Public Employees Come to City’s Rescue

by Kyle Weidleman  |  July 29, 2011

AFSCME members from City of Salamanca Utility Local 1304B and City of Salamanca Department of Public Works Local 1304C (New York Council 66) led the charge to save their city from financial collapse.

Members of the two locals joined a cross-section of other public employees to form Save Our Salamanca (SOS), a coalition created to raise public awareness that the city was near bankruptcy. As a result of their hard work, the state of New York granted the city a no-interest loan to serve as a Band-Aid until additional funding streams from casino revenue could be reinstated.

SOS warned that the City of Salamanca was an innocent victim in the dispute between the Seneca Indian Nation and the State of New York. The coalition purposely did not take a position on the ongoing dispute, but fought hard to raise awareness through an aggressive letter writing campaign. With the emergency funding, city services and staffing will remain at the same levels.

“This victory was significant for the City of Salamanca and the hard-working men and women of AFSCME Locals 1304B and 1304C,” said Local 1304B Pres. Len Zlockie. “While these funds are only a stop gap measure, they protect the vital services we provide to the citizens of Salamanca. We are proud of our involvement and our efforts to make this possible.”