City and Town workers get their raises while NAGE stiffs you

A random walk through Google hits on "Town Worker raises" yields the following:

Chatham, MA 7% cola this year, 8% next year (unions have refused to reopen negotiations for signed contract)
Norwood, MA 2.5% COLA+ Longevity bonus
Pembroke, ma 1.5% COLA+ Longevity Bonuses
Newton, MA 1-3% COLA, varies
Edgartown 3% COLA
Andover, MA 8.5% Cola (over 3 years, 2007,2008,2009)
Rockport, MA 2% COLA+Merit bonuses
Danvers, MA (DPW workers agree to forgo 3% in return for zero layoffs, teachers union-no deal)
Tewksbury, MA (Teachers) 4% cola (Teacher raises have been growing everywhere in Mass at a much higher rate than elsewhere in the country....goood for them, but don't cry poor mouth)
Upton, MA annual COLA (not clear what rate)
Needham, MA 2.5% COLA ("Historically growth has been 4 percent to 4.5 percent annually, said Fitzpatrick. And Needham can afford the 2.5 percent increase that it has agreed to with the four unions that have already negotiated their contracts for the upcoming fiscal year.")....WAGE FREEZE NOT LIKELY

WOW, one can see why Deval is so anxious to hold local aid harmless!....they've got a lot of raises to pay for (not to mention how politically appealing layoffs of state employees must be to a Governor whose popularity is sinking like a stone)

Well, you get the point, I grow weary of looking these at these raises amongst the municpal unions..... They have unions that are standing by their negotiated contracts (unlike NAGE.)

Stand up on your hind legs for once and VOTE NO on these concessions..... take a page from the book of the municpal unions, grow a back bone for god sakes.... the adminsitration intends to throw you under  the bus anyway, don't take it with a smile from these prevaricators!

MOSES & State Police --NO DEAL.... Municpal Unions still livin' large...

MOSES is not so anxious to sell out their members as NAGE is (because, unlike NAGE they actually have to answer to the members.)

The MOSES negotiated agreement on concessions actually contained language that would ensure that NO CONCESSIONS would be made until the COMMONWEALTH actually lived up to their end of the bargain.

Specifically, MOSES took the position that NO FURLOUGHS would be taken UNTIL AFTER the Commonwealth filed, passed and IMPLEMENTED the promised Early Retirement Package.

Contrast that to the meaningless language NAGE has accepted: that the administration will only have to "file" the ERIP legislation (which is "filed" every year anyway, and never goes anywhere except the trash can.)

So what happened?.....   faced with MOSES language requiring that they would actually have to live up to their end of the deal in order to get the concessions, the Commonwealth promptly withdrew the "offer" of an ERIP ....why? (read about)
......I think it's fair to infer it was because they never had any intention whatsoever of living up to their end of the obligation.....

Remember this posting on the NAGE web site?, I do:

Commonwealth of Massachusetts
JOINT STATEMENT OF GOVERNOR DEVAL PATRICK, SENATE PRESIDENT THERESE MURRAY,
AND SPEAKER ROBERT DeLEO
BOSTON – Wednesday, July 22, 2009 – Governor Deval Patrick, Senate President Therese Murray and Speaker of the House Robert DeLeo today announced that the Commonwealth will not adopt an “early retirement incentive” program, as it has during past fiscal emergencies.
The leaders do not support an early retirement incentive program, for either state or municipal workers, because, based on experience with previous efforts, such programs have not saved substantial operating funds and have proven too costly to the state retirement system.

So why the Hell would NAGE give any creedence whatsoever to the Governor's alleged offer to implement an ERIP...... you can't make this stuff up folks, NAGE and the Governor are just laughing at your gullibility....

If they lied about the ERIP, then they are lying about the layoffs....

Remember those 1,000 layoffs that will be "avoided" as a result of concessions, (oops, now it's down to only "hundreds" of layoffs, what's the next statement going to say "dozens" avoided, or a "handful" avoided?).... they are laughing at you

...it's nothing but baloney folks , you probably believe in the Easter bunny too

There is not ONE SINGLE WORD IN THE  CONCESSION AGREEMENT, THAT IDENTIFIES, QUANTIFIES, OR SPECIFIES... WHERE EXACTLY THESE LAYOFFS WOULD BE AVOIDED.....
IF THEY WERE REAL ...THEY WOULD BE SPECIFIED FOLKS, SO I THINK IT'S FAIR TO SAY, IT'S NOTHING BUT SMOKE AND MIRRORS

In other words, the layoffs will happen regardless, yet you will have taken furloughs, cuts in optical and dental benefits, cuts in health insurance benefits, and wage cuts.... for NOTHING. NAGE has sold you down the river, for nothing....and acting in typical Judas Goat fashion, they have led the other weak sister unions (509 and AFSCME) down same road.

