A grain of truth? Are you kidding? There are employees like this EVERYwhere, not just gov't. and guaranteed raises? I WISH! How old is this video?? State workers here haven't gotten a raise in 5 years! This year, thanks to raising our share of health premiums and copays, we are effectively taking a pay CUT. Videos like this are why citizens remain ignorant about gov't employees and think they can dump on govt employees when there's a budget shortfall.
Sounds like you need to take your beef to the writers at Saturday Night Live. This clip is from this weekend's show. Government workers are still much better off than their counterparts in the private sector. Compensation statistics over the past decade show that. Budget/revenue shortfalls in the private sector mean layoffs and even companies going belly-up. I'll take an effective pay cut any day of the week over that.
Maybe it's different in other parts of the country? Maybe federal jobs are better (more cushy?) than state jobs? I dunno. Where I live, State workers are worse than most in the private sector - at least that's the case for anyone who has any education beyond a high school degree. For me (a licensed CPA with two college degrees) - I am slightly regretting moving to the state - which I did for the family benefits. I took a lower pay than I was making in the private sector. Combined with the benefits at the state - fully paid health insurance (which they just anounced today they are taking away effective 1/1/2011), 4.5 weeks vacation, and 9% to a defined contribution retirement plan (not a pension), made overall TOTAL compensation at the state slightly LOWER than I was making in private industry. But I made the move anyway so I could spend more time with my family. I wanted to get back to 40 hour weeks (which was a lie!) and loved the 4.5 weeks of vacation they offered - and I haven't been able to take even half of that so now I'm facing LOSING it (they don't even pay for unused vacation!). *sigh* Maybe I need to move to another state? ;)
I don't know about your situation in particular. I live in the Washington, DC area and the federal workers get treated pretty darn well. Maryland and Virginia are not as sweet as the feds, but aren't too shabby. Many people retire with full pensions and benefits in their early 50's and start a second career.
I work in the private sector myself. But things aren't all rosy here. In the past 5 years 60% of my department has been laid off, people that have advanced degrees. Jobs continue to be moved to India. Our salaries are about comparable to the feds, but benefits substantially less, and no retirement. We have gotten raises most years, not all, but have had to pick up a larger chunk of healthcare costs each year. I have 3 weeks of vacation, a portion of which I lose every year because we have more work than people, and there is no banking any vacation. 40 hour work week? Haven't seen that in years. Maybe I need to get a fed job.
OK - I know the DC jobs are good - but sorry I couldn't live in an area where the population is 95%+ liberal - there are some just some conditions that can never be compensated enough for dealing with!! ;)
OK - kidding aside - look what came out today: http://money.cnn.com/2010/04/28/news/economy/public_workers_earn_less/index.htm
Not it's not funny, our taxpayer's dollars are at work or obviously not....
ReplyDeleteNo, not funny at all, a bit of an exaggeration, but satire doesn't work unless there is a grain of truth in it.
ReplyDeleteA grain of truth? Are you kidding? There are employees like this EVERYwhere, not just gov't. and guaranteed raises? I WISH! How old is this video?? State workers here haven't gotten a raise in 5 years! This year, thanks to raising our share of health premiums and copays, we are effectively taking a pay CUT. Videos like this are why citizens remain ignorant about gov't employees and think they can dump on govt employees when there's a budget shortfall.
ReplyDeleteSounds like you need to take your beef to the writers at Saturday Night Live. This clip is from this weekend's show. Government workers are still much better off than their counterparts in the private sector. Compensation statistics over the past decade show that. Budget/revenue shortfalls in the private sector mean layoffs and even companies going belly-up. I'll take an effective pay cut any day of the week over that.
ReplyDeleteMaybe it's different in other parts of the country? Maybe federal jobs are better (more cushy?) than state jobs? I dunno. Where I live, State workers are worse than most in the private sector - at least that's the case for anyone who has any education beyond a high school degree. For me (a licensed CPA with two college degrees) - I am slightly regretting moving to the state - which I did for the family benefits. I took a lower pay than I was making in the private sector. Combined with the benefits at the state - fully paid health insurance (which they just anounced today they are taking away effective 1/1/2011), 4.5 weeks vacation, and 9% to a defined contribution retirement plan (not a pension), made overall TOTAL compensation at the state slightly LOWER than I was making in private industry. But I made the move anyway so I could spend more time with my family. I wanted to get back to 40 hour weeks (which was a lie!) and loved the 4.5 weeks of vacation they offered - and I haven't been able to take even half of that so now I'm facing LOSING it (they don't even pay for unused vacation!). *sigh* Maybe I need to move to another state? ;)
ReplyDeleteI don't know about your situation in particular. I live in the Washington, DC area and the federal workers get treated pretty darn well. Maryland and Virginia are not as sweet as the feds, but aren't too shabby. Many people retire with full pensions and benefits in their early 50's and start a second career.
ReplyDeleteI work in the private sector myself. But things aren't all rosy here. In the past 5 years 60% of my department has been laid off, people that have advanced degrees. Jobs continue to be moved to India. Our salaries are about comparable to the feds, but benefits substantially less, and no retirement. We have gotten raises most years, not all, but have had to pick up a larger chunk of healthcare costs each year. I have 3 weeks of vacation, a portion of which I lose every year because we have more work than people, and there is no banking any vacation. 40 hour work week? Haven't seen that in years. Maybe I need to get a fed job.
OK - I know the DC jobs are good - but sorry I couldn't live in an area where the population is 95%+ liberal - there are some just some conditions that can never be compensated enough for dealing with!! ;)
ReplyDeleteOK - kidding aside - look what came out today:
http://money.cnn.com/2010/04/28/news/economy/public_workers_earn_less/index.htm
I guess it all depends on which "expert" you want to listen to: http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2010-03-04-federal-pay_N.htm
ReplyDeletehttp://mjperry.blogspot.com/2010/02/two-americas-public-sector-vs-private.html
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704281204575003101210295246.html
http://www.cato-at-liberty.org/2009/08/24/federal-pay-continues-rapid-ascent/