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Public sector unions are bleeding taxpayers dry
BizPacReview ^ | August 30, 2011 | John R. Smith

Posted on 08/30/2011 5:34:43 AM PDT by T.O.K.

For decades I was told by friends who work in government that they were entitled to higher job benefits than private sector workers because they received less salary.

Why is it I don’t hear that anymore? It’s because the numbers decisively show that now most government workers earn more pay than "privates" and earn far more in benefits. In fact, the bennies are four times greater for federal workers than private workers.

Even union-friendly media are turning a critical eye to public sector unions, who throw up picket lines and pack the halls of government to bleed dry the American taxpayer.

Here’s how bad it’s become: the average federal worker earns $119,982 in salary and benefits, while the average private worker earns $59,909.

(Excerpt) Read more at bizpacreview.com ...


TOPICS: Government; Miscellaneous; Politics; Society
KEYWORDS: benefits; jobs; unions
I have gone round and round with my government employed friends, and it's always the same entitlement argument. They can't seem to grasp the "killing of free enterprise" part.
1 posted on 08/30/2011 5:34:47 AM PDT by T.O.K.
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To: T.O.K.
Elected officials have forgotten that they represent taxpayers too, not just themselves and the bureaucracies they control.

Elected officials strike bargains favorable to public sector unions and in return, the public sector unions pledge large sums toward the re-election of same elected officials.

It's a conflict of interest which is self serving for each of those two parties, but detrimental to the taxpayers.

2 posted on 08/30/2011 5:55:42 AM PDT by randita (Obama - chains you can bereave in.)
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To: T.O.K.

When I started working for DoD in the mid 80’s fresh out of college, I was making $7.35/hour. That was just about half of what my peers in the private sector were making.

I was in the Clinton administration that “pay parity” became a big issue and by about 2000, pay including benefits really was at about parity with the private sector, but it didn’t stop. The same pay increases kept coming.

You’ll get no argument from me, I certainly make more as a federal employee now than I could make in the private sector.

Pay should be at least frozen as it now is. I’ve also been telling my coworkers they should plan on a 10% decrease in pay and an increase in health insurance cost.

I have no interest in the house of cards coming down because that’s the house I’m living in. I hope other federal employees realize that.


3 posted on 08/30/2011 6:16:49 AM PDT by seowulf ("If you write a whole line of zeroes, it's still---nothing"...Kira Alexandrovna Argounova)
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To: seowulf
I was in the Clinton administration...

I just want to make it perfectly clear: I was NOT in the Clinton administration!

That I should be It.

4 posted on 08/30/2011 6:19:34 AM PDT by seowulf ("If you write a whole line of zeroes, it's still---nothing"...Kira Alexandrovna Argounova)
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To: seowulf

I love these articles. What is bleeding the government dry is the COST OF HEALTH INSURANCE. What cost $5,000 per year when people retired now cost $15-$20,000. Until the Health Insurance industry is re-structured via buying insurance across state lines, health savings accounts, a la carte buying, portability and tort reform, this problem will continue in both the public and private sector.


5 posted on 08/30/2011 6:41:58 AM PDT by cumbo78
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To: T.O.K.

bttt


6 posted on 08/30/2011 6:51:34 AM PDT by Luigi Vasellini (End the political class.......TERM LIMITS NOW!!!!!!!!!!)
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