Ten days ago, New Jersey Gov. Jon Corzine issued an executive order that gave state employees the day after Thanksgiving off, though Mr. Corzine said he planned to discontinue the practice and indicated that in the future, state workers would have to turn to negotiation or legislation to get the day off. And so the state begins preliminary talks with its 80,000 public employees on extending contracts that expire in June while cutting away at the state?s property taxes. With lawmakers about to draw up measures that will alter health care and pension plans for the employees, labor leaders have denounced plans to cut back on worker benefits without first discussing them at the bargaining table.
See "Unionists Say State Employees Shouldn?t Be Slighted to Cut New Jersey Taxes", Richard G. Jones, The New York Times, November 27, 2006