A federal judge has issued an order blocking Gov. David Paterson from imposing furloughs on 100,000 New York State workers.
It was an attempt by Paterson to show he could get tough in the long-delayed budget negotiations with the Legislature. But that’s in limbo as everyone waits to see whether U.S. District Judge Lawrence Kahn thinks furloughing state workers is legal.
The decision by the judge is Albany isn’t the final word on Gov. Paterson’s furloughs and so state labor unions are planning another protest on Thursday in front of the governor’s New York City office.
Meanwhile, Paterson had another headache Wednesday. More than a dozen Assembly members staged a sit-in outside his office to protest his “lack of leadership” on budget talks.
Thursday’s protest will be just like the protests around the state earlier in the week. Only this time the unions smell blood because in granting a temporary restraining order the judge said the unions have shown a permanent 20 percent loss in wages and salaries would constitute irreparable harm.
The call for furloughs has left state and city university campuses in turmoil because they are among the 100,000 state workers who will be forced to stay home without pay one day a week if Paterson prevails.
The judge has scheduled a hearing on the furlough issue for May 26. The governor says they are legal and will have an opportunity to make his case then.
(Source: WCBSTV)
Join the official YWN WhatsApp status
2 Responses
1. The legislature can at any time amend the civil service law to eliminate the unions, and to authorize furloughs. Whether the governor can do so is questionable.
2. He can refuse to write checks once the state runs out of money.
3. Whether a federal court can hear a suit by state employees against the state government is a questionable issue. The fact that the judge schedule a hearing in such a short time suggests the judge isn’t so sure either. It is up to the state courts to decide if the governor has the authority to do furloughs without the legislature authorizing it.
It is outrageous that the Governor cannot control the spending in NY State, while the State is going bankrupt!
No wonder, the State is collapsing.