State workers protest at Plattsburgh State

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Simona Sharoni, Douglass Skopp, Karen Volkman, Anita Rapone, Zoanne Schnell and other members of the Plattsburgh State community gathered Monday morning to protest the idea of furlough days for state employees. Staff Photo/Kelli Catana

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May 10, 2010

By STEPHEN BARTLETT Staff Writer The Press Republican Mon May 10, 2010, 02:33 PM EDT

PLATTSBURGH — WITH PICS

The threat of furloughs is a distraction from the real issue, says Dr. David Curry, which is that the State Legislature won't pass a budget.

But as Gov. David Paterson plays hardball, said the president of United University Professions at Plattsburgh, the unintended consequence could be people losing the ability to pay their bills, their cars and even their homes.

"That's way more than a small sacrifice," Curry said at a protest Monday morning at Plattsburgh State. "If the legislature would pass a budget, this would be done."

LATE BUDGET

Paterson is requesting one-day furloughs each week for roughly 100,000 state workers, saying the move is a result of unions refusing requests for lag pay and raise suspensions.

He has said he'll cancel the furloughs if unions agree to $250 million in concessions to help close a $9 billion budget deficit.

The state budget is more than a month late, and workers could lose a day of work and pay for each week the state operates on emergency spending bills.

UNION SNUBBED

More than 60 Plattsburgh State faculty and staff members, as well as some workers from area schools and local prisons, lined Broad and Rugar streets Monday morning. They carried signs expressing their support for workers and their opposition to proposed furlough days.

Plattsburgh State Librarian Patricia Bentley said most employees will continue to do their work, even though they'll suffer the consequences of losing a day of pay each week. She said the public workforce has been decimated and that UUP has not been invited by the legislature to sit down at the table, even though the union has submitted proposals that would save the state billions.

"This is an effort to get millions from state employees," she said of the furloughs. "We are going to have people losing their houses."

SLAP IN THE FACE

Dr. Simona Sharoni, chair of gender and women's studies, said professors don't earn as much as people think, with many starting their careers at Plattsburgh State with more than $100,000 in student-loan debt and a salary of around $40,000.

The teaching load has increased, she said, and the state should not use SUNY as a "cash cow" to close the deficit.

Dr. Douglas Skopp, professor emeritus at Plattsburgh State and the university's historian, also noted the school is doing more than ever before with far fewer resources.

He, too, said professors will likely work on furlough days, whether by grading papers or communicating with students.

"And to suddenly be told to take a 20-percent cut," Skopp said. "For young faculty, that is hard with a fixed income.

"We are paying the price for mismanagement in Albany, and this is a slap in the face of every state employee."

VITAL WORKERS

Ethel Facteau, president of Plattsburgh State's chapter of the Civil Service Employees Association, said her workers will feel the sting of furlough days.

"My members live paycheck to paycheck, and they will be affected big time."

The average CSEA annual salary is $32,000, Facteau said.

"We are a vital vein to this state. But my members can't afford a furlough."

Facteau pointed out that several rallies were being held throughout the state Monday.

"We just want Albany to do its job."

E-mail Stephen Bartlett at: sbartlett@pressrepublican.com