State Workers Will Start 4-Day Work Week

Working only 4 days per week? Sounds great! But there is a catch, - 5% pay cut, not a good deal in today’s economy. California public employees’ union, SEIU Local 1000’s member-elected bargaining team voted Tuesday to accept Gov. Brown’s request to meet over his proposal for a four-day work week. The union team will meet with the state in early June 2012 to bargain solutions and produce a “side letter” agreement related to the costs of providing state services to all Californians. California is experiencing a $16 billion shortfall in revenue. Gov. Brown’s May revise budget proposes many painful cuts, not only to state workers, but to Californians in general. He has proposed reducing state employee compensation $839 million (5%) - and has asked all labor unions representing state workers to come to the table. His proposal includes the implementation of a four-day, 38.5-hour workweek to achieve his 5% savings goal. considering budget crisis, the union agreed that it’s better to be aggressive participants in the effort to find solutions to achieve savings. By staying engaged, state employees minimize the potential for a huge number of layoffs and even deeper cuts in vital services, like education and the programs that serve California’s most needy. Public workers, already paid less than private sectors, are always the first victims by budget cuts in California. In the past years, they have been furloughed with more than 5% salary cuts, plus cuts on holidays and benefits. I guess they’ll suffer continuously until the economy turns around. workers sector