Statement of CSEA President Danny Donohue on Gov. David Paterson's Legacy of Failure

ALBANY, NY (12/10/2010)(readMedia)-- "This is a terribly sad time for New Yorkers, and especially for the nearly 900 state employees who will now face the loss of their jobs and an uncertain future because of Governor David Paterson's failures.

As I stated the other day when calling on the governor to rescind this misguided action, everyone but the governor and some other politicians seem to understand that laying people off is bad for the economy. It takes away paychecks that would be spent in local communities, loses taxes that would otherwise be paid and eliminates front-line employees who actually deliver necessary services that help generate revenue.

It is also a cruel and unnecessary action in this holiday season that will hurt innocent families. No one should ignore the human misery that the governor's plan will cause to real people.

The layoff plan is nothing but political spite for CSEA holding the governor to a negotiated contract and his no-layoff pledge, as his administration mishandled every opportunity for cooperation and alternative approaches."

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