|
Site Map What's New Search
|
|
| He’s ready to
help beat the Bushes! To the Editor: Many years ago, my father told me: “To get a good job, you will have to beat the bushes!” Now, just to keep our jobs: “We have to beat the Bushes!” Enough said. John O. Neveu Keeseville Wants to keep Bush in White House To the Editor: Regarding PEF’s efforts to remove President Bush from office: Tell my why we should be so opposed to President Bush. Was it because of the tax cut rebate check I received earlier? Was that a veiled plot to benefit big business at the expense of the lowly state employee? Or is it because job losses are up — 2.9 million jobs lost. No mention of where or why. Can I assume that the 2.9 million jobs are all in NYS government and the rest of us are in danger? Or is that everywhere? Even in the private industries that are trying to take my job away through privatization? If this figure included private industry, why no mention of the changing face of industry and the need for the American workforce to change with it? Why are major industries in this area in danger of going under, yet I very rarely hear stories from people I know who work at these places about the unionized workers doing everything they can to keep these industries (and their jobs) afloat and competitive? Why is it that the stories I hear are about lazy workers who have come to believe that society and these companies owe them a living? Or maybe we should not support President Bush because there is a better person waiting to take his job, a person of character and moral fortitude who will make this nation proud to be called America, and make us willing and able to reach out to the rest of the world with open arms. Maybe there is a person like that out there waiting to “show Bush the door in 2004.” Maybe a person like President Clinton, a person so charismatic, so magnetic, so devoid of common decency and morals that he can charm the pants right off an intern — literally. I, for one, hope President Bush gets re-elected in 2004. Bruce W. Stone Colton What’s fair is fair To the Editor: I wish to take this opportunity to express my thoughts with the current contract and the state’s fiscal being. The NY state employees have been called on before to help the state with its money shortfall. The employees bailed NY out. Now, NY is asking its state employees again to help out. I do not have a problem with helping out, but there is a balance and also a repayment to be made of some kind. All of NY state benefits from what state employees provide, whether it is the Department of Motor Vehicles, Tax and Finance, Labor, Transportation, Corrections, or any of the other departments. If IBM workers receive a raise, NY state will not make money off of that except for taxes. If NY state workers receive a raise, NY state sees money from taxes too, but also increased money from deferred compensation and retirement loans. State workers should not have to ask for what they truly deserve. Do the heads of departments in Albany ask for a raise, and then negotiate for it? Or is a raise just given to them. Is their raise 3 percent? Our union has said before, “NY works because we do.” I believe politicians work because we allow them to. Allow us to live and work well in NY. Robert Long Ogdensburg The Communicator Letters policy We welcome letters to the editor about union issues and events relevant to PEF's diverse membership. All letters are subject to editing for space, fairness and good taste. Please keep them brief (up to one page, double-spaced or a maximum of 250 words), and please include your name and phone number for verification. Send letters to: The Communicator Public Employees Federation P.O. Box 12414 Albany, N.Y. 12212-2414 email Denyce Duncan Lacy, Executive Editor The Communicator - Director of Public Relations dduncanlacy@pef.org Sherry Halbrook, Editor of The Communicator- shalbrook@pef.org |
