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Post by backdoorit on Dec 28, 2011 19:53:11 GMT -5
News 12 Video Coverage
Dozens of Nassau workers demoted to cut costs
Some public-sector employees in Nassau were demoted today as part of the county's cost-cutting plan ahead of tomorrow's expected layoffs.
More than 80 people were demoted at the Department of Social Services (DSS) alone, and tomorrow, at least 100 DSS employees are expected to be handed pink slips. In all, more than 300 Nassau employees will lose their jobs.
Some people who came to the DSS building in Uniondale say the offices are grossly understaffed and chaos reigns inside.
"There are more people applying for assistance while there's not enough people to help them," says Simone Foss, of Uniondale.
A spokesperson for the DSS says under no circumstances are there any emergency cases being turned away for assistance.
Meanwhile, union officials say about 92 county workers have agreed to accept an early retirement incentive that will give them $1,000 for every year of service.
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Post by opie on Dec 28, 2011 20:02:39 GMT -5
How much will my taxes be going down Ed Mangano? Just think a few bucks more could have saved hundreds of families heart ache and suffering.
But that's not the NEW Republican (Corporate Run Agenda) way.......
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Post by lionsden on Dec 29, 2011 0:22:36 GMT -5
Another perfect example of let's cut people who work FOR the government instead of cutting funds for people who live OFF of the government! This country's values are so screwed up it makes me sick! A spokesman for the DSS is SOOOOO concerned that it is known that no EMERGENCY cases are turned away but doesnt say a thing about the people that just got canned who actually are doing work instead of sponging benefits off the system. We are so upside down right now as a society, I'm not sure if we have any chance of recovery
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Post by rednblue76 on Dec 29, 2011 1:25:59 GMT -5
Another perfect example of let's cut people who work FOR the government instead of cutting funds for people who live OFF of the government! This country's values are so screwed up it makes me sick! A spokesman for the DSS is SOOOOO concerned that it is known that no EMERGENCY cases are turned away but doesnt say a thing about the people that just got canned who actually are doing work instead of sponging benefits off the system. We are so upside down right now as a society, I'm not sure if we have any chance of recovery Excellent point!!! |
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tensix
Participating Member
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Post by tensix on Dec 29, 2011 17:24:39 GMT -5
More than 260 Nassau workers were handed pink slips on Thursday as the cash-strapped county struggles to close a projected $310-million budget deficit next year.
The layoffs, which primarily targeted low-wage Civil Service Employees Association members, were experienced at roughly half of all county departments and come on top of more than 200 demotions that occurred Wednesday.
Throughout the morning, distraught employees, many carrying personal belongings and holding back tears, flooded out of the Department of Social Services office in Uniondale.
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Laura Dermody of Merrick had worked for the county for 10 years and DSS for the past five as an alcohol-rehab counselor. A single mother with two kids, Dermody expects to file for unemployment, food stamps and Medicaid.
"The process has been torturous," she said. "It's been very degrading."
CSEA president Jerry Laricchiuta said the 262 layoffs could have been avoided through a tax increase that would have cost the average household 25 cents per week.
"Today is a sad day . . . as we continue to watch the dismantling of Nassau County by this Republican administration," Laricchiuta said. "Piece by piece, inch by inch, Nassau County is slipping further into the abyss as our services continue to go down lower and lower in standards."
But, Nassau County Executive Edward Mangano said tax increases were not an option.
"While it pains me to see anyone lose their job, I informed Nassau's unions months ago that layoffs would occur if they did not provide the concessions needed to protect residents from a tax hike and live within the dollars provided to us for the 2012 budget," Mangano said in a statement.
Many laid-off workers said the process was handled coldly and with no empathy or compassion. At DSS, for example, employees were sent to an off-site administrative office to receive the bad news.
"It's just horrible," said Lauren Quigley, of Seaford, who was let go from her job as a county assistant for DSS. "I am very upset."
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Post by redstone14 on Dec 30, 2011 0:12:33 GMT -5
Another perfect example of let's cut people who work FOR the government instead of cutting funds for people who live OFF of the government! This country's values are so screwed up it makes me sick! They could always place some of the welfare recipients into the jobs that were vacated because of the layoffs. At least they would be earning their social service checks.  |
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