Comments on: ’Tis the Season to Give. Back. http://domemagazine.com/makingsausage/ts1209 Covering Michigan's People, Politics, and Policy Fri, 10 Feb 2012 16:26:24 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Nick Ciaramitaro http://domemagazine.com/makingsausage/ts1209/comment-page-1#comment-271 Nick Ciaramitaro Sun, 03 Jan 2010 17:29:04 +0000 http://domemagazine.com/?p=421#comment-271 Tom, one would expect you to get your facts straight. Government jobs have remained unchanged? Federal Bureau of Labor statistics show that state and local government (excluding education which is accounted for with health care) lost more jobs in Michigan than any other state from 2005 to 2008 -- the last year for which statistics are final. And state government saw a decline of over 10,000 state employees in the last decade. That is about 20% of the total (just list construction and manufacturing. In past recessions, the public sector was used to mitigate the demand decline generated by job loss. This time, it is exacerbating the problem. Government workers make less than private sector workers with a similar level of education and few private sector CEO's live on what we pay our top public sector managers. National statistics demonstrate that health care benefits for state employees in Michigan are comparable to those paid in the surrounding states. And concessions has been the rule of the day at local government bargaining tables. While government can not be "immune" from the decline in the economy, public sector employees are being asked to "do more with less" that is serving more and more needs with fewer and fewer numbers for less compensation. Public sector workers are willing to do their fair share but can't be expected to shoulder the burden alone. Tom, one would expect you to get your facts straight. Government jobs have remained unchanged? Federal Bureau of Labor statistics show that state and local government (excluding education which is accounted for with health care) lost more jobs in Michigan than any other state from 2005 to 2008 — the last year for which statistics are final. And state government saw a decline of over 10,000 state employees in the last decade. That is about 20% of the total (just list construction and manufacturing. In past recessions, the public sector was used to mitigate the demand decline generated by job loss. This time, it is exacerbating the problem.

Government workers make less than private sector workers with a similar level of education and few private sector CEO’s live on what we pay our top public sector managers.

National statistics demonstrate that health care benefits for state employees in Michigan are comparable to those paid in the surrounding states.

And concessions has been the rule of the day at local government bargaining tables.

While government can not be “immune” from the decline in the economy, public sector employees are being asked to “do more with less” that is serving more and more needs with fewer and fewer numbers for less compensation. Public sector workers are willing to do their fair share but can’t be expected to shoulder the burden alone.

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