Local 371 Protests 600 Layoffs Planned by ACS

The Chief-Leader/Pat Arnow 'WE'LL FIGHT WITH ALL OUR RESOURCES': District Council 37 Local 371 President Faye Moore asserts that the 600 threatened layoffs of her members employed by the Administration for Children's Services 'not only target the workers, but also the people they serve, putting the city's children and homeless at risk.'

District Council 37 Social Service Employees Union Local 371 President Faye Moore May 26 blasted Mayor Bloomberg's proposal to lay off 600 of her members, calling the budget cuts "unconscionable."

"These layoffs not only target the workers, but also the people they serve, putting the city's children and homeless at risk," Ms. Moore declared.

Prior to an agreement set to be announced June 2 that put layoffs of permanent civil servants on hold at least until Oct. 1, 500 employees Local 371 represents in the Administration for Children's Services and another 100 in the Department of Homeless Services were scheduled to lose their jobs July 1.

'An Unfair Hit'

"Our union and our workers seem to be taking an unfair hit," said Ms. Moore. "We don't appreciate that and we'll fight against it with all the resources available to us."

LETITIA JAMES: Questions Mayor's priorities.

ACS Commissioner John B. Mattingly said during a City Council budget hearing May 26 that a recent agreement would offer some relief in a contracted child-care system. "Children's Services will use additional funds made available by the Federal stimulus to reopen a majority of the seats in ACS-funded child care centers that have been previously filled by kindergarten age children in order to serve three- and four-year-olds," he stated. "This arrangement will enable us to sustain 2,000 slots in 93 classrooms across the city. It will also increase capacity for three- and four-year-old children in ACS's center-based childcare system, where it is most needed."

Councilwoman Letitia James questioned how Mr. Bloomberg has spent money in this fiscal crisis. "If he is able to give $45 million to bail out Wall Street, what about us?" she said to rousing applause, referring to money allocated to retrain investment bankers who lost their jobs. "Where is the compassion? Where is the empathy?"

She suggested that the stimulus funds from President Obama were being misappropriated because they have been used to plug budget gaps rather than avert layoffs. "If you want to avert another Nixzmary Brown, it's time to focus on ACS," said Ms. James, referring to the 7-year-old who was fatally beaten by her stepfather three years ago.

Sees a Paradox

Inside the budget hearing, Councilman Bill de Blasio said, "I'm always amazed how we take Federal stimulus money with one hand to help the economy, and then lay people off with the other hand."

Ms. James went one step further, saying that the Mayor's threats of layoffs were an attempt to break the backs of unions. "We have to teach the Mayor that this is a union town," she said, adding that the union could help provide that lesson in the November election.

A mayoral spokesman, Marc LaVorgna, said of the budget cuts, "The financial crisis has left us with only a menu of bad options. We are trying to make choices to move forward but we have to cut spending to balance the budget."

Mr. LaVorgna said that the city would spend less than $1 million a year for five years on the program Ms. James cited; the rest would be private money. He added that the city spends $34 million every year on workforce retraining for non-Wall Street employees.

Harsh Words for Mayor

Several local union leaders also spoke against these layoffs, including DC 37 Local 1549 President Eddie Rodriguez, who said, "For this Mayor to say to children, 'to hell with you, we don't love you,' is shameful."

Councilwoman Helen Sears said cuts to children's programs were a familiar theme for the Bloomberg administration. "It doesn't make sense that we look to raise revenue while cutting services that women need," she said. "That is government at its worst."

Several of the speakers, including Council Majority Leader Joel Rivera, spoke of how cutting jobs would hurt the economy since those affected would become dependent on social services. "Layoffs are not the answer," he said. 'We need to make sure if you have a good-paying job with benefits, you keep that good job."

DC 37 Local 375 Second Vice President Michelle Keller said, "The fact of the matter is one layoff is too many."

Speaking of Mr. Bloomberg's campaign television spots, she said, "When you get on the television and say jobs, tell me where are these jobs?"

Union leaders vowed to turn up the heat as the Council negotiates with the Mayor on a budget that will take effect July 1. Ms. Moore, who left the press conference to return to the Council budget hearing, said, "I have to go back inside and put the Commissioner of Homeless Services in a headlock."