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Just two days after an early budget deal, the backlash against cuts to schools is gaining momentum.

"Somehow the mayor and others think we are faceless. They think the teachers are everything, but we are somebody too," said DC 37 Executive Director Lillian Roberts.

The protests are against cuts that union leaders say will lead to layoffs for 2,600 nonteaching school employees, people like school aids, family counselors and hall monitors.

The protest quickly turned political with union members threatening to use their votes to protest on election day.

"We are going to vote with that power. We are going to vote with that power," said DC 37, Local 372 President Veronica Montgomery Costa.

It didn't hurt that the mayor's chief Democratic rival -- City Comptroller Bill Thompson -- was on hand to fire up the crowd as well as his own campaign. Thompson is Bloomberg's main challenger in the mayor's race, but is struggling to reach New Yorkers, many of whom say they haven't heard enough from him to have an opinion.

"We aren't going to take this. As a matter of fact, I heard a chant before. 'Who has to go? Bloomberg. Who has to go? Bloomberg.' We have to let everyone know you are a part of the school community," said Thompson.

An aide to Mayor Bloomberg says it is too early to know exactly how many layoffs will results from the cuts. Principals have been ordered to trim their school budgets by nearly four percent, but until they turn in their budget plans, the final figure is up in the air.

In a statement, Bloomberg spokesman Marc LaVorgna said, "We have to reduce spending due to the financial crisis. When cuts have to occur in the school system, we want them to occur outside of the classroom and there will be no teachers being impacted."

Those who took part in the rally say they want to remind the mayor that non-teachers have faces, names and votes.