Your April 29 editorial, "An unfair pay impasse," was interesting. But it neglected to include pertinent facts. Management-confidential employees have not received statutory pay increases since 2008, but not because the Legislature refused to pass salary legislation.
The 2007-2011 M/C pay bill authorized the same salary increases for M/C employees as union-represented employees. Gov. David Paterson paid the 2007 and 2008 salary increases, but withheld the 2009 and 2010 salary increases and the 2009 step increases and longevity payments.
The Organization of New York State Management/Confidential Employee spent 2009 and 2010 trying to reverse these salary withholdings.
Gov. Andrew Cuomo's administration negotiated contracts for 2011-2016 with the statewide unions that didn't include salary increases for the first three years. The M/C pay bill for 2011-2016 authorized that same treatment and for payment of step increases and longevity payments for M/Cs. M/Cs are in their fifth year without a salary increase; union-represented employees are in their third year.
OMCE is pushing to reverse the salary withholdings. Progress, while slow, is being made: The 2011 step increases and longevities were paid eight months late; the 2012 step increases and longevities will be paid in May 2013; and discussions continue on the 2013 payments, the still unpaid 2009 and 2010 salary increases and the 2013 $775 retention bonus. We are working to get every dollar withheld since 2008 paid to all affected M/Cs.
M/C employees need to be fairly and equitably compensated. Our M/C Salary Commission (S2953, A246) bill will establish a procedure for equitable, statutory M/C compensation that achieves parity with all other state employees.
Barbara Zaron
president,
Organization of NYS
Management/Confidential Employees
Albany