PATERSON SAYS WORKER LAYOFFS MIGHT BE BACK IN PLAY

photo by Ove Overmyer

ALBANY, N.Y. -- Some might call today's development politically naive or strategically dumb.  What could the Governor possibly be thinking?  In a New York Post interview, Paterson suggests state worker layoffs might be back in play.  These comments that were made by the candidate for Governor have puzzled most observers and is raising more than a few eyebrows in the labor movement.  With such low approval ratings, maybe he thinks he has nothing to lose.

What is particularly fascinating about this annoucement, it comes on the heels of the U.S. House passing a bill on December 16 to improve state and local government budgets to keep public employees on the job.  Does he ever talk to our friends on Capitol Hill?

The New York Post report quotes Paterson as saying layoffs could be possible "if we see a serious downtown in revenues" from state tax collections.  But Public Employees Federation spokesperson Darcy Wells told an Albany television news station that the union intends to hold the Governor to his agreement reached this summer which ended Paterson's threat to cut 8,900 state jobs.

Wells said Governor Paterson "agreed to no layoffs through December 2010" if the union accepted buyout deals and gave the green light to a less lucrative Tier Five pension plan for new state employees.

According to the article, Paterson is now saying if the state's economic situation 'becomes dire enough," he would revisit the possibility of handing out pink slips to state workers.  Is this an attempt to placate the business community, or does he really think we can continue to do more with less?

Our brothers and sisters who are the Public Employees Federation, which represents about 59,000 state employees, have repeatedly suggested to the Governor that millions of taxpayer dollars could be saved by cutting the use of private consultants and allowing state workers to do the same work at considerable savings.

There seems to be some movement here.  According to the PEF website, employees of the SUNY Research Foundation who work for the office of Medicaid Inspector general and the state are exploring the possibility of making these positions state employee positions and could convert them under the provisions of section 45 of the civil service law.

In a statement released today, PEF also suggested Paterson has the power to offer more voluntary severance deals for thousands of state employees who have been unable to participate.

CSEA officials also issued a statement today saying "we have a no layoffs agreement with the Governor and we expect him to uphold it."  Flo Tripi, WNY Region 6 President, has repeatedly stated that the Governor must keep his word.

Is the political climate in New York State and Washington, D.C. casting a pall over your holidays?  Well, maybe one indication of this trend could be illustrated by the results of a survey that has named New York State residents as the most unhappiest people in America.  The happiness ratings were based on a survey of 1.3 million people across the country by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. It used data collected over four years that included a question asking people how satisfied they are with their lives.  To read an article about the survey, click here.

Our dysfunctional state lawmakers in Albany better be prepared for a turbulent and riotous election cycle in 2010.  Incumbents beware.