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AME's opposition to furlough against state workers
5/10/2010
- Cheryl A. Felice, President
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 10, 2010
CONTACT: CHERYL A. FELICE, President
631-589-8400 (office)/631-767-1941 (cell)
Or
RANDI DELIROD, AME Public Relations
631-589-8400
Bohemia, NY- The Suffolk County Association of Municipal Employees (AME) is firmly opposed to the state imposing any furloughs against state workers. It is unconscionable to believe that NYS workers should bear the brunt of a shaky economy. “Why is the public employee always the first to be stripped of their dignity”, asks Cheryl Felice, President of the SCAME. “The NYS budget remains delayed yet the public is being led to believe that the expedient way for this to be solved is by furloughing or laying-off workers? This would only aggravate an already overburdened unemployment arena. Who does the legislature thinks takes care of their constituents; especially during trying economic times? Its time that the lawmakers sit down with their employees to reasonably discuss ways to solve this crisis that all sides can live with,” Felice added.
The Governor, in an act of supreme cowardice, slipped into the extender bill furlough language detrimental to labor. Failure of the bill to pass will shut down state government effectively blocking pay out for unemployment insurance, hospitals, and even paychecks. Passage of the bill will furlough state workers. “The legislators are between a rock and a hard place”, said Felice, “either scenario: failure or passage hurts workers. I don’t understand what the Governor is thinking. I have the feeling this will be in the courts before the inks dry!” Felice concluded.
The Suffolk County Association of Municipal Employees is the labor union for the 8,500 active and retired Suffolk County employees.
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