NY STATE EMPLOYEES' UNION RATIFIED HUGE WAGE & BENEFITS CONCESSIONS.

The article reports on the decision of the members of the Civil Service Employees Association to accept major wage and benefits concessions sought by New York Governor Andrew M. Cuomo on August 15, 2011. According to the union, its members had voted by about 60 percent to 40 percent to approve the contract agreement that was signed by Cuomo and union leaders in June 2011. The author adds that the approval was an important victory for Cuomo in closing the state's budget gap.