So, as expected, and despite the thousands of protesters, the NY State legislature approved an emergency spending bill that includes a one day per week furlough for unionized employees. It’s Governor Blinky’s revenge against the unions for the sin of insisting that the State abide by the contract it signed. Nobody ever offered state workers more money when times were good, but of course they’re happy to go after them when times are tough and the governor and legislature mismanage the state to the point of bankruptcy. To close a $9.2 billion deficit, Blinky and his posse want to screw state employees (but only those represented by a union) out of $250 million by giving them eight weeks of unpaid time off. That only leaves another $9.175 billion to go. God forbid they should raise taxes on rich people.

Of course, the unions are already challenging this furlough as illegal (which, although I’m no lawyer, seems pretty clear to me: it’s both an illegal lockout and a contract violation). My old union – CSEA – has already filed for a restraining order, and I expect the other unions to follow suit. Especially after Blinky yesterday said the unions “…just want to frolic along do commercials and have rallies.” Oh, and do our jobs and get paid, unlike you and the legislature, whose only actual job is to get a budget in place by April 1st, which you never, ever manage to do. Of course, you keep getting paid, don’t you?

Go frolic yourself, Governor.