Wisconsin State Employee Furloughs

Governor Doyle has said “that most state workers will have to take 16 unpaid days of leave over the next two years starting in July.”

This must be a British use of the word “most”, since I and most people think of most as above the majority, like 80-90%. Now that would save money!

Think of it …legislators, the governor, chancellors, deans, regents, administrators all turning in two weeks of pay. That would be most. State Hospital workers are exempt not because they are crucial but because they do not work for the sate, but instead work for the UW Health System. However “while the State Constitution prohibits a legislator from being furloughed, we will make the same sacrifice we are asking of thousands of state employees and legislative staff. Faced with the worst economic climate in generations and an unprecedented budget deficit, returning 16 days of our pay is simply the right thing to do." While I could not this in the Wisconsin Constitution itself, a legislator says its in there! Could you explain where, by Article and section please?

The US Census American Fact Finder lists 347,000 government workers in Wisconsin. But the Governor plans “to structure the furloughs of up to 67,000 state workers so that most won’t qualify for unemployment benefits…That approach to the 16 days of unpaid time over two years will save the most money possible for a cash-strapped state”

CLASS OF WORKER

Civilian employed population 16 years and over 2,849,104

Private wage and salary workers 2,320,276

Government workers 346,774

Self-employed workers in own not incorporated business 174,913

Unpaid family workers 7,141

This means that 1/5 of the states workforce will suffer the economic carnage of 4/5 of the revenue deficits, while they only compose less than 12% of the government workforce.

	FY11	Budgeted Percent of Total	Cumulative Percent
General and Categorical School Aids	$5,384.6	37.8%	37.8%
Medical Assistance and Related Programs	1,439.9	10.1%	47.9%
University of Wisconsin	1,042.0	7.3%	55%
Corrections	977.7	6.9%	69.1%

Here is a better idea: 1 in 10 people in Wisconsin work for the government. The wages also pay taxes, support local economies and give services and support to the communities they serve. Let us cut two hours out of very state workers work week—permanently. This would mean we shut down schools, the DMV, state parks, universities two hours earl on Friday making for a longer weekend , eliminating cost burden of utilities, electricity, heat, etc. The missing two hours would hurt some, but not as badly as a 16 day furlough. And legislators would honorably give back their pay increase of (5.5% or $2, 349) this year alongside state union employees (2.2%).

Finally I mean all. Even emergency personnel can be missed for two hours. We do this all the time now when someone takes a vacation day. This is a just and equitable solution.