VOTE NO! on this underhanded scheme cooked up by NAGE.

The STATE POLICE UNION, LIKE MOSES IS NOT READY TO SELL THEIR MEMBERS DOWN THE RIVER....taking an even harder line, here's what they have to say about furloughs:

(The State Police Association) wants to see more cuts made at the management level before furloughs, because everyone is under tough times.

“Taking 3,4,5, even 6 days away from someone, especially someone new, you can cost them a mortgage or a kids school or some of the expenses we all have to pay.” – Jeffrey Gordon, State Police Association of Massachusetts

They are not slinging any of the NAGE BS to their members.....

CONTRAST THAT WITH THE KIND of SNIVELING, WHINING, and PRATTLING THAT WE HEAR FROM NAGE:

..."BOO-HOO ....it's not really a "GOOD DEAL" and we certainly can't call it a "victory" but it's the best deal we are willing to try to do for you fools who provide us with million$ in dues each year, for which you receive virtually nothing in return..... thanks chumps ....and keep those due$ coming."

By the way, I'm looking into recent municipal collective bargaing agreements across the state..... they continue to get fair wage increases, cost of living increases, even "longevity bonuses!"..... they aren't losing benefits, taking furloughs or pay cuts.... local aid is the Governor's sacred cow.... you are expendable..... more later

UPDATED---1% raise "officially" dead--Legislators take early Xmas vacation

Legislators take early vacation and that is the final kiss of death for your 1% raise. The funding bill the Gov. allegedly filed is now dead, dead, dead....and guess what that means he has fulfilled his obligation....and there is not going to be any raise....now or in the foreseeable future.
(By the way I have NOT been able to find the "funding bill" posted anywhere on line.... I am getting suspicious that maybe there was no such bill....anyone else seen it?..... post a comment if you have....)


Didn't seem as though the Governor had much luck with his legislative initiatives.... no extended 9c powers for example (for emergency cuts to local aid.)

That means there aren't going to be any cuts to local aid.... the cops got their Quinn Bill protected, the teachers union got their raises protected.

The Municipal Unions continue to get fair raises and no furloughs..... well good for them, but bad for you folks..... here come the LAYOFFs.

So don't debase yourselves for god sakes, don't vote to take furloughs and then get laid off.....you have already lost the 1% raise, no need to give it up again!

VOTE NO!.....on this stinkin' contract.... stand up on your hind legs for once.... you pathetic sheep!

UPDATE>>>>>Here's the budget item that the Legislature refused to fund (the Gov is required by law to file it after he signs the contracts....of course we know the Legislature can simply demure....and the employees are screwed..... that's what happened....again!
 find it at this link:
Unfunded Collective Bargaining reserves

Additional Collective Bargaining Reserves, FY2010 H.1 Budget

Executive Office for Administration and Finance.

