NEW YORK--Local 830 of the Civil Service Employees Association (CSEA), the largest municipal workers union in Long Island's Nassau County, approved a plan for workers to not be paid for one day out of 11 as part of a bailout scheme for the county.

Workers will defer a total of 10 days of pay until they retire or quit, adding $20 million to the county's coffers. County Executive Thomas Gulotta pushed through the measure as part of a plan to help make up a projected $200 million shortfall in the county budget this year.

Gulotta threatened the 6,000 union members with layoffs if they did not agree to accept the concession.

Two days before the union vote, county officials backed off a proposal to drastically curtail bus routes after 300 workers, students, and others demonstrated and spoke at a hearing to protest the cuts. The county had planned to reduce its funding for the bus service by $12.5 million.

"I certainly can't afford to take taxis," said Carol Witkin, a 52-year-old home-care worker who attended the hearing. "They cost more than I make in one hour for just one trip."  
 
 
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