No Joke: New York's union payroll jumped $400 million on April 1
Submitted by Howard Owens on April 5, 2010 - 8:34am
At a time when New York is struggling to close a $9.2 billion budget deficit, the state's workers represented by labor unions received a 4-percent pay increase April 1.
The wage hike will saddle taxpayers with another $400 million in annual expenses to cover.
The contracts with the Civil Service Employees Association and the Public Employee Federation were negotiated by former Gov. Eliot Spitzer in 2007.
Gov. David Paterson thinks the unions should turn down the raises, according to Business First.
"All public employees are a critical part of our state government. They deliver essential public services and, for that, they deserve our respect," he said Thursday. "But New York remains mired in a fiscal crisis of nearly unprecedented magnitude that will require real sacrifices. In agreeing to forego these scheduled 4-percent salary increases, the leaders of New York’s public employee unions have a real and concrete opportunity to demonstrate they understand the dire nature of this fiscal and economic crisis, and that they are willing to become a serious partner in addressing it.”
Unions flatly stated they will not budge. They say their contracts were fairly negotiated and must be honored.
“PEF will not reopen its contract with the state of New York,” said Kenneth Brynien, president of the Latham-based union that represents 58,000 white-collar state workers.
“What people don’t seem to grasp is, if you break a contract, you’re setting a terrible precedent. It ignores that you have legally binding documents,” said Stephen Madarasz, spokesman for CSEA.
There are 196,375 workers on the state payroll, and 94 percent of them are represented by a union.
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April 5, 2010 - 9:24am
#2
The unions can only assume 50% of responsibility for the raises. ---Not to dispute their 100% complicity in refusing to decline invitations NOT to uphold rule on the 4% raises. As with all contracts, at least two parties signed on the dotted line. To determine the other 50% of responsibility one has to track the responsible municipality. School employees work for the school district: a superintendent and/or school board official signed the other line. City worker: a mayor and/or council president signed the other line. County employee: manager and/or legislative president. In the case of state employees, EG: Department of Transportation which is represented on the employee side by CSEA, PEF and Mgmt unions; the signature on the state's part is an official from the state public employment office under the governor's authority.
April 5, 2010 - 9:51am
#3
It doesn't matter the unions are pricing themselves out of jobs and economic forces will dictate when the whole public sector union/political system will just blow up to create the next financial crisis.
April 5, 2010 - 9:49am
#4
The Governor would have a better argument if he rescinded the promotions and pay raises he gave his own staff to the level they had when he took office.
April 5, 2010 - 10:55am
#5
It seems to me that there is a lot of waste in our state government. Perhaps if we didn't have so much waste, or irresponsible spending the union raises wouldn't seem like such a big deal. Union workers need to live too. They have families to feed, etc... I wouldn't want to forego a raise, although I would have had to if I were still working this year as the not-for-profit I worked for took a big hit in the crash. :(
April 5, 2010 - 12:07pm
#6
Jen,
It has been two years since I have seen a raise, even though I have made my company money. Now that things have leveled out, I might see one this year, but not 4%. Is that fair? I don't know.
Is it fair that you are out of a job, but that these people are protected and getting raises?
I'm sorry if this offends anyone, but I don't care about the union's contract anymore. All I ever hear, is that it's not this person's fault or that entity that dod this to our state, but no one does squat to fix it. This state is a joke, the politicians are a joke and the union leaders are a joke.
Who cares anymore, right? Even in the face of the worst crisis, we still have BS partisan politics and the same people grabbing for as much money as they can. Give them their 4% while so many go without! Why not, it's all about votes anyway.
What a joke.
April 5, 2010 - 12:13pm
#7
According to a spokesperson at the Rochester office of CSEA, the current contract with state workers expires in 2011. It was signed into effect during Eliot Spitzer's term as governor.
April 5, 2010 - 3:40pm
#8
For comparison-sake, here are wages, public and private, for highway maintenance titles. Prevailing rate is the wage schedule mandated by the Department of Labor to be paid to private contractor's hired by public agencies such as the Department of Transportation. Equivalent public sector titles/wages follow.
