Statement of PEF President Kenneth Brynien on work force reductions

ALBANY, NY (10/28/2010)(readMedia)-- Governor Paterson's announcement this morning of even more reductions in the state work force through layoffs is an outrage, completely unnecessary and illegal. PEF will hold the governor to the memorandum of understanding he has with the union not to impose layoffs through the end of this year. Most important however is the fact the governor is ignoring the responsibilty of providing state services.

The state has 11,500 fewer employees today than in 2008 and the governor continues to call for deeper cuts. The fact is, the quality services on which taxpayers depend have never been more at risk than they are today. The governor remarked today in a radio broadcast the cuts could lead to longer waits and reduced hours of availability at the state Department of Motor Vehicles and fortunately the cuts will not affect snow removal. What he should be concentrating on is the vital services that are at risk.

It's time for the governor to ask himself which state services he is willing to tell taxpayers they will have to do without. Will it be fewer bridge inspections or fewer inspections of the food we eat? Is he ready to roll the dice on whether our water supply is thoroughly inspected? What about calls to child abuse hotlines? Will callers be willing to hold the line?

What's worse, this has never been about saving money. If it was really about saving money, the governor would have offered the early retirement incentive (ERI) much earlier to allow for more savings. He would have broadened the incentive, and he would now extend the offer to allow more state employees to leave state service. If it was really about savings the governor would be allowing vacancies to be filled with new entry-level employees at a savings to the state instead of allowing agencies to rack up overtime. If this was really about saving the state money, the governor would support the cost-benefit analysis bill to require a cost-benefit analysis before state agencies contract out work to higher priced consultants.

Clearly services are at risk with fewer state employees able to provide them. Yet given the choice of layoffs or an ERI, PEF supports the incentive. It's time for the governor to stop the charade and not pass on to a new administration the damaging results of his poor planning.

PEF is the state's second-largest state-employee union, representing 58,000 professional, scientific and technical employees.

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