57°
WHITE PLAINS, N.Y. -- Westchester’s Civil Service Employees Association (CSEA) President Karen Pecora said County Executive Robert Astorino was using “a union busting tactic” when he claimed unions forced 210 layoffs upon county employees while unveiling his proposed $1.689 billion budget Tuesday.
“We have supplied the county with numerous ideas to save money -- millions of dollars -- and they fall on deaf ears. They want to know nothing but layoffs. That’s all they want to know,” said Pecora, who represents approximately 3,300 county employees.
Astorino, a Republican, said his budget calls for 210 layoffs and eliminating 157 additional positions because he “didn’t get any help from the unions” and was fulfilling his pledge not to raise property taxes.
“The question of why we had layoffs, I think that’s better asked to the unions,” said Astorino. “We’ve been asking them publicly and privately to come forward. And some of them have been kicking and screaming just to get to the bargaining table, let alone put forth any proposals. I think if you put some truth serum in their arms, they will all agree that the time has come that they start paying for some of their healthcare costs. That’s just the world we live in.”
The County Executive’s administration intends to reduce the workforce by 7.5 percent with layoffs across every department, including 71 in the Department of Social Services and 31 in the Department of Public Works. Astorino’s team estimates the layoffs will save $14 million as it bridges a $114 million funding gap.
Astorino has said the State Department of Labor statistics indicate the average salary of a county worker is $71,324 and may rise to $110,000 when fringe benefits are included, while the average salary of a private sector employee working in Westchester is $62,900. The County Executive argues that Westchester cannot afford the approximately $100 million annual price tag attached to providing its unionized workers with free healthcare.
Pecora said she wouldn’t discuss negotiated items, such as healthcare contributions, with the media but that she thought Astorino’s numbers “are inflated.”
“He uses the average salary of the county employee as $71, 000 and the average salary for a CSEA member is around $62, 000,” said Pecora. “Forty-nine percent of CSEA are at or under $62,000. So of course when he includes all of the county employees together, yes, it’s going to inflate the average salary.”
Ned McCormack, who handles press for Astorino’s office, said the County Executive chose numbers that reflect the average county worker’s income.
“The numbers are what they are. Those people who are in the private sector who are making $62,900, they’re not getting free healthcare,” McCormack said of the average private sector worker’s salary in Westchester. “If you were to take that same number and add a family plan benefit for our guys, which they pay nothing to, it’s about $20,000. So right there you have a big jump.”
Astorino also has an unrealistic sense of how long negotiations will take, according to Pecora.
“I don’t know what he expected. Negotiations, as a rule for us, take a long time. In the last almost 20 years, we have not had a contract ratified before it expired. It usually takes a year and a half, probably two years,” said Pecora, who presides over Westchester’s largest union. “We’ve met with him in good faith. We’re negotiating. We’re not refusing anything. Everything is a negotiated item.”
McCormack disagreed with Pecora’s assessment, saying the county tried to start negotiations in April and the CSEA shunned talks until the end of August because the Triborough Amendment guarantees unionized workers that negotiated agreements will be upheld after a contract expires until a new contract is reached.
“They’ve been actually extremely slow in coming to the bargaining table,” said McCormack. “CSEA in particular for the last two years has received an 8 percent increase and they’re receiving free health care. So there’s very little incentive for them to come to the table.”
Astorino resorted to layoffs because a law requires him to release a balanced budget by Nov. 15. regardless of union contract progress, according to McCormack. However, Astorino has said his team was “always open to listening” as the budget process moves forward.
The Westchester budget must be finalized by Dec. 27.
What are your thoughts on Astorino's proposal to decrease the workforce by 7.5 percent, including 210 layoffs? What union concessions, if any, do you think are fair? Join the conversation below.
Comments (14)
This is the platform he ran on - so no surprises. Unions play a crucial role and yes - what was considered a less sexy path (lower income and increased security) as opposed to the corporate world of big salaries, bonuses and status has clearly changed. The economy turned us all on our head and now that the business people have lost jobs, money and houses, they now covet the security and health benefits the unions provide. It is sad how rather than working together to make it work for everyone, we are tearing each other down. It would have been "nice" for the CSEA to get some coverage here on the 30 money saving suggestions that Astorino is apparently ignoring. The article with the CSEA picture and the union headline is really about Astorino - a bit leading?? Let's hear the other side and THEN make the hard choices that will impact us all.
4800+ employees in Westchester County - the unions should be preparing to have that number cut in half. Astorino is on the right track he just has to keep cutting until the cancer is removed.
