Catherwood LibraryILR School

The Las Vegas Chamber of Commerce has recommended a number of measures designed to decrease labor costs in Nevada, including implementing a minimum retirement age, eliminating retirement benefits for new workers, and possible reductions in current benefits. The proposals have prompted a wave of protest from labor unions seeking to ease the state's $2.3 billion budget deficit without sacrificing public employee benefits. Democrats are approaching the problem from a labor perspective, proposing tax increases to close the shortfall. Republicans and business lobbyists are demanding labor cost reductions prior to any tax increases. The Chamber of Commerce claims public workers in Nevada receive higher than average benefits; workers have responded in part by reminding businesses who ?caused? the financial crisis to begin with.