WAGES PRIVATE SECTOR PREVAILING RATE
Per Hour 07/01/2009 05/01/2010
Highway Laborer:
Group # A $ 24.87
Group # B 25.57
Group # C 25.77
Operating Engineer - Building - Excavating & Paving
CLASS A: Asphalt Paver; Automatic Fine Grader; Backhoe (except Tractor mounted, Rubber Tired Cherry Picker (over 5 ton capacity); Crane; Cranes and Derricks (steel erection); Dragline; Dual Drum Paver; Front End Loader (4 c.y. and over); Hoist (two or three drum); Pile Driver; Power Grader with elevating loader attachment; Slip Form Paver (if second man is needed, he shall be an oiler); Tractor Drawn Belt-type
Loader; Truck Crane; Tunnel Shovel; Excavator-all purpose-Hydraulically operated; Hydro Axe; Hydraulic/krupp drill type;
CLASS B: Articulated off road material Hauler; Backhoe (tractor mounted, Rubber Tired); Bituminous Spreader and Mixer; Blacktop Plant (non-automated); Boring Machine; Cage Hoist; Central Mix Plant (non-automated) and all concrete batching plants; Cherry Picker (5 tons and under); Compressor (4 or less) exceeding 2,000 c.f.m. combined capacity; Concrete Paver over 16S; Concrete Pump; Crusher; Drill Rigs (tractor mounted); Front-end Loader (under 4 c.y.); Hi-pressure Boiler (15 lbs. and over); Hoist, One Drum; Kolman Plant Loader and similar type loaders (if Employer requires another man to clean the screen or to maintain the equipment, he shall be an oiler); Maintenance Engineer; Maintenance Grease Man; Mechanical Slurry Machine; Mixer for stabilized base self-propelled; Monorail Machine; Plant Engineer, Power Broom; Power Grader; Pump Crete, Ready Mix Concrete Plant; Road Widener; Roller (all above sub-grade); Side Boom, Tractor Scraper, Tractor with Dozer and/or Pusher; Trencher; Winch; Skid Steer Loader with attachments.
CLASS C: Compressors: 4 not to exceed 2,000 c.f.m. combined capacity; or 3 or less with more than 1,200 c.f.m. but not to exceed 2,000 c.f.m.; Compressors (any size but subject to other provisions for compressors), Dust Collectors, Generators, Welding Machines (four of any type or combination); Concrete Pavement Spreaders and Finishers; Conveyor; Drill (core); Drill (well); Electric Pump used in conjunction with Well Point Systems; Farm Tractor with accessories; Fine Grade Machine; Fork Lift; Gunite Machine; Hammers/Hydraulic self-propelled; Locomotive; Post Hole Digger and Post Driver; Pumps (regardless of motive power, not more than 4 in number not to exceed 20" in total capacity; Submersible Electric Pumps (when used in lieu of well Points); Tractor with towed accessories; Vibrator Compactor; Vibro Tamp; Well Point.
CLASS D: Compressor (any size, but subject to other provisions for compressors) Dust Collectors, Generator, Welding machines (three or less of any type or combination); Concrete Mixer (16S and under); Concrete Saw (self propelled); Form Tamper; Mulching Machine; Power Heaterman; Pumps regardless of motive power no more than 3 in number not to exceed 12" in total capacity; Revinius Widener; Steam Cleaner; Tractor.
CLASS E: Junior Engineer Building Excavating and Paving:
Master Mechanic $ 26.04
Class A 25.44
Class B 25.01
Class C 24.40
Class D 21.31
Class E 20.21
JOB DESCRIPTION Painter
WAGES
Bridge* $ 33.00
Tunnel* 33.00
Tank* 31.00
_____________________________________
WAGES PUBLIC EMPLOYEE RATE (Includes 4% Increase)
NY State Dept. Of Transportation
Laborer: $13.34 - $16.50
Highway Equipment Operator: $14.06 - $17.39
Highway Maintenance Worker Grade 8: $14.87 - $18.32
Highway Maintenance Worker Grade 10: $16.60 - $20.37
April 5, 2010 - 6:28pm
#9
Union members, on the whole, are willing to make some concessions in regard to raises and benefits.
It's the Danny Donahue's of the world that exhibit the greed and "we won't budge come hell or high water" attitude.
April 5, 2010 - 6:41pm
#10
Bob,
What union members? CSEA, PEF, NYSCOPBA? I don't know any union members that will reopen contract talks, knowing that next year when the contracts expire, the State is not going to make any concessions.