Reserves.
1599-4281 For a reserve to meet the fiscal year 2010 costs of salary adjustments and other economic benefits authorized by the collective bargaining agreement between the commonwealth and the National Association of Government Employees (Units 1, 3 and 6), and to meet the fiscal year 2010 costs of salary adjustments and other economic benefits necessary to provide equal adjustments and benefits to employees employed in confidential positions which otherwise would be covered by this agreement; provided, that the personnel administrator, with the approval of the secretary of administration and finance, shall determine these adjustments and benefits for the confidential employees in accordance with the collective bargaining agreement then in effect which otherwise would cover these positions; and provided further, that the secretary may transfer from the sum appropriated in this item to other items of appropriation and allocations thereof for fiscal year 2010 amounts that are necessary to meet these costs where the amounts otherwise available are insufficient for the purpose, in accordance with a transfer plan which shall be filed in advance with the house and senate committees on ways and means........................................... $4,610,648
1599-4282 For a reserve to meet the fiscal year 2010 costs of salary adjustments and other economic benefits authorized by the collective bargaining agreement between the the commonwealth and the Service Employees International Union Local 509 (Units 8 and 10), and to meet the fiscal year 2010 costs of salary adjustments and other economic benefits necessary to provide equal adjustments and benefits to employees employed in confidential positions which otherwise would be covered by this agreement; provided, that the personnel administrator, with the approval of the secretary of administration and finance, shall determine these adjustments and benefits for the confidential employees in accordance with the collective bargaining agreement then in effect which otherwise would cover these positions; and provided further, that the secretary may transfer from the sum appropriated in this item to other items of appropriation and allocations thereof for fiscal year 2010 amounts that are necessary to meet these costs where the amounts otherwise available are insufficient for the purpose, in accordance with a transfer plan which shall be filed in advance with the house and senate committees on ways and means........................................... $9,874,949
1599-4283 For a reserve to meet the fiscal year 2010 costs of salary adjustments and other economic benefits authorized by the collective bargaining agreement between the commonwealth and the Association of Federal, State, County and Municipal Employees, Local 888 (Unit 2), and to meet the fiscal year 2010 costs of salary adjustments and other economic benefits necessary to provide equal adjustments and other economic benefits necessary to employees employed in confidential positions which otherwise would be covered by this agreement; provided, that the personnel administrator, with the approval of the secretary of administration and finance, shall determine these adjustments and benefits for the confidential employees in accordance with the collective bargaining agreement then in effect which otherwise would cover these positions; and provided further, that the secretary may transfer from the sum appropriated in this item to other items of appropriation and allocations thereof for fiscal year 2010 amounts that are necessary to meet these costs where the amounts otherwise available are insufficient for the purpose, in accordance with a transfer plan which shall be filed in advance with the house and senate committees on ways and means................................................................................................................ $3,008,405
1599-4284 For a reserve to fund alternative dispute resolution arbitrators to resolve employee grievances, as required in collective bargaining agreements between the commonwealth and various unions.............................................................................................................................. $30,000
1599-4285 For a reserve to meet the fiscal year 2010 costs of salary adjustments and other economic benefits authorized by the collective bargaining agreement between the University of Massachusetts and the Massachusetts Society of Professors/Faculty Staff Union/MTA/NEA at the Amherst and Boston campuses, and to meet the fiscal year 2010 costs of salary adjustments and other economic benefits necessary to provide equal adjustments and other economic benefits necessary to employees employed in confidential positions which otherwise would be covered by this agreement; provided, that the personnel administrator, with the approval of the secretary of administration and finance, shall determine these adjustments and benefits for the confidential employees in accordance with the collective bargaining agreement then in effect which otherwise would cover these positions; and provided further, that the secretary may transfer from the sum appropriated in this item to other items of appropriation and allocations thereof for fiscal year 2010 amounts that are necessary to meet these costs where the amounts otherwise available are insufficient for the purpose, in accordance with a transfer plan which shall be filed in advance with the house and senate committees on ways and means........................................... $2,112,924
1599-4286 For a reserve to fund the payment of the fiscal year 2010 incremental costs of contractual obligations of expiring collective bargaining contracts required by section 7 of chapter 150E of the General Laws; provided, that once an agreement has been reached between the employer and the exclusive representative, executed by the parties and ratified by the membership, the governor shall file a bill requesting that the legislature appropriate funding for the contract, a portion of which may be drawn from this reserve................................................................................ $15,363,074

VOTE NO! on the Contract amendment

You will soon be getting a contract amendment voting ballot from NAGE.
(supposed to be going out Dec 14th, I've heard)
NAGE is, once again, asking you to vote against your own interests by:

taking furlough days (which contractually you can not be made to take).... so don't take them....VOTE NO!.....

cutting your optical and dental benefits.... coverage has been shrinking every year thanks to NAGE back room deals.... what will be left, if anything, of your optical and dental plan if you volunteer to cut your benefits even further?....VOTE NO!..... don't believe any malarkey that NAGE will be putting out there about a "surplus" in the Trust Fund..... NAGE has no credibility.... they have never provided to you the members, any accounting whatsoever of the status of the Trust Fund, or how the decisions get made to continually reduce the benefits and increase the co-pays.....

Layoffs will proceed in spite of concessions made.... sorry to tell you this folks, but conceding to give away the wages and benefits you have "won" with NAGE at the bargaining table WILL NOT SAVE any of YOUR jobs..... there is not a single word in the amendment that says anything about saving any of YOUR JOBS..... VOTE NO!.....

YOU will be far worse off than you are right now if you ratify this stinker of a contract.....VOTE NO!.....

