Nicole Gelinas writes that New York’s public employees have no right to expect wage gains like those that security officers and hotel workers won in their recent union contracts (“A Bogus Comparison,” Post-Opinion, April 15).
Hotels and office towers that employ security officers are doing well in this economy, but raises for public employees would have to be borne by “middle-class taxpayers,” claims Gelinas.
Gelinas takes aim at retirement security, suggesting that public workers will have to accept reduced retirement benefits, and tries to pit working New Yorkers against each other.
But public employees are middle-class taxpayers. All workers depend on services from public employees.
We, the 1 percent and the 99 percent, are all in this together. New York workers need fair wages and decent benefits.
Out of our wages come taxes to support public services. From our pay raises come money we need to keep up with rising costs, and through our spending we boost small businesses and the economy, which benefits us all.
Mike Fishman
President, 32BJ
Service Employees
International Union
Manhattan