Letter to the Editor
State shutdown?
Published Saturday, March 15, 2008
Digg
delicious
Facebook
Mixx
Reddit
Stumble It!March 10, 2008
To the editor:
Soon, the state’s Supervisory Union will make a decision about striking. But consider for a moment that any shutdown could affect summer projects, foster parents, unemployment, job service, etc.
Consider that Office of Children Services is up against a Federal Audit again in September. Consider that the New Jersey Legislature contemplated having to give back as much as 10 percent of $70 million dollars of federal funding for foster care. And consider that the state of Alaska receives far more than the $70 million that New Jersey gets.
And consider that other state contracts may choose to not cross the picket line. That line stretches across every state office.
Supervisors sign off on daily decisions. Without decisions from supervisors, what work gets done for the state of Alaska?
Consider that the Supervisor’s Union is asking for a fair wage. Now the public may be thinking that state workers make far more than most non-state jobs pay. Non-state jobs are individually negotiated.
Others may wonder what constitutes a fair wage when state workers are making so much more than the private sector. What constitutes a fair wage is a wage negotiated, and when negotiated it becomes a contract.
Gov.s Sarah Palin signed Administrative Order No. 237 (AO 237) on Aug. 24 to address how the state of Alaska can continue to assure its professional work force. The report addresses the fact that the state is behind federal government wages by 24 percent — and that does not even begin to address how much state workers are behind inflation over the last 20 years.
Those considering an outcry about what the state pays out in wages must contemplate the state being run by unqualified workers, workers without advanced degrees. But the state is not willing to contract for a fair wage for supervisors. The supervisor’s union is asking for a wage that makes up for past wage deficiencies. Wages that were negotiated and agreed to because union members were sympathetic about state budget shortfalls. But the time is good now for the state to make good on a fair wage.
Community Discussion
Newsminer.com doesn't necessarily condone the comments here, nor does it review every post. Read our full user's agreement.
What do they make now? What is a "fair" wage?
If supervisors are decisionmakers, doesn't that make them management?
When over half of the jobs in Alaska are government jobs we have a problem. If we got rid of half the State jobs that would be a good start to building a diversified economy.
Fairbanksgas is correct. We have a problem. What is it called when the majority of people work for the government? Some call it socialism, some call it communism. Alaska is a place for hard working independent people.
Alright then all you independently minded alaskan private workers, who do you think manages all the land and leases and contracts that allow you to get a big fat check every year in Oct? Who do you think is managing all the timber lands in order to provide an alternative fuel source to alleviate some of the high oil prices we're all being hit with. Who do you think is putting out all the fires and saving all the cabins out there every summer? Come on people, it takes bodies to get work done, and we're not attracting any lately, and you are going to start feeling it when fires burn, the oil companies keep more of our money, and businesses look elsewhere to invest because our state government doesn't have quality people running it.
Didn't they vote to accept the contract? It kinda hosed them, not even keeping up with cost of living, but looks like they took it anyway.
Health insurance, 40-hour work weeks, very little chance of firing/replacement, high wages, every holiday off, paid leave-of-absences, sick leave....yeah, they got hosed.
Post a comment
Commenting requires registration.