AFT Vice President
As a psychologist working for the New York State Office of Mental Retardation and Developmental Disabilities since 1985, Kenneth Brynien, president of the Public Employees Federation of New York, has spent his career helping people advocate for themselves. Brynien became involved in PEF to increase the union's responsiveness to its members and held several positions before becoming vice president in 1997. PEF has made great strides in becoming a more mobilized, politically powerful union, achieving improved job security, better contracts and pension reforms.

As chair of PEF's political action and contract committees, Brynien guided the union's efforts on preventing layoffs and facility closures, achieving the union's package of "GO PUBLIC" legislation, and negotiating breakthrough contracts.

Brynien, who was elected PEF president in 2006, has focused on improving salaries and addressing the needs of members living in high-cost areas of the state, as well as working for pension enhancements. He also has been a tireless advocate in the fight against discrimination, workplace violence, forced transfers and mandatory overtime, and he was instrumental in a successful campaign to win passage of state legislation prohibiting mandatory overtime for nurses in New York State. Brynien currently serves on the executive boards of both the New York AFL-CIO and the New York United Way.

(August 22, 2008)