Enacted 40 years ago during an era of public-sector labor unrest, New York’s Public Employees Fair Employment Act–better known as the Taylor Law–was designed to balance the broad public interest and the narrower interests of unionized government workers.  But while strikes and other job actions have become rare events, municipal and school officials say the Taylor Law–in combination with other public labor statutes–now unduly favors unions at taxpayer expense.

Are Taylor Law reforms needed to redress the balance?  The Empire Center explored the question at an Oct. 16 policy forum in Albany.

INTRODUCTION

Howard Husock
Vice President
Manhattan Institute

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PRESENTERS 

Terry O’Neil
Bond, Schoeneck and King, PLLC

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E.J. McMahon
Director
Empire Center

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SLIDE PRESENTATION: [VIEW]

RESPONDERS PANEL

From left to right, Charles Brecher, Fran Turner, Richard Iannuzzi, Shawn Hogan, and Robert Ward.

Shawn Hogan
Mayor, City of Hornell
Richard C. Iannuzzi
President, New York State United Teachers
Fran Turner
Director of Legislative and Political Action
Civil Service Employees Association
Charles Brecher
Research Director, Citizens Budget Commission
Vito DiCesare, Jr.
Retired Superintendent, Beacon School District

SPEAKER

Hon. Jerome Lefkowitz
Chairman
NYS Public Employment Relations Board

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KEYNOTE SPEAKER

INTRODUCTION:

Lawrence Levy
National Center for Suburban Studies
Hofstra University

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Hon. Steve Levy

Suffolk County Executive

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