Union Rejects Paterson's Offer, Layoffs May Be Ahead

The Civil Service Employees Association, the state's largest union, rejected Governor Paterson's offer of smaller raises and a two-year reprieve on layoffs, raising the possibility that thousands of jobs may be eliminated. Paterson had warned that without union concessions, given the state's huge budget deficit, he would have to lay off almost 9,000 state employees. But CSEA spokesman Stephen Madarasz said, "If we open one contract, what's to stop every other employer to say, 'We want to reopen the contract'? You set a precedent. You can never again do good-faith bargaining. It's a matter of principle as well as practicality." Paterson spokesman Errol Cockfield told the AP, "They have rejected every single proposal that we put forward to prevent job losses among their ranks. Nonetheless, the governor is still committed to finding a resolution."

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By Jen Chung in News on April 10, 2009 12:54 PM

Comments [rss]

Jack D. Ripper

Remember PATCO / R. Reagan and his union busting move?

Could it happen again?

Just askin'.

eyekantspel

these public employee unions just don't get it. Their salaries/pensions/benefits are PAID by private sector taxpayers. The private sector has been laying off like crazy, and private sector 401ks have been wiped out. Meanwhile, public sector employees think they can just act as if it's business as usual. Are they really that stupid?

hotstepper

lay them all off. period.

Endless Ike

Public employee unions should be outlawed...what is the sense in us allowing a group of people to hold the taxpayer hostage

Paterson should fire every last one of the weasels

Guest

"You can never again do good-faith bargaining."

As if unions have ever bargained in good-faith.

Gothamist_Cynic

Greed on both sides. Gotta love it.

rcltrh

That's the spirit, go down with the ship. See how well you can buy food and pay the rent unemployed. Sometimes concessions during hard times are better than breadlines. See you in the unemployment lines.

Jen S

I don't know. If CSEA genuinely wants to protect others from contract re-evaluations, I (as someone with a union contract) applaud him. If they're using that line as a convenient excuse, they're playing dirty.