Public Employees Federation Ken Brynien issued a new call today for Gov. Andrew Cuomo to return to the bargaining table as soon as possible.

Brynien says PEF, a union of mostly white-collar state workers, is prepared to present “new ideas” that can be accepted by the union’s rank-in-file and the administration.

The New York State Public Employees Federation (PEF) is prepared to present to the state new ideas which we believe will lead to a tentative contract agreement that will meet everyone’s needs and our members will ratify.

Although the governor has said he will not change the state’s proposal we remain hopeful we can reach an agreement. The next few days will be critical as we try to preserve state services while meeting the savings the state requires.

The statement comes as the Cuomo administration has started to send out pink slips to nearly 3,500 state workers in the wake of the union rejecting a labor agreement that includes deep concessions. The layoffs take effect in about a month.

Cuomo needs to achieve $450 million in workforce savings in order to keep the budget in balance. Cuomo issued a short statement urging PEF members to reconsider their no votes.

Cuomo’s Director of State Operations Howard Glaser, issued a more pointed statement that blasted the PEF leadership for failing to explain the terms of the agreement.

The governor, so far, has given no indciation he would be willing to re-negotiate a new deal.

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