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PEP May 2011
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Public Employee Press

AFSCME Lobby Day in Albany
Pushing for a better N.Y.

By DIANE S. WILLIAMS


Energized by uprisings for democracy from Egypt to Wisconsin, 400 DC 37 activists pressed for a state budget that would protect jobs and tax the rich fairly as they joined thousands of union members from across New York in Albany March 1 at the annual AFSCME Lobby Day.

"We are fighting for a better New York for everyone!" said DC 37 Executive Director Lillian Roberts. "It is unconscionable that Albany wants to balance the budget on the backs of middle-class and working families when billions of dollars are wasted each year on overpriced outside contractors."

Gov. Andrew Cuomo's budget "will destroy jobs, increase unemployment and cut vital services for the disabled, elderly, children and poor people," said Lee Saunders, secretary-treasurer of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, which has 420,000 members in New York State. "Enough is enough! New Yorkers cannot afford these unconscionable cuts."

The unionists urged lawmakers to extend the "millionaires' tax" that brings in $5 billion in revenue a year, but despite a 2011-12 state deficit estimated at $10 billion, the legislators adopted the state budget March 31without continuing the tax.

"It was not schoolteachers or government workers who gambled, lost and wiped us out. It was not unions who weakened the global economy, costing jobs, homes and pensions," said Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver. "It was Lehman Brothers, AIG, Bear AStearns. American democracy is at stake."

Stop the lies

Greedy Wall Street profiteers, supersized by deregulation, consolidation and bailouts, have grown richer and more powerful since the housing market crashed in 2008, but they are propelling Main Street America in a race to the bottom. Anti-union Republican governors and even some Democrats use the media to scapegoat public employees and their pensions. Wisconsin's unionized workers protest against Gov. Scott Walker's union-busting roll-back of collective bargaining rights has defined the battle as a watershed moment in labor history. In December, AFSCME launched a "Stop the Lies" mobilization and media campaign.

"We are the backbone of this country," said state AFL-CIO chief Denis Hughes. "We work to make New York a wonderful place to live. Politicians better think three times before they move against labor in this state. We will never back down."

"We are fighting for our rights and no one can take that away from us. We will defeat any governor's attempt to silence our voice," Saunders boomed. "This is a critical battle for our jobs, retirement in dignity and our future. We are under attack like never before. When AFSCME is pushed into a corner, we come out swinging!"

"We have to make smarter choices that include labor in discussions," said state Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli. He thanked DC 37 and Lillian Roberts for the white papers that exposed contracting-out waste and probably saved the state $5 million when it used public employees to contract in a project.

After the rally, AFSCME members met with state senators and Assembly members. "I came to let lawmakers know that OTB is still on the page and we are still here," said former OTB employee Mike Murphy.

As dozens of union members crowded his office, Sen. Kevin Parker said, "Know that I and other members of the Legislature stand with you. We have to be engaged in the fight. This is definitely class warfare."




 
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