Legislature Approves Furloughs Over State Worker Protests

Protests in Albany (AP/Mike Groll)

Furloughs: They're not just for soldiers and prisoners! Starting next week, some 100,000 state workers could be required to take a one day, unpaid furlough from work. And as you can see from this photo of a massive protest outside the State Capitol yesterday, they are not happy about it.

Yesterday the Legislature voted to approve Paterson's emergency spending bill, which extends funding to keep the state government running. The furloughs, which the Legislature would have to renew on a weekly basis until a budget deal is reached, are expected to save $30 million a week, which is a drop in the bucket compared to the state's $9.2 billion deficit. Exempt from the furloughs are workers deemed "essential," such as state troopers, correction officers, nurses, and—of course—employees of state lawmakers.

While approving the emergency extender bill (and hence the furloughs), the Senate also unanimously approved a nonbinding resolution declaring the furloughs illegal. "This is a unilateral decision by the governor to force us to vote against the extender bill," Democratic Senator Neil Breslin said. "If we voted against that extender bill and it failed, everyone would be without health insurance. Motor vehicle departments would be closed down." Sheldon Silver, the Assembly speaker said, "We’re not stopping government," and expressed confidence that the courts will overturn the furloughs.

Outside the Capitol, where some 2,000 workers rallied yesterday on their lunch break, Danny Donahue, the president of the Civil Service Employees Association, stood next to a giant inflatable rat and applauded Paterson’s decision to drop his election campaign, telling reporters, "We know the governor is furloughed at the end of the year. If we could get rid of him now, we would. Some say the rat is a good symbol for our governor. I say that’s an insult to rodents." The unions are seeking a temporary restraining order in Federal District Court, calling it an unlawful breach of contract. Courts in other states have previously blocked furloughs.

In a statement, Paterson said, "I recognize that these furloughs represent a difficult sacrifice for many of the state’s public employees. That sacrifice is only necessary because their union leadership has rejected all other reasonable attempts at compromise." But union leaders say Paterson blew off their suggestions for cutting the budget, such as replacing independent contractors with unionized workers. Patricia Baker of the Public Employees Federation tells NY1, "He has not talked to us at all. All he’s done is talk to us through the media—at us, not to us."

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By John Del Signore in News on May 11, 2010 9:10 AM

Comments [rss]

John L

I worked for the city and was part of DC37 for 15 years and I am generally pro-labor but I must admit that these pensions have gotten out of hand and there's no way that, with people living longer, any city or state can sustain it. I was appalled yesterday when I read about the MTA guy caught with porn and stealing and still retiring with a $150k pension, that's ridiculous. But as far as wages here's the real problem management aways points to the workers when its time for cuts but you never hear of them taking a pay cut. I'm talking about senior level managers making over $100k a year, and if the numbers were ever released on how many there are I think the public would gasp. Want to talk about too many chiefs and not enough indians, well that's the city's workforce. These senior managers see nothing wrong with giving themselves 10-20% raises then complain about the union demanding 3%, believe me I've seen it with my on eyes. The majority of these senior managers are politically connected, family members, someone owed a political favor, etc., you can't just get one of these jobs by accident. Don't believe me? Then apply for one of these jobs and you'll see. So the problem is that the low level workers, the ones only making $30k-$50k are continually being asked to take pay cuts while management is quietly giving themselves raises, creating new higher paying titles, etc. We, as Americans, have some tough times ahead of us and we must all realize that we're going to have to make some sacrifices but our leaders need to lead by example and make the first sacrifices. Before our politicians or these senior managers utter one word about sacrifices or pay cuts I want to see what sacrifices they've made, they should try taking a pay cut first before imposing that on workers. A lot of these agencies are in trouble because a management's mismanagement but the workers are asked to make the sacrifices for them. Millions upon millions are being spent on no-bid contracts but no one is talking about cutting these? I remember when I first started working for the city, around May and June I saw pallets and pallets of brand new gateway laptop computers being delivered and new office furniture, etc. and I was in awe and didn't understand why all of the sudden all these new things were being delivered (because I had been told that there was no money) until someone explained to me that the fiscal year was ending and every department had to spend every dollar in their budget or their budget would get cut next year. I write this to explain that its not that the workers are greedy its that they see the mismanagement and waste on a daily basis and then resent being asked to take pay cuts when no one else is willing to make the same sacrifice. The reasoning of these workers is how can you eat Filet Mignon and ask me to give up a piece of my hamburger?

ba

Um $30 million a week isn't a drop in the bucket it is $1.6 billion a year. So yeah that makes a difference.

ddhboy

How strange, in one article everyone is praising 311 and similar government programs, and in the next they're talking about how lazy the workers are in these facilities. Of course, half of you idiots will tell me that state workers on average make 100K, judging on past discussions.

Bottomless Chips

I can think of 100s of other notification/customer service lines in 311's vein that are private and operate just well.

Point being, anything the public sector can do, the private sector can do better and for less.

MT

Maybe America should wake up and realize that unions are turning us into Europe. Every article you read now talks about how countries in Europe are collapsing under the weight of burdensome labor costs and pensions and whatnot. What once was a useful protection for the working class has essentially become a mafia-like racket. Just today Gothamist posted yet another artcile about how NYC has to pony up hundreds of millions of dollars to a pension fund that is generous at best and abusive at worst. And wasn't it just yesterday when Gothamist posted an article about bus drivers and their outrageous work rules?

Maybe since he's so unpopular now and has no hope of getting reelected, Paterson could do the ultimate job and break the unions and maybe Bloomberg can back him up since he's not up for reelection either. The rest of us will make them heroes for it.