The Civil Service Employees Association today is blasting the state Thruway Authority’s decision to lay off42 workers at the state Canal Corp, part of an overall cost-cutting effort that will result in the shedding of 234 jobs authority wide, suggesting that the move is part of “political retaliation.”

“This is just a bad idea — the canals are an invaluable resource for New York State in so many ways,” said CSEA President Danny Donohue in a statement. “It is very important that we let the public know how this ill conceived plan will hurt people, businesses and communities.”

The state’s kargest public employees union also charged in its release that the layoffs are part of “political retaliation” because ongoing negotiations are yet to conclude, pointing to a number of political appointees and management officials who are not targeted in the layoffs.

The union included a long list of statements in support of the state Canal system and the need to the public entity fully staffed.

“Governor Cuomo says his administration is about jobs and the economy but putting dedicated workers out of work and undermining the state Thruway and Canal operations is a lousy way to promote a jobs
agenda,” Donohue said.

The layoffs at the Thruway Authority are expected to save $20 million and won’t take effect unitl April 3 in order to account for civil service laws governing seniority.

Critics of the Thruway Authority have said that the bloated payroll has caused the state to spend too much on overhead costs.

Thruway Director Tom Madison and Gov. Andrew Cuomo in December announced a mult-year cost-savings plan in order to avoid a toll hike on heavy trucks and commercial vehicles.

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