If anything, the ferocity of the attacks has only stiffened Mr. Paterson’s resolve.

The governor has not backed off his threat to lay off state workers if the unions do not agree to concessions, including forgoing a 3 percent raise this year as part of a plan to save close to $500 million. He has asked leaders of agencies for work-force reduction plans that would go into effect on July 1 if a compromise with the unions is not reached.

Mr. Paterson also took his message directly to state employees, urging them in a letter last week to encourage their union leaders to consider the concessions. Union leaders considered the governor’s letter as an effort to undercut their authority, and they were furious.

Even as the governor’s poll numbers have dropped, state officials “seem to have hardened their stance and have certainly stepped up their efforts to embarrass us,” Mr. Madarasz said, adding that the unions had little choice but to hit back with full force.

Kenneth Brynien, president of the Public Employees Federation, which has been coordinating the campaign against Mr. Paterson with the civil service union, said the governor was responsible for the aggressiveness of the response.

“This is not the way I like to negotiate,” he said. “But somehow the other side just isn’t listening.”

The heart of the dispute lies in a seemingly bland legal question: should the state’s labor contract with its unions be reopened? The state cannot unilaterally reduce the pay of its unionized workers as it has done with its nonunionized workers. So Mr. Paterson has proposed to renegotiate the contract to eliminate the 3 percent raise that was to go into effect April 1.

Image The union presidents directing the campaign, Kenneth Brynien, left, and Danny Donohue, denounced the governor last week. Above, some images from their commercials. Credit... YouTube

The unions have rejected any cost-cutting achieved through reopening the contracts because they believe it would create a dangerous precedent.