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Feds: Public workers paid better than private workers
ocregister.com ^ | Sept 10 2011 | Teri Sforza, Register staff writer

Posted on 09/12/2011 3:45:19 PM PDT by NoLibZone

Here’s the latest on who makes what from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (whose workers, we’ll point out here, happen to be public employees):

Of course, the amount one earns is a function of the skills and education one possesses. Our colleague Jan Norman tells you a bit more about the breakdown by job type here.

It is often argued that many state and local government workers have higher educations and more specialized skills than private workers; and that the average private worker compensation is dragged down by the large service sector and its low wages.

We also hear from labor union reps — who negotiated these fine pay packages for their members — that jealous private sector workers shouldn’t try to take their benefits away, but should instead try to force private industry to pay better. (Good luck with that, folks.)

Here are the numbers, which resonate in today’s unemployment climate. The amount employers pay for retirement, paid leave and insurance are dramatically higher for public vs. private sector workers.

(Excerpt) Read more at taxdollars.ocregister.com ...


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Extended News; Government
KEYWORDS: benefits; duh; pay; pensions; public; publicunions; seiu; union; unions
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1 posted on 09/12/2011 3:45:21 PM PDT by NoLibZone
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To: NoLibZone

“Amerika’s nomenklatura”
http://www.investors.com/NewsAndAnalysis/Article.aspx?id=528809

For those who remember the old Soviet Union, it was a grim place — at least for average citizens. But not so for those in government. Contrary to the official ideals of equality and a classless society that the ruling communist regime espoused, the USSR created a privileged class of party members inside government — the nomenklatura.
This semipermanent bureaucracy earned higher incomes, got better health care, ate better food and had greater job security than average Russians, the much-despised proletarians. Today, our bloated federal government seems, in significant ways, to be creating this same dynamic.
****************************************************************************************************
BECAUSE THEY’RE ENTITLED TO ALL THAT...


2 posted on 09/12/2011 3:48:02 PM PDT by WOBBLY BOB (My mind is like a steel trap: rusty and illegal in 37 states.)
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To: NoLibZone

It depents on the job. I made a lot more, both salary and benefits, in the private sector.

I also had more freedom for creativity.


3 posted on 09/12/2011 3:48:09 PM PDT by mom4melody
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To: NoLibZone

Surprise, civil service unions have removed all fiscal reality from civil service compensation. If state bookkeepers’ pay were tied to private bookkeepers’ pay, for instance, things would be fairer (in an absolute sense) as well as easier on the taxpayer.


4 posted on 09/12/2011 4:01:37 PM PDT by HiTech RedNeck (There's gonna be a Redneck Revolution! (See my freep page) [rednecks come in many colors])
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To: HiTech RedNeck
Virtually ALL government jobs are classified, and those classifications are tied to private sector comparable jobs.

Wage and salary determinations are, in general, based on the same marketability for a person with a given education and experience for a specific job.

You already won that battle years and years ago. Unions have little input into job classifications.

Now, what about CEOs? How do you work them into the mix? Did you try? Do you know if there are any resources available so we can see what they are comparable to in the government?

For example, with federal employees there's only ONE CEO ~ the President. Your typical mid range corporate lawyer makes more than the President.

5 posted on 09/12/2011 4:58:14 PM PDT by muawiyah
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To: muawiyah

I think that argument can be made for those working for the Federal government. In other words, about half of those employed by the Federal government.


6 posted on 09/12/2011 5:35:37 PM PDT by MontaniSemperLiberi (Moutaineers are Always Free)
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To: MontaniSemperLiberi
You can probably say that for virtually everyone working for any government at any level ~ with this exception ~ some retirement plans are CRIMINAL IN NATURE. They were not established for competitive purposes but to enrich the city/county council members who were incidentally beneficiaries.

Simple solution ~ PROHIBIT all elected officials from participating in any scheme of remuneration that delays income (which is what retirement pay really is).

Just ban it.

If they want to steal let them try it NOW, not in some far distant future when they're just an account to which electronic checks are written.

7 posted on 09/12/2011 6:09:38 PM PDT by muawiyah
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To: decimon; AdmSmith; AnonymousConservative; Berosus; bigheadfred; Bockscar; ColdOne; ...

Thanks NoLibZone. This gets a “No Sh*t” award nomination for the week.


