News stories tagged with "labor"

(03/07/12) 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. more

(02/28/12) Governor Andrew Cuomo took a step back Monday from his proposal to give new state workers the option of defined contribution 401k-style retirement plan. But the governor says without pension reform, local governments in New York could end up "bankrupt." Karen DeWitt has more. more

(02/15/12) Ask just about any politician these days, and he'll likely tell you that a big part of his job is to create jobs. So how does the government do that? Here in New York, Industrial Development Agencies are one of main job creation mechanisms for local communities.

The Innovation Trail's Marie Cusick explains how these obscure economic development tools work, and just how much it can cost taxpayers when they don't work. more

(02/10/12) 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. more

(02/01/12) Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver is continuing to push for his bill to increase the state's minimum wage. The Speaker is also expressing reservations about Governor Cuomo's plan to offer an option of 401k-style retirement plans for future state workers. In Albany, Karen DeWitt has the details. more

(01/18/12) Gov. Andrew Cuomo delivered a budget yesterday that he says is honest, no gimmicks or one-shots, and manageable. It closes a $2 billion deficit, raises health care and education spending and begins mandate relief for local governments. It also tackles pension reform, and offers an ultimatum to schools to accept a teacher evaluation program or lose out on an increase in state aid. And Cuomo promises no new taxes.

The governor again took sharp aim at what he called the status quo in Albany, demonizing some of its most powerful public labor unions. We have details and reaction this morning, starting with our Albany reporter, Karen DeWitt. more

(01/18/12) Gov. Cuomo now turns his spending plan over to the legislature. Some of Albany's most powerful interests are gearing up for a fight. During the address yesterday, Cuomo again took aim at what he calls the status quo in Albany, demonizing some of its most powerful labor unions.

Cuomo admitted the reforms he envisions will be wrenching, but he said the people will be supportive. He called it "the people's agenda."

North Country representatives were generally supportive yesterday. Martha Foley has reaction to Cuomo's proposals on pension reform, relief for county Medicaid costs, and education. more

(01/17/12) 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.

(01/03/12) With Governor Cuomo scheduled to give his state-of-the-state address Wednesday, advocacy groups rallied in Albany Tuesday, at the site of the former Occupy Albany encampment. They pressed the governor for action on hunger, poverty and health issues.

The state Public Employees Federation was one of the groups there. And as Karen DeWitt reports, that union's president is warning Cuomo not to ask state workers for more givebacks in the state budget. more

(01/02/12) 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. more