Newly Elected PEF President Outlines Priorities

The second largest state employees union in New York will have a new president this summer. The rank-and-file membership of the Public Employees Federation recently elected Wayne Spence as the union president. Spence, a 24-year veteran parole officer with the New York State Department of Corrections and Community Supervision, defeated the incumbent president Susan Kent by a very slim margin of 127 votes, out of more than 12,217 votes that were cast. Spence, who headed a slate of candidates under the coalition of union professionals or “coup” ticket, spoke with WAMC news about his priorities once he takes office August 3.