...City Council Speaker Christine Quinn (click title to entry - thank you) had asked Municipal Labor Committee Chairman Harry Nespoli to come to the table to discuss ways to prevent the layoffs. Talks centered on tapping into the Health Insurance Stabilization Fund, which is run jointly by the city and the unions.
But Mr. Nespoli released a terse, pessimistic statement this afternoon following the committee meeting, which he said lasted several hours.
“I can tell you that there is a lot of mistrust of City Hall based upon the way we have been treated in the last eight months or so,” the statement said. “That is all I am going to say right now.”
The reference appeared to be to the mayor's refusal to give ground on his layoff threat.
Not all of the committee's 90 unions are against the deal, but enough are resisting it to put its outcome in doubt.
The United Federation of Teachers, which stands to lose the most, is in favor of the deal, the details of which have yet to be ironed out between the mayor's office, the City Council and the unions. One labor insider said the deal “was neither blown up nor locked up.” The insider said that some unions wanted a no-layoff guarantee to be extended for a period of longer than one year....
It would seem as though New York City unions have been meeting with the New York City Council representatives to attempt to come up with a plan to BAILOUT New York City. This would be at least the SECOND TIME in history New York City was bailed out of poor management in order to stay afloat.
The unions were willing to bailout the city to prevent layoffs by usings funds in their Health Care Stabilizaiton Fund, which is a really good idea by the way. BUT. That wasn't enough for the City Council, they will only commit to one year of layoff free STABILIZATION of its budget. One year of no potential layoffs so New York City can come back and drain more monies from the city workers.
Hm.
I don't think so, because, when I looked at the city's budget for Fiscal Year 2011 it is balanced WITHOUT any monies coming from the unions. I am not an expert at reading all this, but, at first glance it looks as though the city revenues on page 18 of report Number 3 of the city budget is $868,000,000 US. Report number 1 on page 5 of the city 2011 Fiscal Budget shows the budget balance . (click here) Why can't the city do the same think for Fiscal Year 2012?
Because according to the mayor himself the entire Fiscal Year of 2012 for New York City, is seeing a revenue increase of $2.7 billion US. Is the City Council and Mayor actually saying that the State cuts are MORE than $2.7 billion to NYC? Really?
Because according to the 2012 Budget Summary, on page 3, (click here) the City is boasting how it is making up the 20% state and federal cuts by injecting $2 billion into education, which is exactly where the City wants to ? layoff ? more workers. On that same page, page 3, the City also boasts how it does so much more with so many less employees. I can't help believe 'the poor mouth' New York City Council is crying to the unions is simply 'jazz' and manipulation to 'break the backs' of their unions. It sure looks that way.
What is this Republican Union Busting? Any excuse will do? Looks like the NLRB has its work cut out for it this year.
Will the unions please do their homework on this? Please? It seems as though there are a lot of meetings and a lot of talking but not much REALITY ORIENTATION to management. I am getting the feeling this is all gamsmanship on the part of the City and not realtiy. Or Bloomberg is blowing smoke of New York City residents' skirts.
But Mr. Nespoli released a terse, pessimistic statement this afternoon following the committee meeting, which he said lasted several hours.
“I can tell you that there is a lot of mistrust of City Hall based upon the way we have been treated in the last eight months or so,” the statement said. “That is all I am going to say right now.”
The reference appeared to be to the mayor's refusal to give ground on his layoff threat.
Not all of the committee's 90 unions are against the deal, but enough are resisting it to put its outcome in doubt.
The United Federation of Teachers, which stands to lose the most, is in favor of the deal, the details of which have yet to be ironed out between the mayor's office, the City Council and the unions. One labor insider said the deal “was neither blown up nor locked up.” The insider said that some unions wanted a no-layoff guarantee to be extended for a period of longer than one year....
It would seem as though New York City unions have been meeting with the New York City Council representatives to attempt to come up with a plan to BAILOUT New York City. This would be at least the SECOND TIME in history New York City was bailed out of poor management in order to stay afloat.
The unions were willing to bailout the city to prevent layoffs by usings funds in their Health Care Stabilizaiton Fund, which is a really good idea by the way. BUT. That wasn't enough for the City Council, they will only commit to one year of layoff free STABILIZATION of its budget. One year of no potential layoffs so New York City can come back and drain more monies from the city workers.
Hm.
I don't think so, because, when I looked at the city's budget for Fiscal Year 2011 it is balanced WITHOUT any monies coming from the unions. I am not an expert at reading all this, but, at first glance it looks as though the city revenues on page 18 of report Number 3 of the city budget is $868,000,000 US. Report number 1 on page 5 of the city 2011 Fiscal Budget shows the budget balance . (click here) Why can't the city do the same think for Fiscal Year 2012?
Because according to the mayor himself the entire Fiscal Year of 2012 for New York City, is seeing a revenue increase of $2.7 billion US. Is the City Council and Mayor actually saying that the State cuts are MORE than $2.7 billion to NYC? Really?
Because according to the 2012 Budget Summary, on page 3, (click here) the City is boasting how it is making up the 20% state and federal cuts by injecting $2 billion into education, which is exactly where the City wants to ? layoff ? more workers. On that same page, page 3, the City also boasts how it does so much more with so many less employees. I can't help believe 'the poor mouth' New York City Council is crying to the unions is simply 'jazz' and manipulation to 'break the backs' of their unions. It sure looks that way.
What is this Republican Union Busting? Any excuse will do? Looks like the NLRB has its work cut out for it this year.
Will the unions please do their homework on this? Please? It seems as though there are a lot of meetings and a lot of talking but not much REALITY ORIENTATION to management. I am getting the feeling this is all gamsmanship on the part of the City and not realtiy. Or Bloomberg is blowing smoke of New York City residents' skirts.
The 2012 Executive Expense Budget is $65.7 billion. This is the thirty-second consecutive budget which is balanced under Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP), except for the application of Statement No. 49 of the Government Accounting Standards Board (“GASB 49”) which prescribes the accounting treatment of pollution remediation costs.
Major highlights of the Executive Budget and Financial Plan are:
• Forecast revenues have increased between fiscal years 2011 and 2012 by $2.2 billion. Baseline tax revenue
is projected to increase by $2.1 billion. • Controllable Agency Expenses increase by $778 million or 3.7% from fiscal years 2011 to 2012 after
implementation of an agency expense program. • The agency program totals $633 million and $1.2 billion in fiscal years 2011 and 2012, respectively.
• Debt Service increases by $562 million or 11.7% between fiscal years 2011 and 2012 while Non-Controllable Expenses increase by $3.7 billion or 19.7% over this period. The increase in Non-Controllable Expenses includes $1.8 billion for Pensions and Fringe Benefits, and $509 million for Medicaid.
• The above actions leave the City with a forecast Operating Deficit of $3.2 billion in fiscal year 2012 that
is balanced using $3.2 billion of surplus funds accumulated in prior years. The forecast gaps for fiscal years 2013 through 2015 are $4.8 billion, $5.1 billion, and $5.3 billion, respectively.... 
