Workers’ Compensation Board, and her colleague Allie Price, a public information specialist, PEF’s benefits mean a lot to them, but they also love to have fun, and purchasing tickets through PEF’s Membership Benefits Program means they can do just that at a discounted rate.
“I like being a PEF member because I like that PEF advocates for our benefits,” Cox said. “But I also love all the fun benefits, like e-tickets, and ski tickets.”
For Jasmine Alfonso, an advocacy specialist with the New York State Justice Center, the work she does to support families across the state is already close to her heart, but as a first-time union member, she is proud that PEF supports her.
“It is great to be part of a union, I’ve never had that before,” said Alfonso. “The services they provide to me have been fantastic to learn about. And I am new! So, it has been great to learn.”
The fair was also a chance for visitors to learn about new state agencies and initiatives.
PEF member Julien Vincent, a community liaison with Office of Cannabis Management, was glad to be at the fair to engage the public and discuss new opportunities around cannabis to help grow the industry in New York.
“I love that I get to meet and interact with the community and help people locally as well as throughout New York State,” said Vincent. “A lot of people are looking for a job in the industry and I like to help them find the jobs and careers that they are looking for.”
The Office of Addiction Services and Support (OASAS) also rolled out a new program to help with gambling addiction. At the agency’s fair booth, PEF members asked the public to fill out a survey as part of the new Problem Gambling Bureau. OASAS will use the responses to launch an awareness campaign and other support services for gambling addiction.
PEF’s booth is open through Sept. 2 and members and retirees from Region 4 will march in the traditional Labor Day Parade around the fairgrounds.
