While Issues does not expect to receive a personal response from Gov. Pataki, we do expect his office will address the matter. Stop back on May 5, to check it out.

I have recently sent the following letter to Congressmen Jack Quinn

I would first like to introduce myself, my name is Linda Munro I edit an online e-zine called IssuesNY (http://issuesny.tripod.com). This is a relatively new venture, as well as an extremely difficult one for me. I suffer from a leg injury, which gives me as much pain sitting before a computer as it does standing, walking, or doing anything else a normal person can do. Yet, I find these issues important enough to spend the five or ten minutes per hour that I can endure before my computer, informing my fellow New Yorkers and fellow United States Citizens of the inept persons we, the people, have elected to represent us.

I find it extremely difficult to get answers and/or cooperation from our elected officials. I am looking to you to change that aspect.

My concern is the at-will doctrine, a mere treatise written by Horace G Wood in 1877. I have a copy of Master/Servant, and I believe that Mr. Wood's treatise was meant to protect employees from being treated as servants without rights. However, this treatise became quoted throughout the judicial system, over the years the at-will doctrine, a simple treatise meant to protect employees has become distorted, and the protection lies only towards abusive, power seeking employers.

The only employee protection that has truly been instituted is protective measures for State and Federal employees, or employees protected by bargaining units. In New York State approximately 80% of all employees work for small businesses, that means 80% of New York employees, your constituents fall under the at-will doctrine. That transcribes to the following: because you fail to seek legislation to control the at-will doctrine, 80% of your employed constituents are left unprotected from harassing employers who chose to release their employees through constructive discharge and/or for no reason what so ever. I am tired of hearing that the at-will doctrine was created by the Judicial system so the Judicial system needs to change it, for on the alternate side I hear, if lawmakers want the issue changed it is up to them to change it. Montana lawmakers chose to protect their employees by making legislation against the at-will doctrine, so you see, it can be accomplished.

In Montana's laws, neither unions nor employers are undermined, but rather the employer of typical at-will employees can no longer abuse their power. It was a plain and simple change of laws. If one state can handle this measure, why is it so difficult for other states to follow suit?

Do you realize that the United States is the ONLY industrialized nation in the world that does not protect its employees? I believe it is up to you as my representative to see that if I am ever allowed to return to the workforce, I will be protected.

I can offer one further scenario, if I should rally to have your constituents vote against you and vote you out of office, it will have little impact on you emotionally or financially; after all, once a Congressmen, your salary remains whether or not you remain an elected official. However, if an at-will employer decided he no longer wants an employee who has devoted himself to that employer for years, the employee has no rights. I do not want to hear about protected classes at this point, because whether I am black, female or over 40, my employer needs only to find another reason for my dismissal, whether it is a truthful reason or a fictitious reason. New York State Courts do not recognize public policy. In other words New York is the WORST of all at-will States.

I think it is time that this issue was dealt with, on a National level. We have elected you to work in our best interest, as long as the at-will doctrine remains in effect, we, the people, realize that you are NOT working towards our best interest.

I am posting this letter on my site, and I am looking forward to your response, which I will also post.

Similar letters have also been sent to Senators Dale Volker and Patricia McGee