NY’s Paterson plans at least 1,000 layoffs this year to contend with deficit, fiscal crisis

NY governor planning at least 1,000 state layoffs

ALBANY, N.Y. — New York’s governor says he’s planning for at least 1,000 layoffs to contend with a fiscal crisis after public employee unions refused to provide concessions.

Gov. David Paterson made the comments Thursday on WSYR-AM in Syracuse. It’s the first time he’s specified how many layoffs he plans to issue before the end of the calendar year.

The public unions have refused his offers of delaying a few days’ pay and suspending 4-percent annual raises to avoid job losses, saying they have binding contracts and the state should cut wasteful spending before people.

The Civil Service Employees Association and the Public Employees Federation unions argue that Paterson is bound by his previous pledge not to lay off state workers until at least Jan. 1.

New York has nearly 200,000 state employees, most of them represented by unions.