NIAGARA FALLS (AP) -- The second-largest state employees union is planning a rally this evening outside a Niagara Falls hotel where Gov. David Paterson will be at a reception sponsored by the New York State Rural Democratic Conference.
The Public Employees Federation will protest the governor's proposal to furlough some state workers one day a week to save money. A lunchtime protest is also planned at the state office building in Endicott at noon.
Paterson said this week that he may soon force the Legislature to choose between one-day-a-week furloughs for 100,000 state workers or shutting down state government because of the overdue budget. Paterson says furloughs would save the state $30 million a week as it faces a fiscal crisis.
The union says the plan would take more than half a billion dollars out of the state's economy. It has proposed alternative budget solutions including replacing half the private consultants with state employees.
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