"The mayor knows that his labor proposals are a matter for collective bargaining. We have members who earn an average of $29,000 a year, and we urge the mayor to try to understand what it is like for them. Many are raising families on this salary and having trouble making ends meet. With transit hikes and higher taxes, everything has been raised but their salaries. We urgently need a fair contract now.

"Our members continue to provide quality services—many of which the mayor has praised—despite the fact that the city workforce has already been reduced and the budget cut by $3.4 billion. Our members are already doing more with less. That's real productivity. Also, 85% or our members live and spend their money in New York City, contributing to its overall economic growth.

"HHC hospitals, health clinics, schools, homeless shelters, parks, pothole repair, 311 operators - these are just some of the areas in which our members work and have proved productive. They're on duty right now caring for the homeless during this record cold weather. With the city's economy recovering, and the mayor today complementing municipal workers for being creative and sacrificing, let's sit down and work out a contract for our hard-working, dedicated city workers. It's a matter of fairness."