WAMC: State Workers Rally Against Proposed Layoffs (2011-06-20)

WAMC New York News

State Workers Rally Against Proposed Layoffs

Mark Leitner (2011-06-20)

BUFFALO (wned) - Members of New York's Public Employee Unions held rallies in downtown Buffalo and across the state today. They claim they are under siege by the Cuomo Administration.

The unions, including the CSEA and the PEF, rallied to decry the administration's refusal, thus far, to return to the bargaining table and the governor's threat to lay off as many as 9,800 state employees if the unions do not come up with $435 million in savings by July 15.

An estimated 200 people turned out for the noontime rally outside the Ellicott Square Building.

Kevin Hintz of Region 1 of the Public Employees Federation in Buffalo called on the
governor to do the right thing for the people who work for the state.

"Fair budget, fair contracts, no layoffs and respect. Respect these workers who have worked so hard all these years. Respect the retirees. Don't take away their health benefits. Let's sit down and talk," said Hintz

Some in the rally crowd charged that the governor is trying to break the public employee unions. Union leaders vowed that's never going to happen.

"The governor would like us to believe that we're overpaid and overpensioned, and that's certainly not true. I challenge anybody who thinks we are to come here, step in our shoes, do our job for a day and see what it's like," Hintz told the assembled crowd.

The unions are calling on the Cuomo Administration not to threaten, but rather, return to the bargaining table and negotiate a new contract.

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