The PSC stands in solidarity with the workers represented by the Civil Service Employees Association (CSEA) and the NYS Corrections Officers Police Benevolent Association (NYSCOPBA), whose raises scheduled for this month will be delayed by New York State for at least 90 days. Thousands of CSEA and NYSCOPBA members are on the front line of the COVID-19 pandemic, risking their health and the health of their families to keep the state’s essential services operating. Hundreds have tested positive for the virus, and many face dangerous working conditions daily. It is outrageous that union workers would be denied their modest collectively bargained raises at this enormously difficult time.
A week ago, New York State enacted a budget that refused to add a single new tax on the rich; now it attempts to close budget gaps by punishing the working class. New York must stop balancing the budget on the backs of working people and start increasing taxes on billionaires and the ultra-rich, as it did during the 2008 recession and other crises. Progressive revenue proposals with broad public support that were left out of the enacted budget must be reconsidered as the true economic and budgetary impact of the pandemic becomes known. While restoring the State budget will also require federal funding, New York must not fail to enact fair taxes on those who can afford to pay and who have benefited from the work of State employees.
The next collectively bargained raise for CUNY faculty and professional staff represented by the PSC is scheduled for November 15, 2020. The PSC has not been notified of any effect on negotiated raises for CUNY workers. We will keep you informed as new information becomes available.
