Police and Fire unions ask City Council to disregard the Mayor's “inadequate and self-serving” disability proposal

A joint letter from the PBA and UFA was delivered to all City Council members yesterday, asking them to disregard the Mayor’s inadequate disability proposal and to pass a home rule message in support of disability benefits for police and firefighters that are currently provided “…to every other police officer and firefighter in New York State.”

Thanking the 40 Council Members who support the message, PBA President Patrick J. Lynch and UFA President Stephen J. Cassidy said “It is clear that sufficient support exists to pass a home rule resolution to correct the unjust and dangerous disparity, if one is brought for a vote.  But you must act quickly if we are to correct this injustice before the State Legislature adjourns in June. “

The Mayor’s proposal they noted, “was fashioned without any input from the PBA and UFA and would not provide equal disability benefits, and may in-fact worsen the inequality.  The administration’s proposal is not only unjust, but illogical, hurting the very heroes it claims to help… and in many cases actually reducing protections for police officers and firefighters seriously injured in the line-of-duty.”

The two union presidents noted that while the city strives for greater diversity in the ranks of police officers and firefighters the reduced disability benefits for those permanently injured on the job “…is treating those recruits as second-class citizens by providing them and their families with inferior protections against the dangers of the job.  This is clearly inconsistent with the progressive values professed by the administration and the Council.  It also violates the moral obligation to those who sacrifice their health and livelihood to protect their fellow New Yorkers.”