Many State Legislators think public employees still get too much!

The Associated Press is reporting (full story):

"Sen. Mike Parry of Waseca said he called the hearing in St. Paul to examine new union contracts for state employees..."

"The new contracts negotiated by state officials and the unions contain a 2 percent raise for all state workers starting in January and higher out-of-pocket payments for health care. Some employees are eligible for additional pay increases of up to 3.5 percent based on their level of experience. The state would continue to pay full health insurance premiums for employees and 85 percent for dependents. AFSCME and MAPE members ratified the contracts last month.

Republicans on the panel said they wanted to delve into contract details in an effort to cut spending and restructure government. Sen. Michelle Benson, R-Ham Lake, said she had hoped state negotiators would have pushed harder to save money."

The problem is that the contracts for State public employees were voted on and accepted by both sides and now

 "the subcommittee on employee relations... has the power to temporarily approve or reject the contracts for more than 27,000 workers represented by AFSCME Council 5 and the Minnesota Association of Professional Employees. The panel's decision stands until the full Legislature can vote on the contracts next year. The two-year contracts run through June 2013."

In other words this committee is holding up signing a negotiated contract until 2013! The state workers have had more years of wage freezes then us. 

These politicians have no qualms about freezing wages, steps or even delaying signing negotiated contracts no matter how much public employees are hurt. The State workers even lost 3 weeks pay during the last shut down.

I hope they strike, their contract expired last Dec. 31st.