By Jasmyn Belcher
January 27, 2010 – New York State's use of temporary workers has caused the state's largest employees union and the Paterson Administration to fire back at one another.
The Civil Service Employees Association (CSEA) is criticizing Governor David Paterson for spending $62 million to hire temporary workers in place of state workers. CSEA also says the state is paying a premium. The governor's office states that CSEA's figures are misleading. Last year, state officials instituted a freeze on all new temporary contracts while the executive branch analyzed the issue raised by CSEA.
Meanwhile, in an "Answering to Upstate" meeting in Rochester yesterday, Paterson said state employees' unions have refused to cooperate with his efforts to reduce the state's expenses.
"I said to them finally, if you won't take layoffs, if you won't take furloughs, if you won't cancel your scheduled increase, and you don't want tier-5, what do you suggest that I do to balance the budget?" asked Paterson. He continued, "You know what they told me? Buy drugs from Canada. Buy prescription drugs from Canada. And I told them, The United States Justice Department says that that's illegal. It didn't bother them."
According to CSEA and other union-represented state employees, Paterson needs to change his own administration's practices that undermine working people before they give concessions. Earlier this month, union representatives said they were preparing for legal action.