Gov. Inslee Ok’s $600 Million Pay Raise for State Workers – Special Labor Union Deals

Watchdog groups such as ShiftWa and The Freedom Foundation have been watching closely as Gov. Inslee has been holding less than transparent negotiations with various labor union leaders who represent thousands of state workers.  And now, despite well over a one billion dollar budget shortfall,  some 60,000 state workers are going to get a 5% increase over the next five years.

  While supporters point to pay cuts in the past, cost of living raises, and rising health care costs as reasons for the pay increase,  they're not getting a lot of sympathy in the private sector.

One union employee, Don Hall, a ranger who works in the Wenatchee area, blames a recent foreclosure on his pay issues.

The deal must still be approved by the state house and senate, where it's likely to meet opposition.  Those against the measure point out it's difficult to beat the drum over financial shortfalls over education and to threaten citizens with huge gas tax hikes because of state shortfalls; then turn around and drop $600 million on a pay raise for state workers.

Jami Lund with the Freedom Foundation echoes numerous critics with this statement:

"There are not resources available just sitting around and waiting to be spent on this."

65% of state employees already get a built-in cost-of-living raise annually anyway, so don't think they have it so bad.