There was a time, not long ago, when you said, "I work for the city" that you, your family and your neighbors would feel a sense of pride.

Try that today!

You are greeted with jeers, sneers and your spouse asking: "honey, when are you finally getting that raise?"
Yeah, muncipal workers have come a long way---but we've gone backwards, I'm afraid.
Somehow, we've become the enemy!

Read any newspaper. Watch any TV newscast.

City workers are routinely blamed for everything wrong in this city, short of global warming!

And I'm sick of it!

We work hard to make this city work. We pay our taxes. We play by the rules, but the rules keep changing.
Year after year, we try to bargain in good faith, yet our contracts go unresolved and the public is told that we're greedy and unreasonable.

Well, we're here today to send a strong message to this mayor, and to the future mayor: We count. We vote.

Deal with us now, or deal with us later, but let's deal honestly.

We make this city run. And we won't run from this city!

But we want back the pride that used to come with working for the city of New York. And that can only happen if we stop being scapegoats.

So let's start today to make it clear:

We work for the city of New York and we're proud of it!

Just treat us fairly.

We've earned it!

Thank you.