US District Judge Arthur Spatt ruled against Nassau County Executive Ed Mangano’s proposal to slash union pay and benefits for employees by up to $41 million. According to the judge, the law, which was approved by the legislature in May, is a “metaphorical guillotine hanging over the unions’ heads.” Nassau County PBA President James Carver described the ruling as a “big win” for unions. Union leaders said the law would have allowed the county executive to violate the U.S. constitution by cutting union pay and benefits without negotiation. In response, Mangano said that in order to close the county’s $40 million budget gap, the county would have to turn to layoffs.