State Employees to Rally Outside Governor's Manhattan Office to Protest Layoffs, Cuts to State Services

MANHATTAN, NY (04/29/2009)(readMedia)-- State employees represented by the New York State Public Employees Federation (PEF) will rally outside Gov. David Paterson's Manhattan office Thursday, April 30, protesting his plan to lay off thousands of state workers.

PEF members and leaders will carry signs that read, "No Layoffs" and "Cut the Waste, Not the Workers." They will be joined by members of the Civil Service Employees Association (CSEA) and other union members who are concerned about the governor's plan to lay off 8,700 state workers.

The rally will take place across the street from the governor's office at 633 3rd Avenue (between 40th and 41st streets) at 11:45 am. A special presentation will be made at noon.

The rally will focus on avoiding the layoffs and saving the state workforce, in addition to sending a message to the governor about better ways to reduce costs that won't damage the services New York citizens rely upon.

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

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