More States And Cities Turn To Worker Furlough Idea To Cut Budgets

[Omaha Steve]

http://www.laborradio.org/node/10579

More States And Cities Turn To Worker Furlough Idea To Cut Budgets - 02/26/09

The concept of a worker furlough as a cost saving measure continues to spread across the country. Jesse Russell reports:

According to the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities 46 states in the union are staring down budget deficits. As a result many have turned to the concept of a worker furlough to bridge some of the gap. The most publicized furlough fight is in California where Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger wants state workers to take two unpaid furloughs per month. West Virginia’s state auditor Glen Gainer told the West Virginia Gazette that he believes his state should consider the option, but that state doesn’t currently have a provision that would allow for temporary furloughs. It isn’t just state’s utilizing furloughs as a cost saving measure. This week Lynchburg, Virginia voted to furlough 1,200 city workers for two-and-a-half days and cut pay by 3 percent. The furloughs add an additional pay cut of 1 percent. Norfolk, Virginia is also considering worker furloughs to close a deficit gap. The Virginian-Pilot reported this week that City Manager Regina Williams has said unpaid furloughs may be likely.

[pinto]

1. The approach is raising a lot of crticism here in CA.