PEF members overwhelmingly ratify contract

88% of voters say yes to new five-year deal

ALBANY, NY (08/18/2026) (readMedia)-- New York State Public Employees Federation (PEF) members turned out in force to ratify the union's 2026-2031collective bargaining agreement, with 88 percent of voters in the Professional, Scientific, and Technical (PS&T) unit casting yes votes.

"Labor unity builds power," said PEF President Wayne Spence, who has now negotiated five collective bargaining agreements as head of the union. "Overwhelming support of this contract sends a message and will position us for gains in the legislature, in the workplace, and in the community. Our members saw the value of this contract, with well over $4 billion in new money, and they stood behind it."

The five-year contract includes:

• Annual raises of 4.5%, 4%, 3.5%, 3% and 3% each year of the agreement, which compounds to equal a salary increase of 19.3% over the term;

• Provisions for a new Employee Benefit Fund to deliver improved dental and vision benefits;

• The continuation of a $600 annual Higher Education Differential that recognizes the unique professional qualifications of PEF members;

• Increases in location and inconvenience pay, as well as a hazardous duty bonus for certain members;

• No additional health insurance co-pays for the life of the agreement and the elimination of stacked co-pays.

"PEF fought hard throughout these negotiations to secure a fair contract that recognizes our dedication and the essential services we provide New Yorkers," said Spence. "We appreciate Governor Hochul and her team for working with us to reach an agreement that addresses the priorities of our members and reflects the value of our hard work. None of this would have been possible without the hard work and dedication of the PEF Contract Team, led by Chief Negotiator Mark Richard and PEF Vice President and Contract Chair Darlene Williams."

The other members of the PEF Contract Team are:

Scarlett Ahmed - Department of Labor, Queens

Vincent Cicatello - Office of Mental Health, Buffalo

Conrad Davis - Tax & Finance, Brooklyn

Christopher Ford -- Office of Information Technology Services, Albany

George Howard - Office of Information Technology Services, Queens

Christopher Jordan - Department of Transportation, Hornell

Maureen Kozakiewicz - Department of Motor Vehicles, Albany

Tanya Oliver – Department of Corrections and Community Supervision, Albany

Ben Traslaviña - PEF Director of Contract Administration

Cynthia Walker - SUNY Downstate Medical Center, Brooklyn

PEF is New York's second-largest public sector union, representing more than 62,000 professional, scientific and technical state workers in more than 3,000 titles in every state agency, including nurses, social workers, doctors, engineers, counselors, parole officers, lawyers, IT specialists, teachers, habilitation specialists, therapists, and many more.

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