Minimum Wage for CA State Workers?

[chanel]

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Some California state workers are preparing to tap into their savings while others already are cutting expenses as Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's minimum wage order moved one step closer to reality.

On Friday, the Schwarzenegger administration won an appellate court ruling saying it has the authority to impose the federal minimum wage of $7.25 an hour on more than 200,000 state workers as California wrestles with its latest budget crisis. It was not immediately clear if the state controller, who cuts state paychecks on a decades-old payroll system, will comply. The office says its computers are unable to make the change until an upgrade is completed in two years.

The loss of wages — even temporarily — for such a large work force would deal an especially harsh blow to the capital region, where one out of 10 workers is a state government employee.

A cut to a minimum wage would mean state workers would make the equivalent of $15,000 a year. The average state worker makes $65,000 annually, according to the state Department of Personnel Administration.

The Associated Press: Calif. state workers brace for minimum wage

Wow. If this goes through, I predict states across the country will follow suit. Comments?

 

[Oddball]

None of them should make any more than minimum wage.

And AFSCME should be run out of business, too.
[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_3mw49mk_x0[/ame]

 

[strollingbones]

it was my understanding that this is a stop gap measure until the state passes a budget....when the budget passes they will get back pay....i could be wrong....

 

[chanel]

No. I think you are right. But I doubt CA's problems will be fixed in the near future. And as a public employee myself, no govt. has ever said, "We have extra money now, so here's a raise". It's about contracts and collective bargaining, etc.

I realize desperate times require desperate measures, but I am fearful this might set a precedent - including teachers. I would not do my job for minimum wage, nor would 99% of the people I work with. They pay better at Wendy's and you are allowed to hit back.

 

[strollingbones]

so i take it you dont agree with the assholes comments about that is what you are worth?

i am always amazed at how willing people are to pay sports stars big bucks but those who educate your kids have to beg for pennies....again just a case of messed up priorities

 

[editec]

Gonna end in disaster if they do.

 

[Oddball]

Fornicalia is already a disaster.

 

[Wry Catcher]

Arnold was elected to fix an economic problem and managed to exacerbate it. During his tenure he and the members in the state legislature passed responsibilities to local government and special districts while raiding their revenue.
There are systemic issues which ought to be fixed by Congress, such as revenue sharing, where our state sends more to Washington then we receive, and our costs related to the arrests, court costs, and incarcertion of illegal immigrants, are only a few examples.
Of course the Republicans in the Assembly and Senate refuse to consider raising taxes, and this leads to huge deficits, gridlock on our roadways, impossible long delays in getting a budget and (as is true of all conservatives) R's offer no ideas or suggestion on ways to fix what is wrong except "cut the fat".
The 'fat' was cut long ago, especially from local governmental agencies.
California has a personal income tax, it ought to be raised to fix an aging infrastructure, provide greater access to public transportation, make community college, CSU and UC systems more afforable, and stop sending so many of our dollars to Washington. Dollars paid in state income tax are dollars saved when paying the IRS.
We have a myriad of problems here, problems ignored for decades - since the passage of Prop. 13 which changed the entire process.
Today we are faced with a geater problem, Meg Whitman may buy the office of Governor. Those who believe we have problems now may see worse in the near future if she manages to fool enough people. It's not time to hire an amateur who is also an ideologue making promises on issues and a process she does not understand.

 

[Oddball]

Hiring an amateur ideologue was good enough for ya, when it came to putting one into the White House.