Statement from District Council 37 Executive Director Lillian Roberts on proposed lay-offs

"I think it's totally irresponsible on the part of the city to talk about lay-offs and cutbacks when $9 billion is being utilized for private contracts.

DC 37 has shared research with the city that shows areas where millions of dollars can be saved. To date we have not had a response from the city on our proposals. We feel that the City is more interested in giving money to private contractors than paying hard-working, dedicated city employees who make this city run. When our members see private contractors hired at extra expense to do the work city employees can and want to do, it is very demoralizing.

NYC even trains people on welfare to work at entry level jobs, but instead of hiring them contracts out their work to private vendors. This does nothing to end the cycle of poverty that the city says it is committed to ending. That is why we are angry, very angry.

We see this as union busting when city employees are laid off and the money that paid their salaries is divided up and given to private contractors to provide vital public services.

We intend to use every resource at our disposal to fight to protect these city services and the men and women who provide them."

District Council 37 is New York City's largest public employee union, with 125,000 members and 50,000 retirees.