Nassau County is facing a $310 million budget gap. County Executive Mangano is threatening to lay off hundreds of county workers to close this gap. In response to this threat thousands of unionized county workers gathered outside the County Executive's office in mineola on Monday October 17th. The workers' rallied in protest to how Mangano handles the county's finances.
Mangano claims that the union bosses are refusing to negotiate their contracts. What the County Executive is refusing to admit is that many of these contracts are in effect for years to come. The Police Officers' contract is in effect until 2015, yet their salaries were already frozen this past January. Now Mangano is pushing for legislation to void the current contract and force his terms on the Cops here mid-contract. What are Mangano's terms? 1-Open contract until the county is out of fiscal trouble; 2-Close 2 precincts; 3-Eliminate minimum manning (which means that there would be no minimum amount of Cops on duty at any time); 4-Restructure salaries; 5- Reduce vacation days; 6-Reduce sick days; 7-Contibute 25% to all insurance this year; 8-Force Cops to work extra days without pay. During their last contract negotiations under Suozzi, the PBA already conceded approximately $15,000.00 per year, costing them their uniform allowance, several vacation days, and 2 weeks pay.
It seems that Mangano is trying to tighten the belt all around the county, but that is not the case. The county has recently spent $100 million on ball fields, Mangano continues to hold an extravagent car show, and he has created many unnecessary $100 thousand per year patronage jobs.
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