Enough state-worker bashing (Center for Union Facts again)

[Omaha Steve]

http://www.helenair.com/articles/2006/08/24/opinions_top/a04082406_01.txt

Enough state-worker bashing
By the Helena IR - 08/24/06
Yeah, it’s just a coincidence that a group sponsoring ads that accuse state employees of giving poor service and being overpaid just happens to be targeting Montana and three other states that have spending-cap measures either pending or already on the ballot.

Sure it is.

The latest ad from the Center for Union Facts portrays state Motor Vehicle Division workers as hostile providers of poor service, and contends they are overpaid because of union contracts. That drew a quick response from Montana Attorney General Mike McGrath, who said those employees do “an exemplary job at a wage that is barely livable.” Examiners in the division’s field offices make an average of $13.31 an hour, with license clerks starting at $8.37. To call that overpaid is “laughable,” McGrath said.

But there’s nothing particularly funny about insulting a whole class of workers to make a ham-handed anti-government political point. State employees care as much about their jobs —providing vital public services — as any private-sector employee does. And the vast majority of them certainly don’t make more money than their private counterparts.

As is the case with backers of Montana’s spending-cap ballot measure, the Center for Union Facts refuses to reveal the sources of its money.

But then, how important is that we know exactly who they are? It’s not as though we’re taking any of what they say seriously.

[Bluzmann57]

1. Yep, that sure is too high a wage

8$.37 per hour certainly is too high a wage. Except I'd be willing to bet that not one member of Center for (so called) Union Facts would accept a job which paid that low. I am going to do some research and try and find out about these clowns, because we do indeed need to know who they are.

[KT2000]

2. State Worker bashing

which has been so successful for the RW has had real life consequences. My sister has had to deal with increasing belligerence from the public in her job. Washington state hosts a menagerie of skinhead, tax evader RW groups. It has gotten so bad they now have state patrol officers providing security at the counter where the public conducts business.