Albany, NY, Mar 16, 2012 — The overnight session of the state legislature this week, where pension reform and other items were passed after weeks of contention, has left public worker unions, and even some lawmakers, fuming. Meanwhile Governor Cuomo says it had be done that way. In Albany, Karen DeWitt has more:  Go to full article

Albany, NY, Mar 09, 2012 — Governor Andrew Cuomo is threatening to force pension reform through the state legislature if it doesn't agree to his proposals as part of the state budget. In Albany, Karen DeWitt reports.  Go to full article

Albany, NY, Mar 07, 2012 — Legislative leaders spoke to a large gathering of AFSCME public union members at the Capitol Tuesday.

The union is strongly opposed to Governor Cuomo's pension reform plans--during the demonstration, it ran a radio ad that said politicians are trying to "stick it" to working people instead of making Wall Street and big corporations pay their fair share.

The legislators offered support to the workers--but remained neutral on the pension plan issue. In Albany, Karen DeWitt has the details.  Go to full article

New Haven, CT, Feb 16, 2012 — A new poll finds that New York state voters trust Governor Andrew Cuomo to safeguard education more than they trust the teachers' unions.

Cuomo has pushed unions hard on teacher evaluations. Today is the deadline het set for unions and the state Education Department to come up with a new plan for evaluations. He has said he'll impose his own reforms if they don't.  Go to full article

Albany, NY, Feb 10, 2012 — With just six weeks left in the state's fiscal year, the Cuomo Administration has still not settled labor contracts with some significant public worker's unions. These include the state's corrections officers, and professors and other staff in the State University System. Karen DeWitt has this report.  Go to full article

Albany, NY, Jan 17, 2012 — Governor Andrew Cuomo laid out a spending plan for New York state today that's designed to cut more than 2 billion dollars in deficits. The plan includes hundreds of millions of dollars in cuts from state programs, while also using new revenue from a higher tax bracket for wealthy New Yorkers.

Here in the North Country, Cuomo's budget would bring sweeping changes: It'll squeeze benefits enjoyed by state workers, pose big new challenges for the Olympic Regional Development Authority, and offer some new help for local governments struggling with Medicaid costs.

Brian Mann joined Nora Flaherty on the line to talk about Cuomo's speech.  Go to full article

Albany, NY, Jan 02, 2012 — Unions representing more than 100,000 New York State employees are taking the state Department of Civil Service, the state's employee health plan, and Governor Andrew Cuomo to federal court over an increase in health insurance costs for retirees. Nora Flaherty has the details.  Go to full article

Tupper Lake, NY, Oct 03, 2011 — State officials now say roughly 175 people will lose their jobs in the North Country after the Public Employee Federation last week voted down a new contract.

Hardest hit were Franklin, Jefferson and St. Lawrence Counties, which each saw about fifty positions cut from the state payroll.

In all, the state will lay off 3,496 workers within the next three weeks unless the union and the governor come to an agreement soon.

Gov. Andrew Cuomo had been hoping for concessions from PEF's membership as the state continues to deal with a $10 billion budget deficit.

As political wrangling continues in Albany, Chris Morris reports that the pink slips are deeply personal to many North Country workers.  Go to full article

Utica, NY, Apr 26, 2011 — The recent battles in Wisconsin and Ohio over collective bargaining for public workers has shined a light on the pensions government workers often receive. Here in New York, the state's pension fund is solvent. But costs have been sharply rising for the local governments that pay into it, and now some are calling for changes to the system. Our story from David Chanatry with the New York Reporting Project at Utica College.  Go to full article

Elizabethtown, NY, Dec 22, 2010 — Essex County Board of Supervisors Chairman Randy Douglas says he doesn't think the county board will freeze guaranteed pay increases for its unionized employees in the near future. But, he says the controversial move could be on the table in the coming months if union leaders don't return to the negotiating table. Todd Moe has more.  Go to full article