Public Employee Press

Letters to the Editor

Blasts Daily News for blame game lies
Editor's note: The following letter was sent to the New York Daily News, which would not print it:

Your recent op-ed pieces blaming public employees for the state and city budget crises are false and unfair, and your opinion about how Andrew Cuomo should go after us is just the latest.

The 17,000 tax paying members I represent average just $30,000 a year in wages, and their pensions average a paltry $12,000 a year. They mainly live in communities of color; as it is, they cannot afford to live in this city and state. Many are eligible for Food Stamps and some even live in homeless shelters.

Police and Firefighters do have higher pay and pensions, but they work in life-threatening jobs keeping us safe. How do you propose to recruit employees for these jobs and also teachers who must educate our children, if you do not pay them properly?

Your op-ed pieces all ignore that it was Wall Street and bankers' excessive greed that got us in this mess. Adding to the problem is the fact that New York millionaires and billionaires now pay 7 percent less in state and city taxes than 10 years ago, costing the government billions of dollars in lost revenue.

So don't blame us for wanting to stay employed. We work to provide badly needed services when the public needs them the most.

—Ralph Palladino
2nd Vice President, Local 1549


Mayor wastes big $$
The mayor has installed countdown clocks at city agencies to inform staff of the time left in his administration. My question is, who is paying for this?

—Kenny L. Williams
DOITT Computer Associate 3


Thanks to DC 37
When I needed information on my cancer medication, Benia Charnecky treated me like a person and gave me the information I needed. What more could you ask for? Ms. Charnecky treated me in such a professional and efficient way that I had to bring it to your attention. Thanks to DC 37 and the good work you all do for your members.

—Tessie Stathis
Retiree, Local 384


Letter from Solidarity
DC 37 Executive Director Lillian Roberts received this letter from Poland:
Dear Sister Roberts,

Thank you for the kind words and well wishes expressed in your letter to the members of the Solidarity Trade Union on our 30th anniversary. All union members around the world share a common bond of solidarity and moral support at times of peril and struggles as well as during everyday toils.

As much as it is necessary to underscore the key milestones in the history of our labor movements, it is also important to reflect on the role of average people making them vibrant, dynamic and purposeful. Their common knowledge and experience create the shared legacy and wisdom to draw upon beyond the limits of time and physical borders.

Our accomplishments are as much yours as your struggles are ours.

Please extend out warmest appreciation to the brothers and sisters of DC 37, who together with us cherish the memories and principles of our union's creation.

—Jerzy Klosinski
Editor, Tygodnik Solidarnosc


Lauds end of wasteful CityTime contract
Congratulations to Sister Roberts on the long, hard-fought and successful battle against the outrageously wasteful CityTime contract, and thanks to Comptroller John Liu. We sure did the right thing to support you! Now let's go after the other 17,999 outside contracts.

—Sarah Greene
Local 1549


Correction
The October-November issue of PEP misidentified the retired Real Property Manager who recently published the novel "Still Dead After All Those Years." A former Local 1219 activist, he is John Hunt, not Joseph.