Seriously there is no reason workers need union protections for government jobs what a waste
Your last sentence really says it all,Johnny. Ignorant and absent of any detail to back up your opinion. Government jobs are rampant with worker abuse, Public employee unions are needed now more then ever. Thank goodness I never had you as a boss. Jeff Meyer Tuckahoe,NY
Based on your first sentence, apparently they do!
If the private sector took their bonus money every year 50k to millions and had same healthcare as public sector they still would have lots of money for second homes, vacations, cars, RETIREMENT FUND!!!!! Instead they play the big shot. I'm a public servant and was told I was a fool 28yrs ago to be a public employee, the money sucks. But I took the security of a pension and less money.
I'll give up my pension for private sector bonuses they received last 28yrs. Any takers
streetlight0335, the average civil servant worker is MUCH better off than most of us in the private sector. Guaranteed job, guaranteed retirement pension, and a great heath care plan. Come on, you know they were the reasons you went into the public sector. When you were told 28 years ago you were a fool to go into the public sector, things were quite different back than. In fact the public sector was paid less because of the job security and the retirement benefits.
Times have changed and the public sector job in most cases pays more and has more benefits than the private sector. The number of government sector jobs have grown and private sector jobs have shrunk. Government jobs DON'T add to the GNP. We do need public sector jobs but there are TOO many overlapping jobs. Too many agencies doing the same work, duplication on a grand scale.
Mr Astorino is not "union busting", he is trimming the fat of a bloated work force. When the people voted for him, they wanted their taxes lowered or at least not to increase every year. He is trying to keep his promise. Maybe the democrats will lend a hand with this? Not so far as I can see.
seems to me that Astorino is simply trying to do what he promised when running... and the reason he so resoundingly won! Let's stop blaming that "we're not getting our fair share" and let's start working to make things right. When unions and government employees don't have to pay the same contributions that the rest do, that's what's not fair! (check out the salary and benefits for those union leaders.... might put them in the upper bracket ... and offer light as to why they don't want things to change).
You are absolutely right Jody. Mr. Astorino is attempting to implement what he stated he would do. That is why I hope unions and union supporters vote him out of office when he is up to run again. Thank goodness the BOL has a Democratic majority. If not I could only imagine how many more families would be decimated by Mr. Astorino's layoffs. Jeff Meyer Tuckahoe, NY
A cancer is something that eats away and destroys the body. I stand by the analogy. I reject your claim that unions protect middle class workers from becoming indentued servants. I can tell you that I certainly have never gotten any benefit from a union, while I can certainly look at higher prices being paid due to having to cover union benefits. It is liberalism that has done far more harm to workers as well as the economy I find it laughable to state many unions pay into healthcare and pensions. As a comparison to private industry workers there is no comparison. Oh, and I guess its alright for you to make blanket statements.
I didn't make any blanket statements. There are problems with unions. However, there is a far larger problem with private industry. Hedge fund managers get millions in "salary". but they call it a bonus and pay at a 15% tax rate. There is just one huge loss of tax revenue. Banks received billions in bailouts from both the Bush and Obama administrations and kept it all - did not create one job. Private industry continues to increase their bottom line and not take care of you - the worker. What do you do? Blame unions instead of the ridiculous low tax rate paying, tax break receiving businesses some of you work for. I know people in the finance industry last year - an administrative assistant - who received as a bonus, 50K at Christmas. I know another who works for a law firm who received 20% of his salary as a bonus. Neither one pays any money towards health care, and their 401k's are fully funded as part of their compensation. They have fully stocked cafeterias for lunch. I don't think the sanitation worker gets that benefit - nor does the Teacher, the Police Officer, or the Town Tax Collector. So don't tell me every union or public sector worker has it easier or better than every worker in the private sector. It just is not true. It is factually incorrect.
Unions are a cancer. We would be a whole lot better as a county and a country without them.
Hulk: I'm sure the feeling is mutual. Jeff Meyer Tuckahoe, NY
Unions are the only thing protecting all middle class workers from being relegated to indentured servants. To use the word "cancer" like that is ignorant and offensive. Do aspects of contracts need to be negotiated? Yes. Certain pensions in certain unions are out of control. However, many unions pay into health care. Many pay into their pensions. These blanket statements about unions are not only inflammatory, they are factually incorrect. It is time to stop the biased rhetoric and do some real negotiating.
Amen Ricky. Thank God for unions. The thought of working for someone like Hulk or Johnny without checks and balances says it all. They prefer a work atmosphere which models a dictatorship. Most union bashers are jealous. Instead of bashing unions perhaps they should form one at their place of employment. Jeff Meyer Tuckahoe, NY