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Public
Employee Press Workers hit govs
layoff plan
You Can Make A Difference: Lobby
Day and rally for health-care reform Dictatorship
or democracy for our school system?
Chanting
Cut the waste, not the workers, state employees rallied April 30 at
Gov. David Patersons midtown office, protesting his plan to eliminate 8,700
state jobs to close his $17 billion budget gap.
This story is all
too familiar. The governor wants workers to give up what they have fought long
and hard for, DC 37 Associate Director Oliver Gray told the demonstrators.
We know there is waste in government. We say cut the waste, not the workers!
Governor Paterson, take your fingers out of your ears.
DC 37 state
workers in Rent Regulation Services Employees Local 1359 rallied with a coalition
of unions including the Civil Service Employees Association and the Public
Employees Federation.
Fifty-eight of
our members are targeted for layoffs, said Local 1359 President Dennis Ifill.
We stand in solidarity. Any plan to cut jobs and funding is a threat to
us all, and especially to our junior members, whose jobs may be in jeopardy.
Speakers
charged that the governors plan would damage the states flailing economy
by wiping out 8,700 jobs and cutting the pay and benefits of tens of thousands
of workers.
The ripple effect could put as many as 70,000 private-sector
jobs at risk, negating the impact of President Obamas economic stimulus
package in New York, said PEF President Kenneth Bryien.
To resolve
the budget shortfall, union leaders urged the governor to end contracts with high-priced
consultants, which cost taxpayers $3 billion annually, and to expand the voluntary
program that lets employees reduce their weekly work schedule and pay.
Paterson
sent a mailing directly to 141,000 state employees, urging them to talk to union
leaders about making concessions. Many of the leaders, who believe the letters
violated labor relations laws, called on Paterson to come to the negotiating table
instead.
Rally speakers warned the governor not to play politics with workers
lives. November 2010 is not far away. The governor needs to listen to us,
or we will lay him off on Election Day, said MLC leader Ed Ott.
Diane S. Williams
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