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.