Over 15,000 union members and their supporters rallied outside New York City Hall yesterday, sending a clear message to Mayor Michael Bloomberg that his plans to close a budget gap by laying off thousands of city workers and cutting services is unacceptable (see WIT's for April 8 and 9, 2003). Organized by the city's largest union District Council 37 of the American Federation of State County and Municipal Employees, this largest protest yet against the layoffs was joined by the leaders and members of the NYC teachers, transit, and healthcare workers unions. The union members and officers were unanimous in criticizing the mayor for trying to balance the city's budget on the backs of low paid workers by threatening 4,500-plus layoffs if workers do not accept concessions.
See "Union Members Rally at City Hall Against City's Plans for Job Cuts", STEVEN GREENHOUSE, The New York Times, April 29, 2003