State workers tell Missouri lawmakers: Stop stealing from us (disabled, children, senior citizens)

[Omaha Steve]

http://peoplesworld.org/state-workers-tell-missouri-lawmakers-stop-stealing-from-us/

by: Tony Pecinovsky

April 1 2011



JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. - "We are here to let these people know what is really going on," said Missouri State Workers' Union (MSWU-CWA 6355) president Bradley Harmon to about 250 union members here on the Capital steps March 30.

"If you want good services, you have to stop stealing from public employees," he yelled as legislators continue to debate taking away workers' rights through so-called right-to-work and pay check deception legislation.

"You have to stop stealing from the disabled, from children, and from senior citizens," Harmon continued. "Everyday our work is vital to the state of Missouri. Without us Missouri stops."

The MSWU and the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) called the lobby day to bring attention to Missouri's public workers, the worst paid public workers in the nation. The average public worker in Missouri makes about $32,000 annually and hasn't had a pay raise in three years.

Additionally, last year state workers agreed to contribute 4 percent of their salaries to their pensions, the state mileage rate was cut to $.37 cents and out-of-pockets health care costs have increased with higher premiums and deductibles.

Over the past year over 3,000 state worker jobs have been cut, but the state's budget problems persist.

FULL story at link.

[aquart]

1. Greedy thieves.

[iemitsu]

2. its the same everywhere.

we need to keep hearing this message. people will not put up with being ripped off this way forever.

[xmas74]

3. I have a friend working in a state position.

She said that the job cuts will be worse as it goes on. She said that they are feeling the threat every single day and that her supervisor is using those worries as a threat towards the employees.

It's all about the school yard bully antics.