CSEA Offers Alternative to State's Costly Use of Temporary Workers

ALBANY, NY (03/03/2010)(readMedia)-- "Temporary should mean temporary and not employment that extends for years."

That was the message CSEA delivered to state lawmakers today as the union continued its fight to end the Paterson administration's exploitation of temporary workers and undermining of state workers.

Testifying at a hearing on the state's use of temporary employees before the New York State Assembly Standing Committee on Governmental Employees, CSEA Legislative and Political Action Director Fran Turner said it's time for state agencies to come clean about their real work force needs and that the need for temporary workers be addressed by a pool approach with deployment and retrenchment.

"Over the last twenty years, the State of New York has created a shadow work force made up largely of temporary and provisional employees who have been hired to replace positions left vacant as a result of downsizing and contracting out," Turner told lawmakers. "Former Governor Pataki and even the current administration have paraded these reductions in the state work force as fiscal savings to the state. However, the facts are that state agency staff shortages have created mandatory overtime problems, an over reliance on temporary and provisional appointments, recruitment and retention problems and safety and quality of service issues throughout state agencies."

The union recently uncovered more than $62 million tax dollars being used to hire temporary workers through employment agencies in nearly every state agency, despite a state hiring freeze and a staggering fiscal deficit.

These workers, who receive no benefits and have no rights, have been used for years to hide the fact that the state work force has been depleted to such an extent that the agencies are no longer able to deliver promised services to the citizens of this state. What's more, the Paterson administration is paying a premium for these workers with the bulk of the money going to the temp agencies.

Turner said CSEA recognizes the fact that state agencies at times have assignments that are extremely short in duration and might be better suited for employees who are not permanent. The union proposed the creation of a temporary state work force pool that could be used to fill such positions.

Turner said the pool could be used when permanent workers were on vacation, medical leave, or other extended absence. She said it would mitigate the cost of using private companies while ensuring that temporary workers were not being abused with no benefits and less pay than permanent employees.

More than 12 state agencies and facilities have spent millions on temporary workers hired through temporary service agencies since April 2008. The worst offender is the state Department of Health, which has spent more than $13 million taxpayer dollars on temporary services, followed by the State University system at $9 million, Office of General Services at $5.6 million, state Education Department at $4.7 million, Law Department at nearly $3.4 million and the Department of Transportation at more than $3 million.

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