Public Employees Feel The Heat In The Sunshine State
Workers in Florida are continuing their opposition to bills that would limit collective bargaining rights, decrease their wages and privatize some jobs. One bill would require workers to contribute to their pensions, a pay cut of between 3-5%. The change would save the state an estimated $1 billion, a quarter of their budget deficit. The Governor has also said he will trim 5,000 jobs from the state and cut education spending, which many worry means layoffs for teachers. A Senate committee passed a bill that would ban dues deduction from paychecks, similar to legislation in other states. Workers say that these bills are direct attacks on them, and that these moves will only hurt the state.
See "Public Employees Feel The Heat In The Sunshine State", Greg Allen, NPR Morning Edition, April 13, 2011