Here’s a glance at today’s opinion content:
PEF’s rejection: Editorial
We comment on news that the Public Employees Federation, the second largest union of state employees, rejected a package of give-backs negotiated with the administration of Gov. Andrew Cuomo. We write:
… The rejected deal, apropos of these post-recessionary times, largely mirrored the no-layoffs pact easily ratified by the Civil Service Employees Association last month: It provided for a three-year freeze on wages, followed by 2 percent raises in the fourth and fifth years; nine days of furloughs, four of which would be repaid at the end of the contract term; and increased employee health care costs.Broad protections against layoffs would have been in force the next two years.
During this time of continuing economic insecurity and upset, that would have been plenty good enough for most private-sector workers, and for many states’ public employees.The PEF majority make plain that they are indifferent to the plight faced by most workers and even their fellow union members.
Richard St. Paul: Reisman
Phil Reisman weighs in on news that Richard St. Paul, a New Rochelle councilman and Republican candidate for mayor in that city, owes thousands in child-support payments according to a New Jersey court.
More opinion
Here’s what our colleagues are saying today:
Union layoffs a painful trade-off: Editorial, Newsday
Governor, hold firm on unions: Editorial, Poughkeepsie Journal
We’re in the chips: Editorial, Daily News
No to contracts: Watertown Daily Times
Re-examine IDA breaks: Editorial, The Buffalo News
Secrecy at New York Power Authority must end: Editorial, Rochester Democrat and Chronicle
1 Comment
A Proud New Yorker:
I have never been as embarrassed to be a member of an organization as I am today to be a member of PEF. This is not a matter of PEF members standing together as a family but rather of the entrenched members of PEF thinking merely of their own benefits and being unwilling to sacrifice even a little to spare their co-workers the suffering they are now enduring.
Was this the best contract that we could have gotten? No. Are we responsible for the poor economic condition of New York State? No. Did the Governor act in good faith? No. But knowing what was at stake we could have been the better people; we could have been the people to step up to the plate and sacrifice a little for the benefit of so many; we could have been truly proud New Yorkers.
If you voted “No” and want to show how proud you are of doing so go to your Union or Supervisor and volunteer to give up your position and your job for an individual with less seniority who voted yes. Try to be honest with yourselves, it wasn’t pride or courage that provided you with the fortitude to Vote “No”, it was the fact that your jobs weren’t on the line. You voted “no” behind a wall of seniority; there is no pride in being willing to sacrifice others for the sake of your own good. I am truly ashamed of what has happened here and pray that you see the true and tragic ramifications of what you have done and push for a re-vote so that we can help save so many jobs by giving up so little.
I am willing to make the sacrifice, are you?