PEF holds firm on no givebacks
Paterson’sbudgetmissesthemark
By DEBORAH A. MILES
andotherunionmembers,althoughhow positionsatthestateDepartmentof
Gov.DavidPaterson’sExecutive
manyPEFmembersisnotyetknown. AgricultureandMarkets,including34
BudgetProposalfor2010-11squanders
ThestateOfficeofMentalHealthwould layoffs. Inaddition,theproposedbudget
theopportunitytosavemoneyby
closeeightwardsandasex-offenderunit wouldcut,throughattrition,91jobsat
reducingthehundredsofmillionsof
intheManhattanPsychiatricCenterand thestateDepartmentofTransportation,
dollarsthestatehaswastedonexcessive
lose128positions.Somestaffwouldbe 54jobsatthestateDepartmentof
andoverpricedconsultants.AndPaterson
transferredtocommunityprogramsand EnvironmentalConservation(DEC),and
hassethisbudgetsightsonthestate
otherstooutpatientresidentialcareand 67jobsatthestateOfficeofParks,
workforceandthevitalservicesit
transitionalcommunitycarefacilities. RecreationandHistoricPreservation.
provides.
AtthestateDepartmentofCorrectional HealsotargetsthestateOfficeof
Thebudgetproposalasksfor$250
Services,PatersonhastargetedtheLyon MentalRetardationandDevelopmental
millioninnegotiatedsavingsfromthe
Mountainminimumsecurityfacilityin Disabilities(OMRDD)withaplanto
stateworkforcethroughsuchoptionsas
ClintonCountyandtheButlerminimum eliminate20researchpositionsatits
apaylag,ordelayordeferralofthe4
securityfacilityinWayneCountytoclose InstituteforBasicResearchwhichwould
percentgeneralsalaryincreasescheduled
inJanuary2011.Twootherprisons impairthefacility’smission.
forApril1,whichisincludedinthefinal
wouldcloseinApril2011,theMoriah
Somegainsproposed
yearofthePS&Tcontract.
shockfacilityinEssexCountyand
Thebudgetdoescallforspending$3
“PEFiswillingtolistenanddiscuss
Ogdensburgmediumsecurityfacilityin
millionatDEC,thestateHealth
proposals,butIcannotandwillnotask
St.LawrenceCounty.Theclosureswould
DepartmentandtheDepartmentofPublic
memberstoreopenourcontractwhich
beundertakenincompliancewiththe
Serviceforstaffoversightofnaturalgas
wasnegotiatedingoodfaith.The4
currentlawrequiringone-year
drillingpermitsexpectedtoresultfrom
percentraiseisthelastoneinthecurrent
notification.Theseclosureswouldreduce
thedevelopmentoftheMarcellusShale.
contract,”saidPEFPresidentKen
theworkforceby637staff,including17
(See related story, page 11)
Brynien.“It’snotfairtoaskamemberto
managementstaff.
OMRDDremainsfairlystablewithno
givebackanegotiatedraise,especially
grantfundingtobeeliminatedandan
whenheworksalongsideacontractor
increaseof89positions.
whoearnstwiceasmuch.”
Thegovernoradmitshecannotlegally
Agencyconsolidations
implementthesecutswithoutnegotiating
Theproposedbudgetrecommends
withPEFandotherstateemployee
sevenplanstomergeorconsolidatestate
unions.Thebudgetalsoproposes
agenciesandpublicauthorities,
requiringemployeeandretiree
producingafullannualsavingsof$14.8
contributionstoMedicarePartB
million.
premiums,whichwassought
TheCrimeVictimsBoard,Officeforthe
unsuccessfullyinlastyear’sExecutive
PreventionofDomesticViolenceand
Budget.
DivisionofProbationandCorrectional
“EversinceNewYorkspiraledinto
Alternativeswouldmergewiththe
fiscalfailure,PEFhasdetailedhowthe
DivisionofCriminalJusticeServices.
statecansaveasmuchas$656million
TheDepartmentofEconomic
overthreeyearsbyreducingits
DevelopmentandtheEmpireState
unnecessaryrelianceonconsultants(See
related story, page 5)andhavingstate
Mostlybecauseofaddedpositions,the
DevelopmentCorporationwould
employeesdothesameworkatahuge
netlossinDOCSwouldtotal60positions,
consolidateandmovetothenewlycreated
savingstotaxpayers,”Bryniensaid.“The
whichDOCSexpectstodothrough
JobDevelopmentCorporation.
governorhasthisplan,yethekeeps
attrition.
Otherproposedconsolidationsinclude
tryingtobalancehisbudgetonthebacks
AtthestateOfficeofChildrenand
unitingthemanagementstructuresatthe
ofstateemployees.Thegovernorhas
FamilyServices,thegovernorproposesto
DivisionofHousingandCommunity
takensomestepstocutspendingon
closetheAnnsvillenon-securefacilityand
Renewalwiththevariouspublic
consultants,butmuchmorecanbe
consolidateitwithTaberg,anothernon-
authoritiesthatconstituteNYHOMES.
done.”
securefacility,effectiveJanuary2011.
Thegovernoralsowantstocreateanew
Brynienalsosaidifthegovernorcuts
(See related story, page 9)Heplansto
DivisionofHomelandSecurityServices
thestateworkforceandasksstate
downsizetheTryonBoysResidential
comprisingtheOfficeofHomeland
employeestogivebacktheirnegotiated
CenterandtheLansingnon-secure
Security,StateEmergencyManagement
raises;itwillhinderstateservices,
center.Theseactionswouldleadtoa
Office,State911Board,OfficeofCyber
increaseunemploymentandweakenan
reductionof251youth-facilitypositions,
SecurityandCriticalInfrastructure
alreadycrippledeconomy.
239ofwhichwerefilledbyNovember
CoordinationandtheOfficeofFire
2009. Theselosseswouldbeoffset,in
PreventionandControl.TheOfficeofReal
BudgetaffectsPEFmembers
part,bytheadditionof169newyouth-
PropertyServiceswouldmergeintothe
Throughoutthestate,theworkforce
facilitypositionstoprovidemedicaland
DepartmentofTaxationandFinance.
wouldbereducedbyanestimated674
mentalhealthservicesandimprovestaff-
BryniensaidPEFwillremainvigilant
positionsincluding134layoffsbeginning
to-residentratios.
asthebudgetfurtherunfoldsandwill
inJanuary2011whichwouldaffectPEF
Patersonproposestoeliminate40
fightforjobsecurityofmembersand
Page4—TheCommunicatorFebruary2010
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ine:1-800-553-2445
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