WHEREAS, the escalating cost of premiums and co-pays for healthcare have been problematic in past contract negotiations forcing unions to make concessions on wages, cost of living adjustments, and other benefits to protect members health care needs; and

WHEREAS, the recently passed federal healthcare bill will not aid our upcoming contract negotiations and may reduce future healthcare benefits because of the imposition of onerous federal taxes on health care benefits; and

WHEREAS, next year’s contract negotiations will occur with New York State in dire fiscal shape; and

WHEREAS, in 2009 the National AFL-CIO unanimously passed Resolution 34 strongly endorsing a ‘Medicare for All’ single payer health care system; and

WHEREAS, thirty-nine (39) State AFL-CIO Federations, 135 Central Labor Councils, and 580 different labor organizations including PEF have endorsed HR676; and

WHEREAS, we strongly believe that a Medicare for all national health insurance system with single payer financing is the only effective solution that will solve the healthcare crisis union members face at the bargaining table and that we face collectively as a society; and

WHEREAS, historically, significant structural changes in this country have occurred when progressive forces have built powerful social movements that organize around a long term strategy that involves relentless rank & file education, organizing around basic fundamental principles, and committing to a long term approach to the issue; and

WHEREAS, we strongly believe that to win a single payer national health insurance system the labor movement needs to pursue that kind of strategy and work to build a broad based working class social movement; and

WHEREAS, we believe that had we collectively pursued such a strategy after the last healthcare policy failure in Congress in the mid 1990s – by staking out a strong single payer position, educating our membership as deeply as possible, pushing for political support of single payer legislation and sticking with that approach for the last fifteen years – we would be in a much stronger position today to win meaningful healthcare reform:

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that the NYS Public Employees Federation calls on the National AFL-CIO and to initiate a democratic strategic planning process to develop a long-term strategy to win Single Payer national health insurance. This process should:

1. Start with a Single Payer labor movement summit meeting open to labor bodies and rank & file single-payer activists;

2. Involve all levels of union organizational structures including Central Labor Councils, Area and State Federations and rank & file single payer union activists in the planning process;

3. Develop an assessment of how labor and progressive organizations have historically built powerful social movements in this country and put our best thinking forward about what would need to be done today to build a social movement powerful enough to achieve single payer;

4. Include a commitment of resources from the AFL-CIO that is no less than the resources that have been devoted to the 2009-2010 health care reform effort; and

5. Include a commitment from the AFL-CIO to support state’s efforts to pass single payer legislation.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the PEF Officers will communicate this resolution to the AFL-CIO national leadership, our international affiliates, the NYS AFL-CIO and all of the labor councils in NYS.

Fiscal Impact—None if done by email, minimal cost if using US Mail Service.

Submitted by: The Statewide Steward Council, Division 169 (PEF/Encon)

WHEREAS, the "Clean Money Clean Elections" campaign, which seeks to create a public fund for candidates who voluntarily refuse private money in their campaigns for statewide offices, has introduced "Clean Money Clean Elections" legislation in the New York State legislature; and

WHEREAS, "Clean Money Clean Elections" would enhance democracy by significantly reducing the negative influence of corporate money in the political process, removing access to wealth as a major determinant of a citizen’s participation in the political process and restoring the principle of "one person, one vote"; and

WHEREAS, "Clean Money Clean Elections" would level the playing field to give qualified citizens without access to big money a fair chance at winning office based upon their ideas and integrity rather than how much money they can raise; and

WHEREAS, "Clean Money Clean Elections" would reduce the power of the Senate Majority Leader and Speaker of Assembly to intimidate Senators and Assembly members into bending to their will to get financial and other campaign support; and

WHEREAS, "Clean Money Clean Elections" would reduce the endless money chase so that candidates are free of the constant need to raise money and those elected would have more time to serve the public interest; and

WHEREAS, "Clean Money Clean Elections" would reduce the escalating costs of elections; and

WHEREAS, Maine, Arizona and Connecticut have all enacted "Clean Money Clean Elections" legislation and Maine and Arizona have demonstrated the benefits of "Clean Money Clean Elections"; and

WHEREAS, polls show an overwhelming majority of citizens support public financing of campaigns if the candidates abide by spending limits and do not accept any private donations; and

WHEREAS, PEF has previously endorsed the other major legislative effort to reform NYS’s dysfunctional and undemocratic state government with a non partisan redistricting resolution:

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that the PEF Legislative Agenda include active PEF support and lobbying efforts for passage of "Clean Money Clean Election" legislation in New York State; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that PEF officers and/or staff will report to the PEF Executive Board specific steps they have taken to act on this resolution at least once a year.

Fiscal Impact: None

Submitted by: The Statewide Steward Council, Division 169 (PEF/encon)

Buy Union – Show the Bug!

WHEREAS, PEF provides unionized services to the public and must educate the public on the importance of unions and unionized civil servants; and

WHEREAS, solidarity between unions is important, and purchasing union products ensures quality in craftsmanship, production and service, and also quality in labor relations—good wages, benefits, and working conditions under a union contract; and

WHEREAS, purchasing union goods and services benefits our members; and

WHEREAS, PEF purchasing practices have a direct effect on the communities and union movement:

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that PEF will make a concerted effort to buy domestically produced and assembled union made goods and union services; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that these union made goods shall proudly display the union bug logo; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that PEF will make a concerted effort to purchase New York State products and American made products; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that PEF will encourage purchases in local communities where it is in the best interest of PEF members.

Fiscal Impact: None

 Submitted by: PEF/Encon Statewide Shop Steward Council

Whereas the PEF Women’s Program focuses on key concerns to working women and families and each year acknowledges the great accomplishments of women in the workplace, organized labor, the military who are serving our country with honor and distinction globally, the political arena, in the home and the community who are activists.

Whereas the PEF Women’s Program recognizes the enormous challenges women have faced, the impact women have had, and innumerable contributions women have made and continue to make to the growth and development of our country, our economy, to organized labor, to medical/health initiatives, colleges and universities, sports, media, to cultural and artistic achievements, workers’ rights, non-traditional and traditional areas of accomplishments.

Whereas an important goal of the PEF Women’s Program is to urge and encourage women to