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2009-01-11 Home Front Economy

City Employee Pay Is Outpacing Private Sector, Report Says

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Posted by tipper 2009-01-11 08:55|| || Front Page|| [1 views ] Top

#1 Another monster created by unions out of control which have become as destructive as any 'Robber Baron' owner ever was. The elected body of the people is sovereign. There can be no equality between the body as a whole and any subset in standing or negotiations. No public employee has the right to strike against the people. If they don't want to work, then they can seek employment elsewhere. These fundamentals have been thrown out because of the corruption of the political process by the money the union does not use to support its membership, but to buy and own seating representatives just as the Robber Barons did a hundred years ago. Four legs good, two legs better.

Posted by Procopius2k 2009-01-11 09:19|| 2009-01-11 09:19|| Front Page Top

#2 most public agencies will be forced to cut bennies for new employees, privatize non-essential jobs, furloughs, etc. I know ours is - hiring freeze has been in place for a while.

Posted by Frank G">Frank G 2009-01-11 11:02|| 2009-01-11 11:02|| Front Page Top

#3 p2k, hold on a second.

I was a guvmint employee (city of Phoenix, state of AZ) for over ten years. During that time I was a union member, I was specifically NOT allowed to strike. If I would have participated in one, I would have been immediately fired.....and the union would NOT have tried to save my job. I also had times when I couldn't have joined a union if I tried....that jobsite didn't have one and we had to sign an agreement not to have one. (Yep, imagine that!)

Also, one other thing that is not explored in this article is whether or not NYC was making the proper contributions for the past decade (or more) to the pension fund, what their investment mix is, or if they pulled dumb tricks like San Diego's pension fund did that they now have to make up for. (Of course, that would take some research, maybe reading of a dry actuary's report, and the NY Slimes ain't interested in doing that. Better to just paint them all as a bunch of fat, lazy pigs.)

Posted by Cornsilk Blondie 2009-01-11 11:19|| 2009-01-11 11:19|| Front Page Top

#4 Thanks Frank & Blondie. I can testify that Idaho has the same policies; you strike you get fired. I get tired of some blasting in all directions w/r to government employees. I note they are usually the first to bitch and the LAST to compliment good service.

I can also testify that Idaho state employees on average are 15-20% behind the private sector on wages for equivalent work. We have a decent (and properly paid for with co-pay by both employer and employee) but not gold plated health and retirement package. We have managed to keep the politicians sticky fingers out of the retirement funds (they have tried) so with decent management it is still healthy. Funny how decent fiscal policies on the part of both parties minimizes problems and I really sympathize with those who have been torched.

The State's income will be hit this year. There will be programs cut, some layoff's, not filling vacancies. The politicians here are prone to not increase wages when times are GOOD let alone when times are tight.

Posted by tipover 2009-01-11 12:45|| 2009-01-11 12:45|| Front Page Top

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