I think NAGE is lying about what's in the Tentative Agreement

Here's a comparison of the WHAT NAGE CLAIMS is in the tentative agrement versus WHAT IS in the Tentative Agreement.... hey I'm getting this right from NAGE's own publications

What NAGE Claims:
1) Any agreement had to guarantee that we would receive the full 7% in raises during the original term of the contract (ending 6/30/2012), even though they might have to be somewhat delayed.....

What it really is:
What, guaranteed like we we were "guaranteed" 1% as of July 1st 2009?
Since there is NO SUCH THING as guarantee, and the admin and legislature have shown themselves only too willing to Welsh on a signed deal (to swindle by failing to fulfill an obligation) .....THERE IS NO Guarantee in the TENTATIVE agreement, get it?

What NAGE Claims:
2) No mandatory furloughs would take place unless a new contract were negotiated and funded by the legislature.

What it really is:
How stupid are you?.... Funding the full 7% means the legislature would have to appropriate funds to pay for all three raises...... IN ADVANCE!..... that means some kind of special appropriation that would span three Fiscal Years.... this is a virtual impossibility.... there is absolutely no guarantee of what will happen in future fiscal years...

But here is what NAGE will likely do: if the Legislature (which has already made your current contract worthless) does appropriate funds for the 1%, then NAGE will declare the contract "funded", you'll take your involuntary furlough....and you will never see the other 6%.

What NAGE Claims:
3) No concessions would be made unless we had solid assurances that the premium split on our health insurance and the co-pays and deductibles we are responsible for would not increase for FY 10 and FY 11.
What it really is:
Solid assurances?.... are you kidding me?
The health care premiums, co-pays, premium splits, etc. are set by The Group Insurance Commission and the Legislature..... are they going to sign the contract? Of course not, they are NOT BOUND BY ANY PHONY "ASSURANCES"...... past behavior is the best predictor of future behavior by these Independent bodies.

The Supreme Judicial Court has already determined that these matters are not subject to collective bargaining for state employees (not so for municipals which is why so many of them have refused to join the GIC which has continually jacked up co-pays and premiums while cutting coverage.)
So this "assurance is nothing but a worthless sham, it is completely unenforceable, and designed only to gull you into voting to cut your own pay.....how stupid are you people?

What NAGE Claims:
4) The savings from any furlough program would have to be used to reduce layoffs in NAGE units
What it really is:
THERE IS NOT ONE SINGLE WORD in the "tentative Agreement" which quantifies, identifies, or states in any manner whatsoever, whose jobs, in which bargaining units, in which agencies, will be spared, not to mention for how long (till 6/30/2010?) by your furloughs. NAGE's claim appears to be a flat out lie.

What NAGE Claims:
After intense negotiations, we believe we have reached an agreement with the Commonwealth that passes these four tests.
What it really is:
Read the "tentative agreement" yourself...... These folks at NAGE will say any damned thing they please.....

NAGE Judas Goat Performance in full swing

There goes trusty old Dave from NAGE, the Judas Goat... doing his best to lead the other unions to slaughter..... by poisoning the well with easily given concessions

I see nothing on the Local 509 web site about making concessions in their contract.
Likewise there is nothing on the MOSES web site.

They are no doubt scratching their heads wondering how they will deal with the usual NAGE betrayal. NAGE is always first in the race to the bottom among unions when it comes to concessions.

I can guess, from the pissy posting Holway had up on the web site whining about Mike Grunko having called him out on NAGE caving in to furlough's while getting nothing in return.... , that Grunko is not relishing the idea of having concessions and furloughs crammed down his throat.... his members are already hurting enough, though they were among the Gov's earliest and stongest supporters 509 doesn't seem to be having much luck with the current administration.....

.... hey, endless chin-music concerts and whining about in-door air quality don't add up to much, compared to having rank and file members getting cut down like wheat..... 509 is starting to look more and more like NAGE!.....  pluggin away at the non-issues....while giving up on wages and benefits....


I'm still chuckling at how Holway bristled at Grunko (seems to be gone, now that the cat is out of the bag and he has no choice but admit to it):

SEIU Local 509 President Mike Grunko has sent an email stating that
NAGE has accepted an 8-day furlough program for NAGE-represented state
employees. Unfortunately, Mr. Grunko has created much unnecessary
anxiety, fear, and anger with this falsehood....(let's not split hairs Dave, so it's three days and not 8.... but you've also given away the negotiated raise and optical and dental benefit.... thanks for nothing)

NAGE has performed the Judas Goat routine well..... showing, as always, they willing to give back more from their members for less in return, than any of the other unions...

