CSEA members ratify contract

CSEA members overwhelmingly ratified a new contract for more than 70,000 state executive branch employees, the union announced yesterday. The vote was 29,755 to 1,839. The contract has to be approved by the Legislature and signed by Gov. Eliot Spitzer.

The agreement includes salary increases of 3 percent retroactive to April 2001 (when the previous contract ended,) 3 percent in April 2008, 3 percent in April 2009 and 4 percent in April 2010. Other parts of the contract include increases in longevity payments, improvement in downstate and mid-Hudson salary adjustments to reflect the higher cost of living there, and some increases in health insurance co-payments, balanced by a number of benefit enhancements.

The agreement is fair to employees and good for the people of New York, CSEA President Danny Donohue said in a statement. “The strength of the ratification demonstrates that our rank and file fully support the agreement,”…

Dresser workers harassed, union says

Union members who have gone back to work at Dresser-Rand Co. are facing harassment and threats that they will be fired, the union’s president said.

Did the teeney-weeney-oh-so-cuddeley Union workers get ther itty-bitty-pretty feelings hurt?

Truckers say they’ll bypass Thruway if tolls are raised

A majority of truck drivers say they’ll use secondary roads if a proposal from the Thruway Authority to raise tolls goes through.

Works for me, in fact, if they raise tolls, I too will use only small back roads.  I have been thinking for a while now, it is time to slow down and watch the scenery, and that really isn’t possible on a highway.  Bring back the roadside diner!

Discipline at EFA gets spotlight

Elmira’s schools chief will be dealing with discipline issues on at least two fronts this week in the wake of Wednesday’s fight at Elmira Free Academy and the subsequent airing of concerns by parents and teachers.

We don’t have very high expectationsfor these kids, and they are living up to those low expectations.

Over the 16 year olds baby daddy talking to the 15 year old. You can’t make this stuff up. Too funny.

EFA Lockdown

Three Elmira Free Academy students were arrested for a fight that caused a lockdown at the school Wednesday.

Shots Fired in Pine City

Authorities are investigating a shooting at a business on State Route 328. They say they’re still looking for the suspect.

which is almost like them still looking for a suspect.  I surely bet this guy is going to feel like an idiot firing his weapon over a case of beer. No wait, let me rephrase that, this guy *is* an idiot for firing his weapon over a case of beer.

JASON WHITLOCK ON race, violence, and politics. (Via Brutally Honest).

Fairley Found Not Guilty Of Murdering Hall

Fairley was convicted on charges of possessing a weapon and cocaine.  The only sad part fo this story is that Hall was not able to kill Fairley at the same time, it would have been the perfect outcome.  I do like to see a justifiable shooting get upheld by a jury, thats always a good thing.  The scenario would have been much better if Scumbag A pulls out his piece and shoots Scumbag B, but while Scumbag B is dieing, he also pulls out his weapons and shoots ScumBag A.  30 seconds later, botha are laying dead on the floor.  I know, it is like hitting the lottery for all but one number, you get the thrill of winning and a bit of money, which is better than a a stick in the eye.
We can always hope…

Friends: “Cook didn’t kill her child.”

Friends of 23 year old Summer Cook say she’s a loving mother.  Police say she murdered her infant girl Sunday.  Sigh, they killer is always a quiet person, nice to their neighbors, paid the girl scout in full for their cookies.  It will be interesting to see how this one plays out.  We have to get across to young mothers, that it is a bad thing to kill your kid.

On the job, yet struggling

About two weeks ago, Irma and Neal Corey registered for assistance at the Samaritan Center on Elmira’s Southside — something they haven’t had to do since 2003 — and received a supply of groceries.

Funny, even when I was living hand to mouth, sometimes out of garbage bins as a 15 year old on the street, I never took a handout, or signed up for any assistance.  Why does it come so easy for some people?