More than just public workers are suffering in this downturn
State workers are unhappy about the pay cuts proposed in Gov. Markell’s budget plan. They argue that they already work for less money than people in the private sector, and they do this because they receive the benefits, retirement and stability that government jobs offer. It seemed like a fair economic trade, but now they believe the fairness has gone out of that equation.
AdvertisementMy heart goes out to my friends who work in the public sector, but they seem to feel they are being targeted to shoulder all of the burden in this recession. They forget that 1,100 workers at the Newark Chrysler plant are jobless. Those folks started to shoulder this burden back in 2008. Private-sector jobs have been disappearing at Bank of America, General Motors, DuPont, and most other major employers in
Delaware. And yes, those workers were paid on a higher scale than government employees, but they are not being paid on any scale at present.Delaware state law requires that we have a balanced budget. Gov. Markell is seeking ways to achieve that as state revenues drop at unprecedented rates – $721 million in shortfalls buys a whole lot of pain. State employees should be assured that, once the economy returns to whatever normal will be in the future, they can make up lost ground. The idea of making the pay cuts proportional to income should be part of the equation. If employees prefer unpaid time off, that should be considered, along with the reduced services that will result from shorter workweeks. But taking a position that no cuts are acceptable simply isn’t realistic. We are all carrying this burden, public and private sectors alike.
Rebecca Young
Newark