Hundreds of State Workers Tell Governor: "Cut the Waste, Not the Workers"

MANHATTAN, NY (04/30/2009)(readMedia)-- "Cut the Waste, Not the Workers," is what hundreds of union members from the New York State Public Employees Federation (PEF) shouted during a rally outside Gov. Paterson's Manhattan office today.

PEF members and leaders were joined by other union's including the Civil Service Employees Association (CSEA) to protest the governor's plan to lay off 8,700 state employees.

"The governor's plan will devastate the state's economy and severely reduce state services, particularly to our most vulnerable citizens," said PEF President Ken Brynien. "We recognize these are difficult times which is why we are here today to once again deliver to the governor alternatives to the layoffs that would result in more savings than the governor is hoping to achieve through his plan."

PEF Vice President Pat Baker and Manhattan union leader, Vernetta Chesimard, walked across the street from the rally to the governor's office delivering PEF's revenue raising and cost-cutting proposals.

"Reducing the state's reliance on costly consultants, cutting overtime costs by hiring employees and expanding the voluntary reduction in work schedule program will save the state $775 million over two years," Baker said. "That's almost twice what the governor hopes to save by adding thousands of state workers to the unemployment rolls."

"We are appalled the governor continues to disregard President Obama's directive to stimulate the economy. Instead, he is planning to add to the economic downturn by putting thousands of state employees out on the street," Chesimard added.

"The governor continues to play a damaging game of politics with the state work force and their families," said PEF Vice President Joe Fox who also attended the rally. "This has never been about achieving real savings. If it were, the governor would not be ignoring our suggestions. The governor merely wants a pound of flesh from state workers," Fox said.

"Until the governor has implemented our proposals, it is unconscionable for him to continue to call for concessions from, or layoffs of the state work force," Brynien said.

PEF is the state's second-largest state-employee union, representing 59,000 professional, scientific and technical employeess.

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