PEF Members Rally Against Policy Changes at OCFS, Citing Less Public Service

ALBANY, NY (03/08/2017) (readMedia)-- Employees at the state Office of Children and Family Services (OCFS) represented by the New York State Public Employees Federation (PEF) held a noon-time rally today at OCFS offices in Rensselaer, to protest unfair work practices by OCFS management.

The unionized workers say a policy change, issued with no explanation or reason, forces workers to maintain a schedule within the hours of 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. Previously, OCFS employees were able to work their shifts between 6:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.

PEF Council Leader Barbara Gregorek said, "It's ironic that an agency whose employees provide services to children and families, does not consider that all families are unable to run on a schedule dictated by the state. Some of our consumers can only be reached in the early morning or after 5 p.m. due to their work and family schedules. This new policy does a disservice to the taxpayers and vendors who depend on our flexibility and availability as state employees. Alternative work schedules have allowed us to provide extended services to consumers, as well as being able to take care of the needs of our own families, and decrease the congestion of rush-hour traffic and parking in and around the state Capitol."

"The elimination of a flexible workday policy in OCFS that had been in effect for decades, without any consideration for employees' child care and eldercare obligations, shows that the agency is anti-children, anti-families and anti-labor. Moreover, hundreds of employees are now forced to commute in the height of rush hour traffic, thus harming the environment as well as disrupting carpooling and other transit arrangements. Corporations throughout the country have gone out of their way to be family-friendly, but OCFS is exhibiting nothing but contempt for its employees by its restrictive and unjustifiable limitations on employee workplace rights," said Usher Piller, a council leader from Manhattan.

The union workers, who protested and were supported by some members of PEF's Executive Board, said the rally demonstrates the necessity for OCFS management to respect the needs of the families in New York state.

PEF represents 53,000 professional, technical and scientific employees in all facets of state government. It is the largest white-collar union in New York.

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