Pass the budget or furlough state workers. That is the message from Governor Paterson as he urges lawmakers to make a decision on next week's emergency spending plan. But as our Neil St. Clair explains, the employees affected say they won't go quietly.

ENDICOTT, N.Y. -- An embattled governor is receiving quite a tongue lashing from state workers, all over his proposal to furlough around 100,000 public employees for one day a week.

"The governor is saying to just tell my workers to stay home and it's unfair to take it out on us instead of fixing the real problem," said Ken Brynien, president of the New York State Public Employees Federation.

Hundreds of state employees rallied during their lunch break at this state office building in Endicott. They say they've offered the governor alternatives, but that's fallen on deaf ears.

"We've given him a billion dollars of ideas to try to save money or raise money: Eliminating excessively priced consultants, eliminating the multiple layers of supervision," protested Brynien.

Paterson has said the furloughs are a necessary cost-saving measure, as much as $30 million per week for the state. All this with the budget itself more than a month overdue.

Local lawmakers aren't buying it, several issuing variations on the same theme.

Assemblywoman Donna Lupardo hopes to "discourage this action, which may be illegal."

Assemblyman Clifford Crouch adding that "the governor should lead by example and cut positions in his office."

And Senator Tom Libous quipping, "I've never seen anything like it and it's very troubling."

Two 13-year state employee veterans also in disbelief, for themselves and for those they service.

"If they shut down for a day, there would be a 20 percent reduction in what we do for the disabled in New York, which would be a crime," said Kathy Darminio, one of the most vocal protesters and a state disability office worker.

"Personally, the union has figured that we'd be losing about 20 percent of our pay check," added Rose Sullivan, a disability analyst.

With the rally over, the public employees went back inside to do what they called "the business of the people."

The only question now is what happens next. And that's a question to which no one seems to have an answer.

Several other rallies were planned throughout the state Friday.

The furloughs would go into effect May 10th.