There is proposed legislation, if passed, will affect the health care benefits of state employees. This year, state employees have already given up previously negotiated cost-of-living increases to help balance the budget. For decades, state government has failed to fully fund the state employee Salary Survey, and, state employees have been traditionally underpaid because the state argues that benefits make up for the lower salaries. State employees are already doing their fair share to help balance the budget.

Dear [ Decision Maker ] ,

As a state employee, I am deeply concerned with the recent budget proposal affecting state employee health care.

I am a dedicated state employee who is already doing my fair share to help my fellow citizens of the state during the economic crisis.

State employees have already given up cost-of-living increases. At work, we do more-with-less as we freeze hiring and reduce staff and resources, while attempting to maintain the current level of service to the public who depend on us.

For decades, state government has failed to fully fund the state employee Salary Survey. The State justified the practice of setting state employee salaries at 25 to 35 percent behind the salaries of those who do comparable work in the private sector by arguing that the employee benefit package for public sector employees is better than that for the private sector. The proposed legislation neutralizes that argument and truly begins to mark state employees as second-class citizens.

I urge you to fully fund state employee health care premiums without any potential for reductions in benefits.

Sincerely,

Campaign Launched:
March 26, 2009