Posted by Public worker unions and New York’s Assembly are angling to curb the hiring of temporary workers and consultants which Gov. David Paterson contends saves taxpayers’ money over hiring permanent state employees.
The conflict, with serious implications in the 2010-11 budget, surfaced Thursday. It means the Democratic governor faces another battle with powerful unions and the Legislature just as he appeared to end one that began in December.
Paterson effectively ended his December dispute with the New York State United Teachers union and allied school interests when he announced that he will release $750 million in aid to schools and other services that he delayed in December to keep the state from running out of money.
Paterson’s announcement that the aid would be released on Friday, the result in part of revenue received in January, would effectively end a lawsuit brought by teachers’ unions and school officials who contended Paterson’s delay was a cut and wouldn’t be restored.
On Thursday, the Public Employees Federation released its report, saying the state could save $656 million over three years by hiring permanent, union workers instead of thousands of temporary consultants.
The Civil Service Employees Association accused the Paterson administration of spending $62 million to hire temporary workers in place of permanent state employees, wasting tax dollars and exploiting nonunion workers.
