Pennsylvania state workers go without pay

[Hannah Bell]

More than half of Pennsylvania’s state employees—some 44,000 workers—received only two days pay last Friday for a pay period that normally covers two weeks. Many workers did not receive any pay at all, because deductions for healthcare, dental and other benefits were taken out in full.

This Friday the other 33,000 state workers will receive no money in their paycheck. State employees have been working without pay since July 1 as a result of the inability of Pennsylvania State Legislature and Governor Ed Rendell to reach a budget agreement.

The US Labor Department has launched an investigation to determine if the state is in violation of the Fair Labor Standards Act after receiving calls from more than 1,500 angry state employees. The US Labor Department has stopped taking any more calls and added a message on their hotline that they are investigating the issue...

Last week Governor Rendell stated that under state law he is prevented from paying workers when there is no budget, and that his only other option would be to implement mass furloughs until a budget agreement is reached. On Monday, Rendell backed away from this threat, saying he would seek an interim budget that would allow state employees to be paid this Friday. Rendell has not made any proposal yet on what that would be or how it would work.

Rendell has arrogantly said that state workers should take out personal loans to hold them over during the payless paydays, and that if workers credit rating prevented them from securing a loan it was their own fault...

http://www.wsws.org/articles/2009/jul2009/penn-j30.shtml

[Skink]

1. Those state run Insurance co ops are lokking better all the time.

[abumbyanyothername]

2. This is the kind of thing that sparks

the revolution.

[realisticphish]

3. That's a justification for an immediate strike

As in, tomorrow. That is, assuming the Labor Department doesn't get in gear.

And "wear purple shirts?" Seriously? They need new union leadership.

I understand that the budget is fucked up (we don't have it much better in Ohio), but this is ridiculous.

[noamnety]

4. I knew before clicking that lawmakers were being paid

"While state workers are working without pay, state lawmakers and their aides are still getting paid. Lawmakers, while technically not receiving a salary, are receiving $158-a-day stipends and are able to claim expenses, while their aides are being paid from a fund set up for this purpose."

[Hannah Bell]

5. what a surprise.

[old mark]

6. I was a PA state employee under both Republican and Democratic

governors, including Fast Eddie Rendell. He is a pig. We had the worst contract negotiation in our history under Rendell - we were told NOTHING was on the table and every item had to be re-negotiated, taking weeks longer than usual and resulting in less income and worse health insurance for us and our families. This an annual occurance, not having a budget in time, and the employees are always the place where the money flow is tightened. Rendell has a PA State website where he brags about how little PA state employees are paid and how few of us work for the state than in other states - this is meant to encourage business into the state. He has another website that praises his every move - this one is sent every month to all state employees with access to computers.

He did the same thing to city workers when he was mayor of Philly.

mark

ADDED: I was an AFSCME steward for years - the unions have some sort of agreement with the state and cause the state no trouble - they would never dream of striking, and would fire any worker who seriously suggested it. They are bought and paid for.

[old mark]

7. PA State legislators have other things on their to do list before the year ends -

they are voting on another pay raise for themselves and the other elected officials and judges.
Bet they get that done quick enough, probably at midnight as they have done in the recent past.

One of the most crooked legislatures in the nation.

mark

[PA Democrat]

8. PA has the second largest legislature in the country with 253 members

and its members are among the highest paid in the country. I really don't feel that we get good value for what we spend.

[PRETZEL]

9. It's also trickling down to the county/local level also

I work for a county agency.

Our budget is over 90% grant funded through the state.

We've stopped paying providers.

I'm hearing a budget may not pass til Sept.

Alot of people could be seriously effected, not just workers.