Statement from PEF President Kenneth Brynien

Earlier today the governor sent a letter to all unionized state employees indicating that as a result of the unions’ not giving in to unnecessary concessions that he has demanded, he has been left with no alternative other than to implement a workforce reduction plan.

The governor continues to claim to have only two choices: accept the concessions he has demanded or face layoffs.  There is a third choice: cut the enormous wasteful spending on private contractors.

Unfortunately, the governor continues to move forward with the most damaging choice, layoffs.

Keep in mind we as public employees are already sharing in the sacrifice in this budget and that we are not immune to the additional costs to New Yorkers that the state budget contains.  Asking public employees to shoulder an additional 5 percent cut in pay is unacceptable.

It is clear that his goal is not to make state government more efficient and cost effective but to extract an additional pound of flesh from hard working public employees.

I will be meeting with the governor’s staff tomorrow and will continue to press the governor to make the right decision: Cut the waste, not the workers who provide essential services to the citizens of the state.