It seems Mayor de Blasio wants to fight for more rights for New York City workers, in particular, for paid vacation.  He is attempting to make New York the first US state to “require private businesses to provide time off with pay.”

Some small business owners in the region are not in favor of this, especially given the additional strain the increased minimum wage has put on them.  If the proposal becomes law, business owners would be forced to give their full time employees a minimum of 10 paid vacation days a year; a number that would be pro-rated for part-time employees.  This would be in addition to paid sick leave.

While some business owners would like to do this, they claim it is just not realistic and that the Mayor is not looking out for SME owners to help them “make ends meet.”

Meanwhile around 150 people are set to lose their jobs altogether as AT&T closes its Syracuse call center.  The center is moving to Orange Park, Florida where lower wages will be paid.  According to the Communications Workers of America Union, approximately 50 people have accepted the transfers, leaving 100 without work.  So now union workers are calling upon the Save NY Call Center Jobs Coalition to pass a bill to require NY call center operators to inform the Department of Labor should they move 30 percent or more of their workers out of the state.  Should they still go ahead, they would not be privy to any state benefits for five years.