Governor Hochul Announces Tentative Five-Year Labor Agreement With Public Employees Federation

Governor Kathy Hochul today announced that her administration has reached a tentative contract agreement with the Public Employees Federation, PEF, for a five-year term running until April 1, 2031. The agreement is subject to ratification by union membership, which includes approximately 60,000 New York State employees in a wide variety of professional, scientific and technical titles.

"We are pleased to come to this fair agreement with the hard-working members of PEF, and I appreciate the union leadership for working toward this deal," Governor Hochul said. "We value our dedicated public service professionals here in New York State, and this agreement reflects my administration's commitment to them and their contributions to the Empire State. I thank the members of PEF for putting their talents and expertise to work to deliver for New Yorkers all across this great state."

Public Employees Federation President Wayne Spence said, "On Thursday June 11th, the New York State Public Employees Federation Executive Board voted to send a tentative five-year contract to the membership for ratification. The agreement includes annual raises of 4.5%, 4.0%, 3.5%, 3.0%, and 3.0% and creates a new PEF-administered dental benefit program. Being grounded in democratic values and dedicated to representing the interests of its 57,000 dues paying members, the final decision to ratify the contract proposal now rests with PEF's members."

PEF members' salaries will rise in each of the five years of the agreement, with boosts to location pay and several other unit-specific payments. Members also will gain paid pre-natal leave. The agreement also includes reasonable updates to health insurance that will reduce costs for members by eliminating certain co-pays and providing incentives to use in-network providers.

The contract agreement must be ratified by PEF rank and file members.