The Civil Service Employees Association (CSEA) and the Public Employees Federation (PEF) are jointly planning massive rallies to be held through-out the state at noon on Monday, May 10^th, 2010 to oppose New York Governor David Paterson's outrageous attempt to "furlough" state unionized public employees. The one-day-a-week furloughs - with all management employees exempt! - would result in a 20% salary reduction for all affected employees - many earning under $30,000 per year. To find a rally location near you please click here.

The Governor's pathetic justification for this patently illegal action? The lack of an agreement with the legislature on a 2010/11 state budget - as if that failure on their part has anything to do with the state workforce! Paterson, who has repeatedly attempted to get the state legislature to respond to his budget requests without success, has now decided to financially harm and punish the state work force (with his management lackeys exempt of course) in an attempt to bludgeon the legislature into submission.  Unfortunately for the unelected Governor, neither the legislature nor the state public employee unions consider Paterson's action legal.

Moreover, many state union employees are now pushing the "nuclear option." Thus if Paterson sends the legislature a one week temporary budget extender (as is the time-honored practice until a budget is agreed to so that essential services continue) which now also includes the poison-pill furlough authorization language, it will be voted down thereby completely shutting down New York state government.

State unions will not tolerate the Governor's violation of our contracts! Furloughs are illegal because they violate those contracts and state civil service law. Thus, in addition to Monday's rally, public employee organizations plan to obtain court-ordered injunctions prohibiting furloughing state employees. Notably, these unions have already moved to arbitrate Paterson's illegal withholding of state union employees' 4% April 1, 2010 salary increase (which we also expect to win).   

Of course, as is always the case with Paterson, everything is always in flux. Thus, on May 5, 2010 the Governor indicated that he would chuck furloughs if the state public employee unions agreed to a fourth week of payroll lag! It's not enough that all state employees already give New York a three week loan - now he wants us to work without pay for four weeks!

So, join one of the rallies on Monday at your most convenient location. Support state employees in their fight for economic justice! Tell the Governor that union members are not pawns to be used in his fight with the state legislature!