I hope y'all survived the cuts. I've not heard if anyone from the Sun thread or here has been laid off but I assume we all escaped this particular set of cuts.
Please take the 35.5 hour work week fairly seriously and prepare for that in event it occurs. I'm hearing it from people who would know and am being told it would be effective July 1st if approved by the legislature. It would be a huge pay cut for everyone so it is something people who can retire should consider and those who can't need to plan financially. Just a word of advice. A 2 billion dollar deficit is not going to leave us unscathed and it makes sense for him to do it this way. He wouldn't be laying off ... the employees would be choosing to leave or stay.
Hopefully, the job market will perk up a bit prior to next July and those of us that want out, will be able to get out.
Friday, November 20, 2009
Thursday, November 19, 2009
Would Maryland Government Workers Threaten a Strike?
http://marylandpoliticsblog.wordpress.com/2009/08/04/would-maryland-government-workers-threaten-a-strike/
Can someone please explain to me what the writer of this articles means by this:
The problem AFSCME faces is they can’t stand up for state employees without hurting county employees and vice versa. The only consistency is that AFSCME has buckled every time before the budget ax, and you will be struck by lightening before Pat Moran approves a strike.
Can someone please explain to me what the writer of this articles means by this:
The problem AFSCME faces is they can’t stand up for state employees without hurting county employees and vice versa. The only consistency is that AFSCME has buckled every time before the budget ax, and you will be struck by lightening before Pat Moran approves a strike.
Wednesday, November 18, 2009
The Official Post from Today's Sun on the BPW Meeting Today
O'Malley planning more ways to close budget gap
Taxes from BGE deal, job cuts, layoffs, fund transfers part of deal
http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/bal-md.budget18nov18,0,992403.story
Taxes from BGE deal, job cuts, layoffs, fund transfers part of deal
http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/bal-md.budget18nov18,0,992403.story
Dozens of layoffs to be announced today
That was the announcement on Channel 13 this morning.
The unions have been and are lying to workers. The unions have no power to stop any of this but say they are saving jobs and negotiating. Thats BS.
I knew it all along and kept saying it. This proves it and yes, I am gloating.
The unions have been and are lying to workers. The unions have no power to stop any of this but say they are saving jobs and negotiating. Thats BS.
I knew it all along and kept saying it. This proves it and yes, I am gloating.
Tuesday, November 17, 2009
The Rumor Mill
There was an article in the paper today that O'Malley was not going to have a press conference ahead of the BPW meeting tomorrow. I also read an article that 3 loads of disabled individuals showed up at a school where Franchot was going to be today but Franchot was and hour and a half late due to traffic on I70 (ya think? or, do ya think he was warned they were there?)
The disabled are very worried they are going to get hit again and I am sure that O'Malley doesn't want them wheeling people in wheelchairs into the meeting tomorrow although I do think there will be some there because they were there 8/26th when I was there.
I know for a fact there are going to be layoffs ... I do not know the extent of them. I doubt whether that will change overnight ... but I spoke with someone in the know today and they are coming.
I need to tell you that you cannot believe anything that any of the approved unions are telling you ... they lie. We will know tomorrow and, I am telling you what we have been told by the union and what was in the newspaper over the weekend was a lie. If I am proven correct I will certainly be gloating about it at the sunpaper thread.
It's going to get worse before it gets better. There is a 2 billion deficit for 2011 and I am hearing between 10-12% in pay cuts for us. I also heard that would be in the form of reducing the work week back to 35.5 hours ... just rumors.
The disabled are very worried they are going to get hit again and I am sure that O'Malley doesn't want them wheeling people in wheelchairs into the meeting tomorrow although I do think there will be some there because they were there 8/26th when I was there.
I know for a fact there are going to be layoffs ... I do not know the extent of them. I doubt whether that will change overnight ... but I spoke with someone in the know today and they are coming.
I need to tell you that you cannot believe anything that any of the approved unions are telling you ... they lie. We will know tomorrow and, I am telling you what we have been told by the union and what was in the newspaper over the weekend was a lie. If I am proven correct I will certainly be gloating about it at the sunpaper thread.
It's going to get worse before it gets better. There is a 2 billion deficit for 2011 and I am hearing between 10-12% in pay cuts for us. I also heard that would be in the form of reducing the work week back to 35.5 hours ... just rumors.
