The unions in Nassau County are angered that the county government does not give its employees the day off for the Juneteenth celebration every year. However, that is what the state and federal government employees get.
The county recognizes the holiday, but not with a day off. Of course, the union would like nothing more than to get another paid day off without having to negotiate for it. So here’s a possible compromise.
If this day is so important to the employees — and there is a legitimate reason for that, given that the day celebrates the Emancipation Proclamation — then there’s an easy fix: Just swap this day off for Election Day.
There’s really no reason for government employees to have Election Day off. There once was a time when Election Day itself was the only day in which to vote. But now we provide almost 10 days prior to the actual Election Day to go to the polls. And of course, mail-in voting is now available to everyone.
Incumbent politicians like having Election Day as a paid day off because they want so many of these employees dedicated solely toward getting out the vote on those days. But that was from a bygone era. By now, a huge percentage of the electorate has already voted prior to the actual Election Day.
So what’s the need to maintain it as a day off? Swap it with Juneteenth and call the union’s bluff that it’s the celebration of the Emancipation Proclamation that’s really the issue.
This way, they can celebrate the day without costing the taxpayer another dime. Of course, if the union wants a paid day off for both Election Day and Juneteenth, that’s fine, but just go negotiate it at the bargaining table and give something back for it.
The Nassau County executive and the legislature are correct in not wanting to just give away another paid day off without management getting anything in return.