RWDSU President Stuart Appelbaum's Statement on New York State Senate Logjam (6/22/09)

The political reality in the state senate is that each side has 31 votes. Neither side can do anything at this point without the cooperation of the other side.

New Yorkers look at this situation and say the solution is obvious: If neither side is able to accomplish anything without the other, then they must work together. They must share power.

The Democratic conference has proposed exactly that. Their proposal is virtually the same proposal that has worked in other states when faced with a similar situation. And Republicans in those states (as well as Democrats) have accepted this obvious solution.

But not the New York Republican state senators.

Republican state senators must stop hiding behind legal fictions, and accept the political reality - both sides have 31 votes. They must agree to truly bipartisan governance as long as this stalemate continues.

Working people have too much at stake. On Friday it was announced that unemployment in New York has reached 9 percent - its highest level in 16 years. We will hold the Republican state senators responsible if they don't stop performing this farce and get back to government, and dealing with the people's needs