Republican Leader Speaks Out Against Pay Hikes
Sacramento, CA — The Republican leader in the state Senate is voicing out against pay raises approved for public employees.
As reported previously, lawmakers approved AB1377 earlier this month, which will give state workers of Employees International Union Local 1000 a 4.5% pay increase starting July 1, 2015. The group has 95,000 members. Proponents noted that the raises were approved because the state is on better financial ground than year’s past.
“There are 18 other union contracts up for negotiation this year, and they are going to push for the same deal,” says Bob Huff, Senate Republican leader. “The total cost would be about a billion dollars.”
Senator Huff says that state employee costs for pay and benefits have risen by $2.2 billion since 2006-2007, and the total cost of state employee salaries and benefits now stands at $15.7 billion. He argues that this trend has occurred while public safety and education programs were cut during the recession.
The pay increase for Union Local 1000, the largest in the state, was negotiated with Governor Jerry Brown’s office.
