Governor Kathy Hochul said late Friday that her administration has struck a tentative agreement with the Public Employees Federation, the statewide union representing professional, scientific and technical state workers. The announcement caps months of bargaining as Albany moves to lock in pattern settlements across the public workforce. Exactly when pay, benefits and retroactive increases land in workers' paychecks will hinge on a union ratification vote and how quickly the state can roll out the deal.
Pleased to announce we’ve reached a tentative agreement with @NYSPEF. PEF members are the backbone of the services New Yorkers rely on every day. They put their talents and expertise to work across this state, and I’m committed to delivering for them just as they deliver for https://x.com/i/status/2065570350163689943
— Governor Kathy Hochul (@GovKathyHochul) June 12, 2026
In a post on X, Governor Kathy Hochul said she was "pleased to announce" a tentative agreement with @NYSPEF and called PEF members "the backbone" of state services, thanking them for putting their talents to work across New York. Her post did not spell out the full terms of the deal.
PEF Executive Board Sends Deal To Members
PEF's website reports that the union's Executive Board voted on June 11 to send a 2026–2031 PS&T tentative agreement to dues-paying members for a ratification vote and posted a searchable PDF of the agreement online. According to the union's summary, the five-year settlement would provide raises of 4.5%, 4%, 3.5%, 3% and 3% in successive years and create a new PEF Employee Benefit Fund to administer a dental plan. PEF also says a hard copy of the agreement, along with highlights and a "Gains & Tradeoffs" summary, will be mailed to eligible members.
Background And Timeline
The last PEF contract ran through April 2026, which left the PS&T unit out of contract this spring while negotiations on a successor took place, according to the governor’s office. That 2023 announcement also noted that PEF represents more than 51,000 state employees in professional and technical titles, making it one of New York's largest public-sector unions.
What Comes Next For Members And Paychecks
PEF says it will send physical copies of the tentative agreement and voting materials to eligible members later this month and then hold a ratification vote. If members approve the deal, the union and the state will work out the timing for implementation. PEF's contract FAQ says any increases that take effect for April 2026 would be paid retroactively once a new agreement is finalized, with members directed to the mailed materials for the official timetable and eligibility details.
Where This Fits Politically
The tentative PEF agreement arrives on the heels of other pattern settlements. Last month, Hochul announced a tentative five-year contract with the Civil Service Employees Association, part of a broader push in Albany to settle major public-sector deals this spring and summer. For more local detail on that contract, see Five-Year Pay Deal Covering 55,000 State Workers.