.. doesn't make it any easier for 509 and MOSES to hold out..... they've got a few sheeple too.....

The ONLY THING NAGE is NEVER willing to concede, are the obscene dues they collect from state employees..... How long will it be before they'll be looking for another dues increase, telling you that the last sh*tty deal they got for you could have been worse... so it's time to pay up.

NAGE DoubleSpeak, don't believe it!

I know I'm wasting my time on you sheeple, but for crying out loud, use what little brain you have and VOTE NO on this stinker of a contract amendment!

Let me highlight some of the issues I see with the proposed concessions, and the "Solid Assurances" NAGE has received

(SOLID Assurances?.... kidding right?, talk about a contradiction in terms....)

Pay cuts.....Fool me once shame on you...fool me twice shame on ME
NAGE already agreed to a Zero increase in the first year of the current contract, settling for a very modest 1% in year two (which is the current year.) The raise was due to be implemented on July 1st. Now NAGE advises us that the duly executed contract will not be honored by the Commonwealth and we should now agree to a second year of no raise, and we should trust the same folks who have reneged on the current contract, that they'll actually live up their end the next time.

Preserving the total of 7% raises?
Come on now, this goes to credibility once again. The Commonwealth has just reneged on a very modest 1% increase. Do you have any reason, whatsoever, to believe they will honor 6% additional..... it will never happen..... NAGE will just be telling you again, when the time comes, that they have agreed to concede the previously negotiated raises again, and the Judas Goats will lead you to more pay concessions, furloughs, and pay cuts via benefits cut...... like sheeple to the slaughter....the pattern is pretty obviouss.

Furloughs won't take affect unless the Contract is funded?
Another fairy tale..... Do you think this means that the legislature is going to fund all three of the raises in advance?..... it's not going to happen. Perhaps, just maybe, the Legislature will agree to pass the 1% on June 30th 2010.... but you'll never see the other 6%, and yet you'll have taken your involuntary furloughs... I'm sure NAGE, and the Admin negotiators had a good laugh over the thought of the sheeple biting for this fast one.

Who's getting saved by your furlough?

There is not one word in the "Tentative Agreement" about exactly who and how many positions the furloughs are allegedly going to save ..... you might want to ask yourself.... who exactly will the furlough save (anyone you know?) how many positions and in what agencies?.... this looks like more NAGE Smoke & Mirrors folks

How about the comp-time option
NAGE can't even get standard comptime (standard comptime can be "carried" until retirement, it's not subject to "use or lose").... but the NAGE "losers" have agreed to a use or lose deadline.....WHY?..... you mean to tell me the current admins is really worried about the comptime bill coming due years down the road?.... they'll be long gone.

Meaningless blather and flummery
Suffice it to say that the remaining "solid assurances" are just a lot of BS.

Early Retirement?-- come on...."The 'State' has agreed to 'work with NAGE' to 'develop an early retirement incentive program?....what does that mean?, what is the "state"?

..... remember it's the legislature that has to create an early retirement program, and they'll have to be bound to go along with the concessions contract amendment right?, just like they went along with the1% raise in the current contract, right?, oh...that's right they didn't did they?...never mind....not going to happen.
Both the Legislature and the Administration are already on record saying very plainly that there will be NO EARLY RETIREMENT PROGRAM.... so HOW STUPID does NAGE think you are?... you are gullible sheeple.

Units 1 & 3 Recruitment issues?...what is this garbage?
Some kind of BS good enough for the sheeple in unit 1 I guess, you don't even have to tell anybody what the hell it is, or whatever comes of it (want to bet nothing?) Sounds like some kind of local spitting contest.... How about throwing in some more of that "domestic violence leave," that's usually enough to suck in the  sheeple.

"Address" the Management to employees ratios, 120 day retirees
Oh boy, that is rich.... NAGE really knocked themselves out on that one..... I'm guessing that there wasn't a dry seat in the house when Holway and OER negotiated that one.... they probably all pissed in their pants  laughing at what easy marks, the NAGE sheeple are, when you've got a real cooperative union like NAGE.

"Address the ratios.... reminds me of the old Jackie Gleason/Art Carney golf routine:..."well, go ahead and address the ball!"...."OK, Ralph old boy....." "HELLO BALL"...... that's all the admin is going to do..... "hello Management employee ratios..."

