By Tony McVeigh
http://stream.publicbroadcasting.net/production/mp3/wuky/local-wuky-918550.mp3
FRANKFORT, Ky. – A hearing will be held late Monday afternoon in a lawsuit filed by state workers trying to block upcoming furloughs.
As part of his budget-cutting plan, Gov. Beshear is ordering both merit and non-merit employees to take six furlough days this fiscal year. The administration says the furloughs, authorized by the General Assembly, will save the state $24 million.
But a half-dozen state workers, who are members of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees union, fear the furloughs will jeopardize public safety.
They especially question how furloughs will effect the operation of prisons. In response, the administration says prisons and other facilities that operate 24/7 will be given more flexibility to implement the furloughs.
Prison staff and social workers are the primary focus of the lawsuit, which does not attempt to block furloughs for all 36,000 state workers.