Since 1990, Tom Durkin has been the voice of the New York Racing Association as the track announcer for thoroughbred horse racing at Aqueduct, Belmont and Saratoga.
Thursday, racing at Aqueduct Race Track in Ozone Park will be suspended unless an agreement can be reached between track and government officials. A temporary extension for NYRA to run racing expires on Wednesday.
The NYRA workers traveled in buses to Albany from Long Island Tuesday for a demonstration at the Capitol.
"The reason for us being here is simple," said Rajbindre Dwerke, a security officer who has worked for NYRA two years. "We want the NYRA franchise extended so we can save thousands of jobs. We are pleading with (Senate Majority Leader Joseph) Mr. Bruno to stop stalling and give us our contracts so we can operate."
According to Charles Hayward, NYRA's President and CEO, there are approximately 1,200 NYRA employees and 2,000 horsemen who work on the track's backstretch.
If there is a racing stoppage, feed companies, veterinarians and horse van companies would also see less work.
Bruno and Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver have said talks are ongoing with NYRA. Silver said the Senate has raised issues about which simulcast signals OTBs have to carry and the composition of the NYRA board remains an issue.
Bruno said the NYRA discussions need to include restructuring the payouts made to video lottery terminal operators so they can stay in business.
He placed the responsibility of getting a deal done on Gov. Eliot Spitzer and a failure to figure out the structure of the NYRA board of trustees, almost half of which are now proposed to be appointed by the governor and the Legislature.
"We are very, very concerned and we are very, very frustrated," Durkin said. "We are just hoping that some people who should be acting in an adult and reasonable way can do so so we can work and have our jobs."