Meanwhile NAGE keeps collecting millions in dues from State Employees while delivering nothing in return....they are laughing at you all the way to bank

NAGE declares defeat, offers one-sided concessions, decreases dues?

NAGE sells you out at the bargaining table.

NAGE declares they have been defeated, and has conceded the current contract will not be honored by Commonwealth....so they have negotiated and new even crapier contract with the same folks that have refused to live up to the current contract!

Here are the highlights

Agrees to pay cut (it's not a delay, it's a cut.)

Agrees to involuntary furloughs.

Agrees in cuts to Dental and Optical Plans

Gets NOTHING in return, except more phony promises (of the same sort that have already been broken.)..... the following

NAGE truly lives up to it's reputation as JUDAS GOAT of the unions... pathetic.

This is what you Sheeple get in return for the million$ in dues you pay to NAGE!

How about NAGE agreeing to a reduction in dues equal to the the total economic value of the concessions they've agreed to!....maybe they'd try a little harder at the negotiating table if they had some skin in the game!

Furloughs done deal NAGE sells you out

OOps! while the NAGE main web page is denying that they have sold out on the Furlough issue (Denying that Grunko was right to say that NAGE has agreed to furloughs)..... the Local 282 web page is proclaiming it is a done deal:

We got word back from the Governor that he has responded to our Counter Proposal. Our Negotiating Team will be meeting on Friday, November 6 to discuss the response and to plan next steps.Several previously planned Reduction in Force Meetings with State Agencies have been suspended pending review of agency budgets, plans and anticipated budgetary impact.

On Friday, 11/6/09, our Negotiating Team favorably responded to a compromise worked out with the Administration. Details with explaination(sic) will be posted on www.nage.org/state . A Notice Letter will be mailed (very soon) to all our members announcing a forthcoming vote, by ballot . Ballots will then be mailed, collected and counted. (That’s the formal and legal process we adhere to in matters pertaining to our Contract Bargaining Agreement.)



I believe that our members will quickly understand the value contained in the Agreement. It is a very smart agreement and it distinguishes us from other unions, while at the same time working in harmony with our brothers and sisters toward the common good.

Indeed.....what kind of crapola is that? Why not just put the govenor's letter up. Why not jsut put the proposed concession contract amendment up? NAGE distinguishes itself alright..... 1st union to sell out, the perennial Judas Goat.

What did the union get in return for the concessions?.... more domestic violence leave, another vacation buy-back that can not be exercised?......

Just remember sheeple, the layoffs are going to happen anyway..... these NAGE contracts aren't worth the paper they are written on.....

NAGE Furloughs on the way

Expect to see Pres Holway soon preforming, in his role as the Judas Goat of State Public employee unions.

How long can it be before NAGE cooperates with the Governor to snooker you sheeple into throwing your contract out the window, and submitting to payless furloughs, and to give up your stinkin 1% (which in case you haven't figured out, you are not getting anyway) and accept yet another year of no pay increase (while health premiums and co-pays go up, up, up, and coverage goes down, down, down.)

Mike Grunko, Pres of Local 509 seems to see the writing on the wall.....NAGE has this post on their web page:

It has come to our attention that SEIU Local 509 President Mike Grunko has sent an email stating that NAGE has accepted an 8-day furlough program for NAGE-represented state employees. Unfortunately, Mr. Grunko has created much unnecessary anxiety, fear, and anger with this falsehood.....apparently the only falsehood was in saying that they were state employees... they work at the Trial Courts.....close enough if you ask me..... you'll soon be getting the same recommendation from NAGE

NAGE will soon be telling you that they (once again!) will be recommending another round of concessions.... they'll be using the same old scare tactics (otherwise you may face lay-offs.)..... bunk....

I've got some unpleasant news for you: the layoffs are going to happen regardless as to whether you give up your 1% (really 1/2%) raise or not, and regardless of whether you willingly accept pay-cuts in the form of furloughs.

The Governor has higher priorities..... no cuts in local aid (by the way Municipal Unions aren't taking furloughs, or cuts to their health care, and they're not settling for zero pay raises, are they?), $50 million to pay for health care for non-citizen aliens (largely financed by cuts to State employee health benefits already.)Not mention that layoffs will be more politically beneficial than furloughs. What the administration is proposing is furloughs with no specific promises as to how many(and just as importantly, exactly whose) jobs are going to be "saved."

Ask the registry of motor vehicle clerks who are being mowed down like wheat, what NAGE has done for them.... How's NAGE working out for you?