Act with Jobs with Justice in support of New York workers

by: Rachel Berger

Tue Jul 27, 2010 at 15:31:49 PM EDT

Hey, New Yorkers! New York Jobs with Justice, our partner and grantee, is campaigning to hold a major corporation and the New York City Industrial Development Agency accountable to New Yorkers.

Thomson Reuters Corp., the global media company, wants to amend a 1998 agreement that gave it up to $26 million in tax benefits to construct its building in Times Square. As part of the deal, the company committed to create new jobs for New Yorkers. But the most recent information available shows that it has fallen far short of its job creation benchmarks. Now, Thomson Reuters wants to be able to use what’s left of its $26 million in Times Square-based tax benefits to renovate and redecorate leased offices elsewhere in Manhattan. The New York City Industrial Development Agency will consider the request at a July 29 public hearing.

Amidst a crippling fiscal crisis, media behemoth Thomson Reuters is asking New York City for millions of dollars in tax giveaways to finance renovation of its corporate offices. The company is slashing pay and benefits for union workers and outsourcing hundreds of local jobs to Bangalore. Now it wants to divert millions of dollars intended to spur local job creation to pay for new furniture for its top executives

Sign their petition to let Mayor Bloomberg and City Council know that companies that don't make good on their commitments to New Yorkers should not benefit from taxpayer dollars.