(CENTRAL ISLIP) – The Civil Service Employees Association (CSEA) is hailing a Federal Court blocking an attempt by Nassau County Executive Edward Mangano to unilaterally reopen Union Contacts.  The lawsuit, filed by CSEA in June, protects the Rights and Benefits of 6,000 CSEA-Represented Nassau County Employees, but also has Broad National Implications for Labor-Management Relations.

U.S. District Judge Arthur Spatt granted an injunction against a recent Nassau County Law that would give the County Executive the authority to unilaterally reopen Contracts, modify Health Benefits and Furlough Employees to provide Fiscal Savings.  

The Judge upheld CSEA's contention the Law would violate the Contracts’ clause of the U.S. Constitution and render agreements meaningless.

"This ruling should send a strong message that Politicians can't just ignore contracts because it's more convenient than acting in good faith," CSEA President Danny Donohue, who was the plaintiff in the Union Lawsuit said.  "There are many ways that Labor and Management can find common ground and work together if there is a willingness to seek solutions.  Unfortunately, too often today's polarized politics are about scape-goating Public Workers and quick fixes that poison working relationships."

CSEA - New York's Leading Union - represents 300,000 Public Employees across the State, including Workers employed in its many Counties, Towns, Villages, School Districts, Library Systems, Authorities and Public-Benefit Corporations. Together with a growing population of Private-Sector Members and Retirees, CSEA is the largest affiliate of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME), which is one of the largest affiliates of the National AFL-CIO.