Published: July 29, 2009

CHESTER — Dozens of union members chanted outside the Pennsylvania CareerLink Center Tuesday afternoon as others took their case to Harrisburg, asking elected officials to support a measure to pay them through the end of July.

“We have come out because we support each other,” Natalia Salgardo, mid-Atlantic political director for Local 32 of the Service Employees International Union, said. “Local 668 members are working and they are not getting paid and they want to get paid for that.”

Pay for state employees has been suspended as of June 30 as officials attempt to resolve a $1.7 billion shortfall. Employees have been directed to apply for no- and low-interest loans to help fill the gap, but not all are eligible.

SEIU Local 668 shop steward Bob Johnson in Chester said the last check that contained pay was July 17. He said there would be no funds in this Friday’s check.

About 50 janitors, bus drivers, mechanics and other employees of the School District of Philadelphia who are Local 32 members boarded a yellow school bus to support state workers in Chester who aren’t getting paid because of the state budget impasse.

Simultaneous demonstrations occurred in Darby and Norristown.

The efforts were coordinated with a trip various union members took to Harrisburg to convince state legislators to support House Bill 1771, a bill that would pay state employees through this Friday.

Joanne Sessa, a Darby caseworker, was one of 50 people from Delaware County joining what she said were hundreds visiting the Capitol.

“We rallied inside the rotunda and it echoed off the walls,” she said, adding that no elected officials attended.

Sessa said members visited the state offices of state Senate Majority Leader Dominic Pileggi, R-9, of Chester; state Rep. Daylin Leach, D-17, of Upper Merion and state Rep. Bryan Lentz, D-161 of Swarthmore.

She said they were told none of the officials were available.

On Monday, Sessa said she and several co-workers were invited to get some food from the Darby Salvation Army office.

“It was amazing,” she said. “Some of us went over and got some canned goods. My kids were happy to get some cereal. That was kind of a humbling experience.”

Sessa’s hope is that officials support a measure to pay the state employees. “Hopefully, our rallying (Tuesday) will make a difference,” she said.

Back in Chester, Johnson, a shop steward and 17-year state caseworker, described the working conditions.

“Morale has been low, very low,” he said. “Just like our clients, our co-workers are suffering. We’re here every day not getting paid.”

He said the budget impasse has impacted a wide spectrum of employees from PennDOT workers to those in nursing homes to probation and parole professionals.

“State police are not getting paid,” Johnson said. “State police are out there, putting their life on the line and not getting paid.”

He said state employees want to get paid and are having a difficult time.

“Let’s keep people working,” he said. “Let’s keep food their tables and a roof on their head. A mortgage company doesn’t want to hear, ‘The state has a budget crisis.’”

In the meantime, Johnson said union members also want to preserve services for their clients.

“How can you cut human services in today’s society?” he asked. “I don’t want them to cut any human services. Let’s keep it at the level it is now. Who are we hurting? Senior citizens and kids.

“How can we give people the service that they’re not only entitled to, but need?” Johnson continued. “We’re trying to help people get their lives together.”