Local Group Seeks Changes for State Employees BUFFALO (wned) - The struggle between the business lobbying group Unshackle Upstate and public employee unions is continuing, with the business group issuing a report saying taxpayers can't afford the present system of establishing worker wages and benefits.

The report "New York's Double Standard" says there is a widening gap between wages and benefits of public and private sector workers.

Unshackle wants laws changed controlling public employee bargaining to freeze wages and benefits between contracts and create a new pension tier for new workers similar to private sector 401-Ks.

CSEA Spokesperson Stephen Madarasz says it's not a good comparison. He contends that the falling wages in the private sector are a result of the "reprehensible actions of Corporate America in undermining American workers."

He says average pension for a state worker is $16,000 a year.

Unshackle Executive Director Brian Sampson agrees public employees do work hard and the group isn't suggesting a rollback of wages and benefits.

Sampson says something has to be done to make New York more competitive, "when municipalities have 66 to 75 percent of their costs driven by labor costs.",

Sampson says the budget fight in the spring shows taxes have reached the breaking point.
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