Cuomo Not Budging Union Layoffs

Gov. Andrew Cuomo spoke tough on 3,500 layoff notices his administration sent out on Sept. 29.

“The members of the union didn’t think I was serious. They thought the administration was bluffing, that there wouldn’t be layoffs. And if that’s what they thought, they were mistaken,” said Cuomo on Friday.

The governor’s administration threatened layoffs in contract negotiations with the New York State Public Employees Federation (PEF). A contract deal was reached with PEF on July 16, which was dependent on a vote of approval by the union’s rank and file members. The majority voted against the contract, thus triggering the issue of layoff notices by Cuomo’s administration.

“The New York State Public Employees Federation is prepared to meet with the state to discuss how we can alter the tentative contract agreement that our members rejected,” said PEF President Ken Brynien.