Posted on 12/23/2008 7:47:20 AM PST by SmithL
Elnora Fretwell, a state employee for two decades, has lived it before: furloughs, layoffs and IOUs.
"Every year, there seems to always be something," she said, her words flowing quickly, her voice reflecting frustration over the latest furlough proposals and a state budget crisis that just won't go away.
"It's Christmas. I have to pay my bills. I'd be taking a $300 to $400 pay cut. I've got a mortgage to pay," said Fretwell, a supervisor at the California State Teachers' Retirement System. "These furloughs? All of us are fair game."
She knows there's a $40 billion budget gap. She knows there won't be any easy solutions – not when the governor and legislators can't agree on the details needed to hammer out a spending plan.
But Fretwell didn't mince words: "We feel like pawns."
On Friday, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger ordered furloughs for most state employees – two days of unpaid time off every month, beginning Feb. 1 – and put state workers on notice that layoffs could be coming.
The governor's action was aimed at cutting up to 10 percent from the general fund payroll. Furloughs could save $1.3 billion over 17 months, while $2 billion could be saved annually by chopping employment by 10 percent.
It is unclear, though, how much Schwarzenegger's plan will actually save. State officials can't say how many of the more than 230,000 state employees will be exempted from furloughs.
Workers and union representatives also question the impact that cutting work time by 10 percent will have on their ability to provide services.
(Excerpt) Read more at sacbee.com ...
"Show me just what Mohammed brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached." - Manuel II Palelologus
How many call in absent on a given day?
We the people, that pay her salary, have to deal with the same uncertainty every day.
Gee, it’s reallllly tough being a “state worker.” Most of the government jobs I’m aware of have decent pay, predictable increases in salary, excellent benefits/pensions, and generous vacation/sick days.
Plus, how is what this guy’s going through new to people in the private sector?
Tax increases stimulate the economy too!
You read every day about the private sector laying off thousands of workers - no furlough, no “cut in hours during the crisis.”
To the whiney state worker who “this isn’t supposed to happen to” - welcome to the NFL.
No worries. She shouldn't have a hard time getting a job in the DPS (Dreaded Private Sector).
Just think what the taxpayers feel like...
Yes she do.
My guess is the bulk of the salary dollars go to highly paid “administrators” and department heads who are generally appointed political hacks who do nothing except pull in high paying salaries and extravagant benefits at the taxpayer’s expense. Rank and file government beaurocrats generally receieve low salaries commensurate with expectations from them.
There will be a revolution...People with no pensions, health benefits, etc. are constantly asked to give up more of their hard earned money to support government workers extravagant retirement packages. Packages that the average private sector worker could only dream of. IT ISN’T FAIR and it has to end.
Indeed, I have no sympathy for people who live off of other peoples paychecks and produce nothing.
They made their choice to go into the private sector years ago. It's not like government jobs are a new concept.
“”It’s Christmas. I have to pay my bills. I’d be taking a $300 to $400 pay cut. I’ve got a mortgage to pay,” said Fretwell, a supervisor at the California State Teachers’ Retirement System. “These furloughs? All of us are fair game.””
Dear Ms. Fretwell,
Keep voting for Democrats and pretty soon you will be out of a job. One day you will wake up to learn that you were a useful idiot of the left.
Regards
EQ
It sure solved things in the 1930’s.
The 1930’s were proof of this.
But Fretwell didn't mince words: "We feel like pawns."Just think what the taxpayers feel like...
You got that right. When I started work in 1982, my employer had over 65,000 employees in town. We are now down to less than 9,000. In the last ten years, we have had at least one layoff per year, often two. We already know that there will be more next year. It has been difficult for those who left. It has also been terribly difficult and depressing for those who remain. Who do people think generate the revenue to pay severance packages? The mantras in our workplace are "do more with less" and "take cost out of the system."
As we taxpayers experience this environment, expenditures at the federal, state, and municipal have risen steadily. Our co-pays and premiums for health insurance have risen at double digit rates while the unionized public workers have been immune to this. It's time for public employees to face the fact that the perfect storm of globalization and economic difficulties have changed the revenue stream that pays their salaries. Change is coming whether they like it or not. They can get on board and offer some concessions and know they got the best outcome possible given the circumstances. Or, they can dig in their heels and someone else will force the situation and I guarantee they won't like the outcome. One can say the same thing to the UAW too...
That is true...but in the old days government jobs were lower paying, but the benefits were thought to make up for it. That’s no longer the case. Like a failing business, the entire model must be reevaluated.
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