State Tax Collections Still Sliding
But October data show improvement over September
http://www.gazette.net/stories/11162009/polinew173422_32535.shtml
http://www.gazette.net/stories/11162009/polinew173422_32535.shtml
STATE WORKERS TOWN HALL MEETING
FOR ALL STATE EMPLOYEES
TOWN HALL MEETING
THIS IS YOUR CHANCE TO SPEAK OUT
MONDAY, NOVEMBER 23, 2009
5:00 – 7:00 P.M.
DBM AUDITORIUM
300 W. PRESTON STREET
*LIGHT FARE WILL BE SERVED
Our second furlough day for the 8/26th cuts is Wednesday, November 25th in case you forgot why your paycheck is less than it used to be.
TOWN HALL MEETING
THIS IS YOUR CHANCE TO SPEAK OUT
MONDAY, NOVEMBER 23, 2009
5:00 – 7:00 P.M.
DBM AUDITORIUM
300 W. PRESTON STREET
*LIGHT FARE WILL BE SERVED
Our second furlough day for the 8/26th cuts is Wednesday, November 25th in case you forgot why your paycheck is less than it used to be.
Monday, November 16, 2009
The Latest Rumor
Today I heard a rumor that for FY 2011 they are discussing putting us back on a 35.5 hour workweek. JUST A RUMOR. I did the math. That is almost a 12% decrease in pay.
I'm telling y'all if you can retire, I'd do it now rather than later. If they do a permanent across the board pay cut, your pensions are going to be affected. Up until this point, none of this has affected your pension.
I'm telling y'all if you can retire, I'd do it now rather than later. If they do a permanent across the board pay cut, your pensions are going to be affected. Up until this point, none of this has affected your pension.
Ban Government Employee Unions
Examiner Editorial November 16, 2009
http://www.washingtonexaminer.com/opinion/Ban-government-employee-unions-8528271.html
http://www.washingtonexaminer.com/opinion/Ban-government-employee-unions-8528271.html
Sunday, November 15, 2009
Good Luck This Week
I just want to wish each and every State worker viewing this blog good luck this week. I hope none of us are on the lay off lists. I pray that my feeling that there will be lay offs is wrong and if it isn't, I pray that anyone losing their job this week is given some kind of assistance in transitioning to unemployment.
That being said, it is rumored that there will be layoffs. It is rumored more cuts in pay. You all know the drill about the rumors. They are hard to endure.
We, as State employees, some of whom have been serving the public for well more than 20 years, are not being treated like the human beings we are. That, on top of everything else, makes the situation less tolerable and more stressful.
We State workers have been dealing with these issues since November of last year. We were then told if slots didn't win, there would be layoffs and furloughs. Slots won and there were still furloughs, which became our Christmas gift in 2008. A few months later, they took away COLA, Increments and match to 401K. We were hit again in August with not only furloughs but layoffs. We are to be hit again this week. Every hit that comes our way hurts yet another human being working for the state, a co-worker of ours. Some of our co-workers have had utilities turned off, you know, the people working for near poverty level wages who are single parents. Some are hanging by a thread and whatever hits that come our way this week, could just be the hit that breaks that thread for them.
I am very disappointed that not more people are willing to speak up about this. It is disheartening to say the least. By not speaking up, you are hindering any ability that we, as a group, might have to get someone to listen to our plight.
Once again, good luck to all this week. We will all need it. Sadder days are ahead for us unless you're willing to speak up.
That being said, it is rumored that there will be layoffs. It is rumored more cuts in pay. You all know the drill about the rumors. They are hard to endure.
We, as State employees, some of whom have been serving the public for well more than 20 years, are not being treated like the human beings we are. That, on top of everything else, makes the situation less tolerable and more stressful.
We State workers have been dealing with these issues since November of last year. We were then told if slots didn't win, there would be layoffs and furloughs. Slots won and there were still furloughs, which became our Christmas gift in 2008. A few months later, they took away COLA, Increments and match to 401K. We were hit again in August with not only furloughs but layoffs. We are to be hit again this week. Every hit that comes our way hurts yet another human being working for the state, a co-worker of ours. Some of our co-workers have had utilities turned off, you know, the people working for near poverty level wages who are single parents. Some are hanging by a thread and whatever hits that come our way this week, could just be the hit that breaks that thread for them.
I am very disappointed that not more people are willing to speak up about this. It is disheartening to say the least. By not speaking up, you are hindering any ability that we, as a group, might have to get someone to listen to our plight.
Once again, good luck to all this week. We will all need it. Sadder days are ahead for us unless you're willing to speak up.
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