8 posted on 09/12/2011 6:10:46 PM PDT by SunkenCiv (It's never a bad time to FReep this link -- https://secure.freerepublic.com/donate/)
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To: muawiyah

A) It’s an old joke. (Q: How many people at the (name agency) work for the federal government? A: About half.)

B) I would say from experience that Federal workers are overpaid from the oldest to youngest.


9 posted on 09/12/2011 6:13:45 PM PDT by MontaniSemperLiberi (Moutaineers are Always Free)
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To: MontaniSemperLiberi
Go tell that to your local letter carrier some winter when he shows up at 30 below in a foot of snow.

Tell him he's overpaid.

10 posted on 09/12/2011 6:44:14 PM PDT by muawiyah
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To: muawiyah

Why would I start an argument for no reason?

On the other hand, I’m confident that I could hire people to do that job for less. Give me a year to weed out those who got hired but aren’t up to the job, I could save 1/3 of the current salaries and beni’s I think.

What do you think?


11 posted on 09/12/2011 7:02:13 PM PDT by MontaniSemperLiberi (Moutaineers are Always Free)
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To: MontaniSemperLiberi
Probably not.

Let's say we stick just to letter carriers ~ they're just less than 10% of the total federal work force.

They don't make $129,000 per annum ~ let's just get that out of the way ~ and they are in prime health due to working jobs that require not only being able to lift 70 lbs, but doing so frequently.

For the most part they work outdoors.

They have to be able to read, write, and speak in ENGLISH. Whatever else they speak is their problem, but they have to do that in English on the job.

Their supervisors are supplied by the United States government.

I think that right there is your first problem ~ government supplied supervisors ~ hmmm.

And what is it you imagine you could do to a quarter million people to "weed out those aren't up to the job".

You could save 1/3 of the salaries?

Really, I don't think you have the slightest idea of the scale of the situation. Plus you have to manage the world's largest motor vehicle fleet!

12 posted on 09/12/2011 7:08:50 PM PDT by muawiyah
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To: SunkenCiv

Thanks, Civ.

“This gets a “No Sh*t” award nomination for the week.”

I thought my thread was getting the nomination.


13 posted on 09/12/2011 7:26:36 PM PDT by decimon
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To: NoLibZone

Bookmark


14 posted on 09/12/2011 7:28:38 PM PDT by dragnet2 (Diversion and evasion are tools of deceit)
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To: mom4melody
Americans are being gang raped and robbed by government employees at all levels.

This isn't debatable.

15 posted on 09/12/2011 7:30:26 PM PDT by dragnet2 (Diversion and evasion are tools of deceit)
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To: muawiyah

I would. But he won’t deliver mail if there is 4 inches of snow, and if I don’t plow out the mail box from where the city packed it in. Of course I still have to work, so that might not happen until I get home.


16 posted on 09/12/2011 7:46:39 PM PDT by redgolum ("God is dead" -- Nietzsche. "Nietzsche is dead" -- God.)
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To: muawiyah

I would. But he won’t deliver mail if there is 4 inches of snow, and if I don’t plow out the mail box from where the city packed it in. Of course I still have to work, so that might not happen until I get home.


17 posted on 09/12/2011 7:46:56 PM PDT by redgolum ("God is dead" -- Nietzsche. "Nietzsche is dead" -- God.)
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To: muawiyah

I would. But he won’t deliver mail if there is 4 inches of snow, and if I don’t plow out the mail box from where the city packed it in. Of course I still have to work, so that might not happen until I get home.


18 posted on 09/12/2011 7:47:12 PM PDT by redgolum ("God is dead" -- Nietzsche. "Nietzsche is dead" -- God.)
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To: redgolum
I have a deal with my letter carrier. He knows I'm a retired postal worker so when we have 4 feet of snow he clears my drive and walk for me and hand delivers the mail.

Great guy.

He's retiring this year.

19 posted on 09/12/2011 7:53:54 PM PDT by muawiyah
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To: muawiyah

Your points are reasonable and fair. The only thing I’d add is that federal agencies have almost no ability to “right size” as a private company can, meaning many more people stay employed than may be necessary.


20 posted on 09/12/2011 8:22:53 PM PDT by ConservativeMind ("Humane" = "Don't pen up pets or eat meat, but allow infanticide, abortion, and euthanasia.")
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