MONTICELLO – Laborers Local 17 represents over 150 Sullivan County Public works employees and the union’s leader, Todd Diorio, is miffed over an idea being floated for unions to consider buybacks.

County Manager David Fanslau’s proposed 2010 budget of $191 million includes employee layoffs. But, he said they might be staved off if the unions would be willing to accept buybacks including paying 15 percent of their health insurance premium.

So far the Teamsters Local 445 and CSEA have said no way and Tuesday, Local 17 Business Manager Diorio said his union’s main objective is to “save the current jobs and not go backwards.”

He said that if something can be developed to benefit both sides, “we would be open to it, but right now, it seems to be one sided.”