CSEA Wins Court Order Preventing Layoffs Planned For Today; Charges Governor Broke No-Layoff Agreement

ALBANY, NY (02/24/2010)(readMedia)-- CSEA has won a temporary restraining order, preventing layoffs the state had planned for today at Bernard Fineson Developmental Disabilities Services Office in Queens and other downstate Office of Mental Retardation and Office of Mental Health facilities.

Supreme Court Judge Thomas J. McNamara put the layoffs on hold pending the outcome of a lawsuit the union filed this morning claiming the layoffs were in clear breach of Gov. David Paterson's agreement, reached with the union last July, not to lay off employees through Dec. 31, 2010. CSEA had agreed not to stand in the way of recently enacted Tier V Retirement legislation in exchange for the governor's promise of no layoffs.

"It's a shame we have to go to court to get the governor to keep his word," said CSEA President Danny Donohue.

Besides preventing the layoff of 18 workers today, the order also prohibits the state from slashing in half the hours and pay of a half-dozen OMRDD and OMH workers also affected by the planned reduction in force.

CSEA represents nearly 300,000 public and private employees throughout New York State, including 25,000 members who provide mental health and developmental disabilities services.

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