Working for an
so the governator "has prepared an order to cut the pay of about 200,000 state workers to the federal minimum wage of $6.55 an hour until a budget is signed"
"Administration officials said Schwarzenegger was expected to sign the order, a draft of which was obtained Wednesday by The Times, early next week as part of an effort to avert a cash crisis. The deadline for passing a budget was July 1, and without one soon, the officials said, California may be unable to borrow billions of dollars needed to keep the state solvent."
Hmm.
Interesting.
BTW: I have authoritative information that UC will invoke their autonomy from the State should this happen, and instaclassify their employees as not subject to the order.
Don't know if CSU or CCs would be exempt, I'd guess not, since their funding is much more tightly coupled to State funding and they are on the wrong side of the tuition income cycle.
I am somewhat boggled that the governor has any such authority.
It may be somewhat naive, but I had thought pay was subject to contract, not whim.
Of course the one thing the unions should not do is strike.
For occasions such as this the "work to rule" is the tool of choice.
In case you are not familiar with the concept, it is where employees consciously refuse all discretion or initiative, and follow all rules literally - especially safety rules and requirements for prior authorization from higher ups.
It would actually be interesting to see applied on such a large scale.
Interesting to see from outside California.
For suitable values of "interesting".
I call "bluff" though.
Politics
Comments
Ha! This is great theater! And, to borrow from the Resident in the White House, I call for these "tax cuts" to be made permanent!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sRBkgshj8Cw
Posted by: Matt Hussein Platte | July 24, 2008 2:24 PM
Do you think this is one of those cases where California is the bellweather for the nation?
Posted by: Jim Thomerson | July 24, 2008 2:30 PM
It's all part of the gamesmanship involved in getting the state legislature to pass a budget, with state employees being treated as pawns. It's disgusting.
Posted by: Peggy | July 24, 2008 2:48 PM
I don't think it's great theater. These people have families and mortgages and they did nothing to precipitate these budget problems. Cut the salaries of the legislators if you want to make a point - don't endanger 200,000 people's livelihoods.
Also, given the court cases this is going to engender, you're essentially wasting more money for no reason.
Posted by: Brian | July 24, 2008 3:39 PM
Der Gubernator is infected with the executive supremacy viral meme. A quick treatment -- call the sheriff, have him take the guy into a 72-hour psychiatric hold. The humiliation will cool his arrogance for a good long while.
Posted by: Bill the Cat | July 24, 2008 4:49 PM
I'd be more impressed if the treat was to cut the salaries of the elected bozos--both the legistature and the governor (at least)--since, after all, one of the things they are paid to do is agree a budget. They're not. So why pay them?
Posted by: blf | July 24, 2008 5:12 PM
The draft executive order REQUESTS that UC, Cal State, the community colleges, and others not under the Gov's direct control, participate. Seems pretty unlikely they will choose to do so. And the Controller says he won't implement it anyway. At this point, this stunt seems as likely to prove the impotence of the Gov as to show his strength.
Posted by: astroprof | July 25, 2008 12:02 AM
It sure is interesting to watch this bit of theater / hostage-taking / bluff or whatever you want to call it. I heard from a friend working in CA prisoncorrections that their budget is unlikely to be affected! Meanwhile, us CSU employees got the following email from the Chancellor today:
Posted by: Madhu | July 25, 2008 8:38 AM