I'm a Civil Servant and am generally honored to be an employee of the State of California Department of Transportation, Caltrans. Just like in most states, California his financial problems but there are more reasons than just the Bush recession. In a neo-conservative, populist slash at State works, Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger decided that it would make him look good with his fellow Republicans by furloughing State Workers the 1st and 3rd Friday of every month. Understandably, State employee unions fought this. Today we lost which is a blow to Unions everywhere. More below the fold.
Here's a link to the announcement in the State's paper of record, The Sacramento Bee.
Schwarzenegger can order two furlough days a month
Here's a snip giving the highlights of the story.
A Sacramento Superior Court Judge today ordered state Controller John Chiang to implement a Schwarzenegger administration plan to furlough state workers two days a month, resulting in a 10 percent pay cut.
Judge Patrick Marlette issued the ruling this morning, rejecting arguments by several state workers' unions that the governor's plan to save $1.3 billion with unpaid time off was illegal and unconstitutional.
Plaintiffs included PECG (Professional Engineers in California Government), SEIU (Service Employees International Union) and CAPS (California Association of Professional Scientists). They are planning to appeal.
The unions are not unaware of California's perilous economic problems including a $42 billion (42 followed by 9 zeros) shortfall in the budget and would be happy to help as long as we could negotiate the details with the Governor and the legislator. Instead, the Governor, high handedly (and unnecessarily) declared an emergency (in a manner very similar to Bush and his repeal of the Bill of Rights) and issuing an executive order ordering that we take two days off without pay every month through June of 2010. Now all you hear in California for every local Government with problems, school districts, and the like is, "Furloughs." It's contagious! It's probably some sort of "Shock Economics."
We've been furloughed before in 1992/3 and in 2002/3. However, it was negotiated with the Unions and we always were promised that we would get a portable 'personal leave' credit that could either be taken as vacation at a later date or reimbursed in cash.
What should be significant to Progressives everywhere is that this was a successful attack on Unions. Also, budgets in California require a 2/3rds super majority to pass. This requires an affirmative vote by all Democrats and around 3 Republicans in both the Assembly and the Senate. California Republicans are really one dimensional people who's only reason for existence is to block tax increases. Those who might be tempted to stray from the reservation by voting for taxes are reminded of those who have voted for tax increases in the past. The State Republican Party sponsored candidates running against them in the next election in their own districts. State Republicans all run from safe districts so this is their greatest fear. This is not unlike the nationwide Republicans in the House who unanimously voted against Obama's economic stimulus bill yesterday. If some knuckle dragging, libertarian, screwball starts to claim that things would be great it we just required a super majority for anything to do with money, point out to them two things. It has paralyzed the eight largest economy in the world and it's the biggest favor one can do for the local Republican party.
On a personal note, I guess it can be a little hard for the many of you to feel sympathy for us Civil Servants. However, Civil Servants don't get commissions, bonuses, retention pay, golden parachutes or even a basically competitive pay level compared to those doing similar work in the private sector. However, we generally have pretty good working conditions and an implicit promise that there is steady work, we will always be paid and have a good benefits package. When this is violated, we feel deeply betrayed.
Finally, in many ways, it's sad how Arnold Schwarzenegger wants to try and suck up to the State Republican Party in California. To them, he's a RINO (Republican in Name only) and they'll never, ever accept him as one of their own, no matter how hard he trys.