Will Succeed Benson: Brynien Wins Battle For PEF President

Will Succeed Benson
Brynien Wins Battle For PEF President

By REUVEN BLAU

Public Employees' Federation members last week elected Ken Brynien president in a sweep for his entire slate over a group led by Michael DelPiano, 7,874 votes to 7,024. Mr. Brynien had been the union's vice president and was supported by its outgoing leader, Roger E. Benson.

KEN BRYNIEN: Expects smooth transition. "I am very pleased that the PEF members chose me," Mr. Brynien said June 28, the day after the mail-in votes were tallied by the American Arbitration Association. "But I am more pleased that they disagreed with the message of our opponents. What the membership has said with this vote is they like what we've been doing and they don't want a change."

Carry on Benson's Plans

Mr. Brynien, who had served as chair of the union's Political Action Committee, had vowed to continue the advancements made during Mr. Benson's three terms.

Mr. DelPiano, a region coordinator based in Utica, called his slate the Coalition for Membership Empowerment, or C-Me. His slate included Jennifer Faucher, who as coordinator of Region 10 represented PEF members who work for state agencies in Manhattan and The Bronx. Vernetta Chesimard was elected the new Region 10 coordinator.

PEF recently persuaded the State Legislature and Governor Pataki to sign three bills requiring the State Department of Civil Service to list all private consultants and their fees. On June 7, Mr. Pataki also signed the Workplace Violence Prevention bill, which requires managers to assess risks and implement programs to help prevent job site attacks.

The other candidates on Mr. Brynien's Members 1st slate are: Arlea Igoe, secretary-treasurer; and Pat Baker, Joe Fox, and Lou Matrazzo, vice presidents. Their three-year terms begin Aug. 1.

Light Returns Healthy?

PEF is the state's second largest state-employee union, representing 54,000 mostly white-collar workers. Notably, only about 30 percent of the membership voted. "We read lower turnout as members were more content," Mr. Brynien remarked. "Generally people that are upset and want to change things, they show up to vote."

Before being elected to union office in 1997, Mr. Brynien worked as a Psychologist at the state Office of Mental Retardation and Developmental Disabilities in Central New York. He and his wife Cindy, plan to relocate to the Albany area. "Since I've been working closely with the current administration, the usual transition issues will not be there," he remarked. "I'm fully expecting to be gearing up to take over that office over the next few weeks, and on Day One I'll be ready to go."