CSEA Charges Taylor Law Violations in Thruway and Canal Corp. Layoffs

ALBANY, NY (04/10/2013)(readMedia)-- Charging the Cuomo Administration with Taylor Law violations, CSEA has filed charges over last week's vindictive and politically motivated layoffs of Thruway and Canal Corporation employees. The union charged Thruway management with acting in bad faith to coerce, intimidate and pressure rank and file union members.

CSEA filed improper practice charges with the Public Employment Relations Board (PERB) against the state Thruway Authority and Canal Corporation. The union charged management with attempting to unfairly influence the outcome of contract negotiations.

CSEA filed the charges April 4, after CSEA-represented Canal workers and CSEA-represented Thruway workers were among about 200 unionized employees laid off. The union accused the Authority and Canal Corp. of coercing employees with threat of layoff so that the employees would unduly pressure their union representatives to succumb to management demands.

"It is unfortunate that the Cuomo Administration continues to resort to intimidation, threats and bullying to get what it wants at the expense of Thruway and Canal operations," said CSEA President Danny Donohue. "The administration doesn't seem to care that it is hurting people and communities across this state."

Last December, shortly after negotiations for a successor agreement between the parties had begun, Thruway Authority Executive Director Thomas Madison sent an email to CSEA represented workers threatening that layoffs would occur unless the union agreed to management's contract demands for severe concessions by April 3.

Despite numerous proposals offered by CSEA in an attempt to find common ground, management has not moved. The Thruway Authority and Canal Corp laid off members of the CSEA bargaining units last week, immediately after the deadline Madison had given the union to agree to management's terms had expired.

In addition to Madison's actions, on which the charges are based, Canal Corp. Director Brian Stratton's comments to the media last week calling canal workers' salaries "bloated" further exposed the administration's contempt for its workers.

"Instead of laying off workers who did nothing to deserve it, the administration should lay off its union busting tactics," Donohue said.

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EDITORS NOTE: The CSEA charges including the union's arguments to support them are posted at www.cseany.org