The below letter was sent to NYS Congressional delegation.
May 1, 2003
Dear Representative:
The Public Employees Federation represents 55,000 public employees throughout New York State. Our members include about 3,000 professional staff of the New York State Department of Labor. Unfortunately, some of the proposals now being discussed in Congress threaten the jobs of our members and the essential public services that they provide to the working people of New York.
I urge you to oppose H.R. 1261, the "Workforce Reinvestment and Adult Education Act of 2003" as currently written. This legislation would cut job training and employment services and completely eliminate the United States Employment Service by repealing the long-standing provisions of the Wagner-Peyser Act that establish the publicly operated Employment Service.
With unemployment at a 10-year high, now is the time to invest in employment services and get our economy moving again - not eliminate the employment security that millions of American workers and families need. Nor is it time to risk even more jobs or endanger the reliability of employment services by handing over key services to big corporations - a scenario made more likely by this bill.
In addition to the direct cuts in services, H.R. 1261 creates a number of problems:
*The funding streams for adult, dislocated workers would be merged - a move that would diminish services for workers and ultimately diminish program funding.
*The new allotment formula clearly pits states with large disadvantaged populations against states with high numbers of unemployed. The two separate funding streams under the Workforce Investment Act provided states with funds to serve both populations.
We need to strengthen employment services - not undermine them. I urge you to Vote against H.R. 1261. Please support the continued work of the employment professionals of the New York State Department of Labor.
Enclosed is a fact sheet that describes in more detail some of the problems with this legislation.
I hope that you will join us in opposing this HR1261, and that you will support continued Federal funding for these crucial employment services.
Sincerely,
Roger E. Benson
President