Rendell details furlough plan as union talks continue

Rendell details furlough plan as union talks continue
by CHARLES THOMPSON, Of The Patriot-News
Thursday March 19, 2009, 4:06 PM

JOE HERMITT, The Patriot-News/2009
Pennsylvania Gov. Ed Rendell delivered his budget address to a joint session of the House and Senate. Seated in back are House Speaker Keith McCall, D, Carbon, and Lt Governor Joe Scarnati, R, Jefferson. Leaders of major state government workers' unions were told today they need to come up with about $89 million in savings to help balance the state budget over the next 15 months.
And if the unions don't reach agreement on how to do that by the end of the month, Gov. Ed Rendell will make it happen through a mandatory two days of unpaid leave per month for non-essential employees starting in April and running through June 2010.


Union leaders did not immediately accept that plan, and said publicly they still hope to achieve a resolution that will not require the layoff of any state employees.

"Our goal is to come up with an $85 million package of savings," said David Fillman, executive director of Council 13 of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, the biggest state workers' union.

"We're looking at every avenue possible, and we're hoping we can accomplish that before the end of the month."

While "Spendell" creates jobs for his political friends, and spends money on promoting the tourism values of Philadelphia, the little guys take it on the chin again.