Message from President Patrick Cribbin:

      I welcome this opportunity to communicate with the entire membership using our new website. It is our intent to use this website to keep you up to date on important issues that will affect your salary, benefits and working conditions.
      I am sure everyone is aware of the economic downturn throughout the State, nation and world. Banks are failing at an alarming rate. Corporations and individuals are filing for bankruptcy more than ever before. We all know someone who has lost his job, may soon or have already lost his home, or cannot afford some of life’s basic needs. Economic forecasters have described what we are going through as a financial tsunami. Our 457s and the private sector employees’ 401ks have been reduced between 40% and 50% since the last quarter of 2008. No one can accurately predict when this financial crisis will end. This clearly is the worst economic slump in our lifetime.  
     We now know that while Wall Street and big corporate executives were paying themselves high salaries and million-dollar bonuses each year, they failed to watch the store. The banks were issuing loans and approving mortgages they knew (or should have known) customers could not afford to repay. Our Federal and State government oversight was nowhere to be found. What resulted is that we, the taxpayers, are left with the bill to clean up this mess, a mess which we did not create.
     As a result of this economic crisis, President Obama signed into law an Economic Stimulus Bill that will hopefully begin to help put us back on track. It is not clear how soon we will see the effects of this Stimulus package.  
     Unfortunately, local and State governments are using this sad set of circumstances to try to reduce our hard earned wages and benefits. Just last month the Governor proposed reducing pension benefits for future employees and asked the State Legislature to adopt other draconian measures that will reduce the money we take home. As a member of the Public Employees Conference, we are closely reviewing bills upstate and are trying to ensure none of our benefits are reduced or lost.
    I am sure you do not have to be reminded that, as public employees, we are not in the group that got rich during that time of false economic boom.
     Our current contract expires on March 31, 2011. It is in full force and effect. We are very lucky not to have to negotiate in this economic climate. Unlike what is happening in Nassau and Suffolk counties, New York City, and New York State - where government officials are asking for reductions in pay and/or benefits to close budget gaps - OCA has, at least as of the time I write this message, not asked for any givebacks.  
     It is our intent to act in a responsible fashion to protect your contractual rights. We have had meetings with other OCA unions on how to best address potential budget problems in the event we are also asked to help close an OCA budget gap in the future. If there are going to be any sacrifices, it is our position that such sacrifices will not only come from us, but the “pain” is to be shared by management and the public as well. In closing, let me assure you we will do everything possible to ensure the best possible outcome in these terrible economic times.
 
Fraternally,
 
Patrick G. Cribbin