During lunch on September 21, the PEF Executive Board, joined by rank-and-file members, marched from the Albany Hilton to Empire State Plaza, loudly and proudly calling for respect in the workplace and denouncing toxic environments.
Members held signs emblazoned with “WORKPLACE RESPECT, NOT BULLYING” and “END BULLYING, EMBRACE RESPECT, CHANGE STARTS AT THE TOP!” Some signs called out Office of Employee Relations (OER) Director Michael Volforte for failing to curb the problem and protecting toxic managers.
The union has heard from many members about bullying, harassment, and discrimination by management against union members in state agencies across New York.
“We can’t allow this behavior to continue,” said President Wayne Spence. “No one should have to go to work and feel unsafe or be harassed. Enough is enough! PEF members are sick and tired of being disrespected and demeaned by bullying managers who aren’t heeding Gov. Hochul’s directive to make New York ‘the most worker-friendly state!’”
Members cited failure to resolve issues at the agency level and called for immediate change.
“At Five Points Correctional Facility, we have used multiple different avenues this past year to address these concerns – beginning with the chain of command, local management and state agencies; we filed complaints and continued to use the union to reach a resolution, all while watching good people continue to be victimized, transferred, or leave DOCCS (Department of Corrections and Community Supervision),” said PEF Member Leslie Crane. “It’s time to prioritize the wellbeing of our workforce and that begins with a culture shift, where every voice is heard and valued, regardless of their rank or position.
At the State Education Department (SED), PEF Executive Board member Mickey Dobbin said a toxic workplace is the number one issue he hears from his members.
“I’m glad PEF is standing up for its members against toxic workplace and bullying,” said Dobbin. “We have brought this issue to labor management time and time again and they don’t care, they just let it go. They say they don’t believe us, despite all our evidence. People should be able to walk into their workplace and know that they are protected, know that they can stay safe, know that they can be respected. It’s ridiculous and it must stop.”
The union successfully drafted legislation last session that was passed by the Assembly Majority to address workplace bullying and abusive conduct through education and training. PEF will continue to push the legislation in 2024 and call on the state to create uniform standards to define bullying and abusive conduct in the workplace.
“The state has regulated sexual harassment, but not other unacceptable activities,” Spence said. “The state needs to set uniform standards on activities that aren’t acceptable in the workplace and educate employees and employers on those standards. We hope the governor will ask somebody independent of OER (the Office of Employee Relations) to look at this issue. Maybe the governor will ask the Inspector General’s Office to create a task force to look at some of these cases.”
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An open letter from PEF President Wayne Spence:
It’s time for New York to clean up its toxic workplaces
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By KATE STICKLES