Membersbraveperilousroads,
BySHERRYHALBROOK LegislatureJanuary7. shouldn’thavetogiveitback.”
“Whatdowewant?Fairness!Whendo Theywereindignant.Theywereangry. ShewasreferringtoPaterson’sbudget
wewantit?Now!” Theycouldn’tunderstandwhytheywere proposaltotakebackthe3percentpay
PEFmembersonLongIslandand beingsingledoutforpunishment.They raisesduetoPEFandotherstate
Buffalogotuplongbeforedawntoboard justwantedsomejustice. employeesinAprilundertheircontracts.
busesforAlbanyat5:30a.m.Theywere Hewouldalsolagtheirpaybyfivedays
among7,000members,retireesandother Don’t take what we earned andcutbackotherbenefitsrelatedto
stateworkerswhostruggledthroughheavy TeachersPhyllisMarchandDiana retirementandhealthcare.(See page 6.)
rain,sleet,freezingrainand Dantuonomadethe “WeliveonLongIsland,whichisavery
snowtogetthere. long,dangeroustrip highcostarea,”Dantuonosaid.“Wework
BundledinyellowPEF fromLongIsland,where straightthroughthesummers,butwe
hats,scarvesandmittens, theyworkatPilgrim makehalfofwhatotherLongIsland
theycrowdedoutsidethe PsychiatricCenter.They teachersmake.”
Capitoltoshoutthat wereveryclearabout MarkDavies,an
heartfeltprotestasGov. whytheygaveupaday engineerforthestate
DavidA.Patersondelivered ofvacationleavetobe Transportation
hisfirstStateoftheState inAlbanyforthe DepartmentinAlbany,
Messagetothe
MARCHandDANTUONO
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theeventwascalled. beingexpectedtosacrifice
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statefor30years,”
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DAVIES
Yorkers.
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statebudgetcrisis,they
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andwe backsofstateworkers,”Daviessaid.“The
lasttimethestatelaggedourpay,wesued
andwon,butthattookyears
andmeanwhiletheyhad
ourmoney.Now,theywant
todoitagain.”
HUGERESPONSE
—Region7
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WilliamCrotty
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Page4—TheCommunicatorFebruary2009 PEFInformationLine:1-800-553-2445
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