Federal judge blocks NY governor’s attempt to furlough state workers, hold back raises
By APFriday, May 28, 2010
Judge blocks NY state worker furlough
ALBANY, N.Y. — A federal judge has halted attempts by New York’s governor to impose furloughs on about 100,000 state workers and withhold their raises.
The preliminary injunction issued by a federal judge Friday bars Gov. David Paterson and lawmakers from enacting short-term funding bills with those provisions.
New York’s budget was due April 1, but Paterson and lawmakers have been at odds trying to close a projected $9.2 billion deficit.
Paterson said one-day-a-week furloughs would have lasted eight weeks, saving $30 million each week. And 4 percent raises would be paid out later, once a budget was passed.
The unions challenged the provisions as violations of the U.S. Constitution.
The judge ruled the administration failed to show it considered alternatives that don’t require the extraordinary step of breaking contracts.
