Public Employee Press

Union lobbying in Albany improved the new state budget

DC 37 successfully battled parts of Gov. Andrew Cuomo's proposed 2013-14 budget that called for deep cuts to health services and substance abuse counseling as well as a private sector takeover of MetroPlus.

The union's lobbying efforts prevented the privatization scheme and devastating cuts to essential programs that serve millions of New Yorkers and their families, which were not included in the final budget approved by the state Legislature in April. The state spending plan did at last fund health benefits for retirees from the closed New York City Off-Track Betting Corp.

The Nurse Family Partnership program administered by the Dept. of Health and Mental Hygiene was scheduled to lose $2.5 million from its budget, but $2 million was restored, and two pilot projects to privatize a Brooklyn hospital, which DC 37 opposed, were eliminated from the budget.

A big concern for the union was the reduction of funding for drug and substance abuse counselors who work with public school children. Funding for the Substance Abuse and Prevention and Intervention Specialists - members of Local 372 - was restored with $14.9 million for their budget. An additional $250 million in aid was provided for the Dept. of Education, but these funds were held up pending a teacher evaluation agreement.

The governor's budget also called for capping awards in binding contract arbitrations at 2 percent. The measure was removed from the budget under pressure from DC 37 and other unions.

Funding for the City University of New York's Joseph Murphy Institute, which offers labor courses, and the AFL-CIO's Cornell University Union Leadership Institute were restored.

DC 37 backed an even greater increase in the state minimum wage than the one that was enacted.

"We are going to continue to fight for the best interests of our members and the public to make sure that the governor understands that the budge tgap can't be closed on the backs of working people," said DC 37 Political Action Director Wanda Williams.