About six months ago, I was finally able to walk away from the private sector career I'd survived for nearly twenty years. I'd landed my dream job working in IT for a public organization here in Madison. Having never worked in the public sector before, I learned quickly about what it takes to be a municipal, state or federal public servant.
Beneath the orange cheese curd I enumerate those lessons!
1. Public sector employees DO NOT earn nearly what their private sector counterparts do, and the marginally better health and retirement benefits don't come close to offsetting that.
I took a twenty percent pay cut in order to accept my current role. The lower cost of health insurance, deferred compensation plan and pension make up for some of that loss, but not all of it. We have the same holidays as most white collar workers in the private sector (and in some cases, fewer), and my vacation and sick time isn't any different than it was before. Oh, and now I get to pay for parking, too. Most of my coworkers bring lunches from home because eating out is not financially feasible.
2. Public sector employees often have a spouse/significant other who earns significantly more in the private sector to offset the lower salary of their public sector partner.
It's also pretty common to find women who work for the city, county or state and whose husbands are farmers. The women work for the health benefits and retirement because farming just isn't enough. Even farmers with huge dairy operations find themselves in this situation...it's not just the little guys.
3. Public sector employees appear (to me) to work a lot harder than their private sector counterparts due to lack of resources, outdated technology, and politics.
My organization is seriously outdated, technology-wise. As a result, we're very paper heavy. The people I work with make the best they can with what they have, but it's a lot harder when you don't have tools that are less than fifteen years old to work with. Money is a constant worry, and if you don't spend what you have this year, you're likely to see less next year, even in a GOOD economy.
4. The best and the brightest usually only work for any period of time in the public sector for one of two reasons: a) they're doing an internship associated with their college degrees, or b) they're mission driven, not profit driven.
In my case, I've ALWAYS wanted a job that strives to serve the people around me and make the world a better place. To do that and survive, though, means having multiple sources of income in my household. And I do. But generally, the best and the brightest work in the public sector as limited term employees in low-paid, short term jobs that add to their resumes. You don't see people graduating from our top schools going into the public sector unless (as in the case of so many politicians) they're independently wealthy to begin with, or unless they're so driven to serve that they're willing to live a life that isn't defined by money. Instead, all the top grads are off to corporate America.
5. The workforce in the public sector is aging.
Because of hiring limitations and layoffs, coupled with the longevity of the workforce as a whole, public sector employees are substantially older than I've seen in the private sector. With the exception of teachers, police and fire personnel (who seem to have a constant stream of young people moving into their ranks), most municipal, state and federal employees I've met are far older than I am. In fact, my organization is slated to lose 2/3 of its staff in the next ten years to retirement. And will those positions be filled? Probably not in Scott's Walker's Wisconsin.....assuming that the horrendous changes he's wrought remain in force. And even if they were filled, who would want them?
I'm so farking tired of listening to the right wing bullshit spiel about how over-entitled and over-compensated public employees are. They're lying to you, and I know this firsthand.
I work for you. I'm humbled, honored and fulfilled to do it.
UPDATE:
I am SO sorry for not having been around to respond to comments yesterday. I ended up leaving home unexpectedly shortly after this diary went up and didn't get home until late. I'm not in the habit of drive-by diaries, and feel very badly that this made the Spotlight and I wasn't here to interact with all of you.
AND....now I'm on my way to work, where it is a serious no-no to be on DKos. If y'all are still around and this diary is still on the list, I'll be happy to read and comment this afternoon when I get home.
Peace.