Memberstaketheoffensive
By SHERRY HALBROOK theirsecuritypeoplewouldonlyletusget topersonallydeliveraletterfromPEFto
Thebattleover8,700statelayoffshas justsoclose.Wemadeenoughnoisethat Gov.DavidPaterson’soffice.Theletter
comedowntoagameof“CatandMouse,” theywereallwatchingus.Thegovernor includedalistofwaysthegovernorcan
butastowho’sthecatandwho’sthe arrivedlate,sohemusthavefacedsome savethemoneyheneedstobalancethe
mouse,itdependsonyourperspective. interestingquestionsfromhis budgetwithoutcuttingstatejobs,state
Thegovernorwasthreateningto guestswhenhegotthere.” services,orstateemployees’payor
gobbleupPEFmembers’pay,pensionsor pensions.
l
i
z
a
t
i
o
n
jobs.Butclearly,itwasPEFwaschasing NYC:governor’soffice “Reducingthestate’srelianceon
thegovernoralloverthestate,givingrise OnApril30,approximately costlyconsultants,cuttingovertime
toonemini-dramaafteranother. 500PEF,CSEAandotherspirited costsbyhiringemployeesandexpanding
o
b
i
unionmembersjammedthesidewalk theVoluntaryReductioninWork
NYCpressconference across3rdAvenuefromthegovernor’s Scheduleprogramwillsavethestate
M
OnApril22,PEFjoinedtheCivil Manhattanofficeatnoon.Theymade $775millionovertwoyears,”Bakersaid.
ServiceEmployeesAssociationforapress surehalfofmid-townheardtheir “That’salmosttwicewhatthegovernor
conferenceprotestingthelayoffsonthe demandsforrespectandcallsforhimto hopestosavebyaddingthousandsof
stepsofNewYorkCityHallinManhattan. “Cutthewaste,nottheworkers!” stateworkerstotheunemploymentrolls.”
PEFPresidentKenBrynien,Vice “Weareappalledthegovernor
b
e
r
NYC:Patersonfundraiser PresidentsPatBakerandJoeFox,Region continuestodisregardPresidentObama’s
OnApril23,theunionmembers 10CoordinatorVernettaChesimardand directivetostimulatetheeconomy.
showedupagainoutsidetheHarvard Region11CoordinatorJemmaMarie- Instead,heisplanningtoaddtothe
e
m
ClubinManhattantogreetguestsata Hansonledtherally,alongwithleadersof economicdownturnbyputtingthousands
campaignfundraiserforthegovernor CSEA.Thedemonstratorswerecheered ofstateemployeesoutonthestreet,”
M
sponsoredbyLawyersforPaterson. onbyNYCCentralLaborCouncil Chesimardadded.
ExecutiveDirectorEdOttandNYSAFL- “Thegovernorcontinuestoplaya
Buffalo:internationaltrade CIOPresidentDenisHughes. damaginggameofpoliticswithstate
OnApril29,thegovernortraveledto “Thegovernor’splanwilldevastatethe workersandtheirfamilies,”Foxsaid.
Buffalotomeetwithforeigntrade state’seconomyandseverelyreducestate “Thishasneverbeenaboutachievingreal
representativesattheHyattRegency services,particularlytoourmost savings.Ifitwere,thegovernorwouldnot
Hotel.Morethan100PEFandCSEA vulnerablecitizens,”Brynientoldthe beignoringoursuggestions.Thegovernor
members,Teamstersandrepresentatives demonstrators.“Werecognizetheseare merelywantsapoundoffleshfromstate
ofotherunionswerethere. difficulttimes,whichiswhywearehere workers.”
“Whenwesawthebuspullup,we todaytoonceagaindelivertothe “Untilthegovernorhastriedour
movedourpeopledownthere,”saidPEF governoralternativestothelayoffsthat proposals,itisunconscionableforhimto
Region1CoordinatorKevinHintz,“but wouldresultinmoresavingsthanthe continuetocallforustomake
governorishopingtoachievethroughhis concessions,orforlayoffsofthestate
Governor,canyouhearusnow? plan.” workforce,”Bryniensaid.
Buffalo-Region1
Then,BakerandChesimard,witha However,Bryniencontinuestomeet
wildsend-offfromthecrowdandapolice fromtimetotimewithPaterson’sstaffto
escort,crossedthestreet.Theirmission: searchforcommonground.
a130 a131
BUFFALOPROTEST—PEFMemberBarbRockandFieldRepresentativeFred
Beckerleadothermembersinapicketagainstlayoffsasforeigntraderepresentatives
getoffabustomeetwiththegovernoraboutcreatingjobs.
a132a133
GETTINGBLOCKED—GuardsblockPEFmembersfrommovingclosertothebuilding
wherethegovernorheldthemeetingwithforeigntraderepresentatives.PEFRegion1
Page4—TheCommunicatorJune2009
Coordinator,KevinHintztalkstoBuffaloreporterGeor
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