Carcieri orders one-day paycut for workers
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State Pay Cut
Gov. Don Carcieri orders state workers to take a one-day pay cut.
Published: May 18, 2009
Updated: May 19, 2009
PROVIDENCE—Most state workers in Rhode Island will lose a day of pay as part of an attempt to close a massive budget deficit.
Gov. Don Carcieri said Monday that the one-day pay cut is necessary to close a $70 million budget deficit for the fiscal year ending June 30. Even larger budget deficits are expected the following year.
The one-day loss of pay during the week of June 12 will save the entire state government nearly $2.5 million.
Workers will receive an extra, paid day off from work to compensate.
The state’s unionized work force reached a deal with Carcieri’s administration last year allowing for the reduction in pay. Workers employed by the General Assembly and the state court system will also take a similar pay cut.
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Reader Reactions
Wow Mr. Jay I did not know we had a perfect person in the house. Please forgive us. Just curious who are you telling to stop complaining, the ones for or against the day without pay. I find until I move next year I will keep complaining. Rhode Island has changed my attitude and every time I read the news my stomach turns. So please put up with me a little longer. Thank You
I have one word for all of you SPELLCHECK….I hope you do not speak the way you spell. Quit your dam complaining. Ha ha ha.
“only in Rhode Island” - I have said that from the day I moved here almost 20 years ago….Now - let me tell a story…Where I worked in CT (not disclosing location) - my employer was in a huge deficit - and proposed to all workers a “Give Back 5” - meaning all workers from the top administration all the way down to the cleaning people to Give Back 5 days without pay. This could be done anyway one chose - take off one day a week or month without pay, or a whole week - heck my boss who worked in the Administration gave back a whole week and continued to work! No one was told they had to do this, however - if it meant saving everyone’s jobs - well - let’s say it worked!!! And NO, no one was given days off after that with PAY - what is on the Governor’s mind anyway??? So, getting back to where I was previously employed - well I can tell you it worked - no one complained - and to this day - it is the most wonderful place to work - I have revisited there on numerous occasions - it has been also voted one of the top 10 places to work in the country! So…let’s get RI into gear - stop all the undermining and unethical practices I observe all too much in this State! If EVERYONE does a little, no one has to do ALOT!
I am tired of these state workers complaining. Try working for private industry. They are all spoiled. One day will not hurt them. How many people are without jobs in this state???
In my eyes one day is not enough in these tough times especially when the governor is giving them another day off down the line. How is that helping the State? These people are all overpaid and under worked. Got their jobs because they knew someone. I know how the state operates. Had several relatives work for the state who knew someone to get their jobs. They also did not put in a full days work anf got away with it. Governor wake up. We do not need so many state workers. Most of them do not take pride in their jobs. They do not treat the public right. They do not go out of their way to do a good job. As they say “It’s not my job” We can save money by eliminating alot of state jobs. Let the rest of them work for a living like the real world!!!
Mrs. Ed
1st to sameasabove have you ever been out of RI or New England? How can you sit there and not have complaints about this state. I have been here 50 years and all I see is it going down the tubes. I am leaving begininng of the year. I have been doing my homework. Jams I did not say all workers when I stated taking overtime & pay for no work. I said Rat out the ones you know who are. Jams do you think I don’t have bills like everyone does. I was smart enough not to live above my means and charge everything. When I lost my job and over $400 a month in pay you don’t think that hurts. Do people really need the cable tv or the cell phone, designer cloths? But again we are talking about 1 day. You have a job with the bennies. If that 1 days pay is going to hurt that bad get together with some friends and have a yard sale. I bet you will make that days pay and more. One thing I will say is Everyone including the Gov should take that day without pay.
Is anyone even paying attention??
If they don’t pay all these public servants to the tune of 2.5 million and then spend that “saved?!?“ money to close up a gap in the budget and then GIVE IT BACK IN A PAID DAY OFF next fiscal year…....Our “public servants” have just DOUBLED our problem…..They are using OUR money, the unemployed and underemployed taxpayers of the state of RI, to insure their own security and well being…..WHEN do we make them stop Rhode Island?? These clowns aren’t missing ANYTHING they are doubling down our debt and LIVING it up…...
I know how we can save the State of RI lots of money. Go after all the people who abuse welfare and get child support for their 8 kids while they go get their nails done, hair highlighted and have cell phones while their baby daddy lives with them and they say they dont know who the baby daddy is. HOW ABOUT THE POOR PEOPLE WHO ACTUALLY NEED WELFARE AND CANT GET IT BECAUSE a family of three who make more than 20k make to much. AFTER one child you should be kicked off the system and you should have to name a father in order to collect anything. that is where all our money is going. REFORM the welfare system for those who abuse it.
To mikeinri, tiredofri and everyone else, speaking as a neutral person, unfortunatley there are those who have givien the bad rep. to all city and state workers. Knowing people personally who work for them both, I have to sit and listen to the stories about how they abuse their jobs and laugh about it and of course the things we see on the news. The officials who say they have OUR best instrest in mind when we know they only have their own in mind. Non city and state workers only see what they don’t get for benefits and what they pay such as myself paying 1,400 a mnth for medical and no paid sick days or vacation and know one to turn to for supplemental anything. Try getting help, well I was born here so lets not even open that door. But I know city and state workers also pay taxes and have bills just like everyone else. I know you don’t make outragous money but most get great benefits and pensions. I know its easier for some than others to take a cut because of circumstances keeping of course in mind that know one wants to at all ever. I also know people who have been cut from 40 to 24 hrs until futher notice, not for a day and get it back next year. All I know is that over the past 18 mnths I have lost more than have of what I was able to put aside for my retirement, went through more than have of my savings to get through. My biggest fare is when we come out of this I will be back where I was 15-20 years ago starting over. I know I’m babbaling, but my point is there are DEFINITELY people to blame for all of this and I don’t think it’s each other. At some point, and I don’t know how it hasn’t happened already we ALL have to say ENOUGH! We need to keep in mind that everyones jobs are different and some are so much better than others. Better pays, and benefits and all of them do not work for the city or state myself included. I feel for the people who do. Not only are you taking a bashing from us but from your employer as well. But we are all struggling.
you know, i do not recall anyone stating that they “dislike” state workers. that is not the subject here. people are just stating the facts, losing 1 day pay is alot better then losing your job all together! plain and simple. get over it “iluvscituate” .
everyone “i am sure of it” is not happy about the 1 day with no pay., but what is there to do? complain? where does that get you? nowhere! taking it as it comes, it is all part of life. again,,ALOT better then having no job at all!!
hang in there everyone!! try and make the best of life.
Dear Tired:
First of all people that don’t know what they are talking about should not make comments and clearly you do not know what you are talking about. I am at my desk every day from 8:30 to 4:30 and I am working. So for a whole day I will be working just as I always do but low and behold when I get my check that following week I will not have been paid for that day. Now tell me in all honesty not one person out there would be mad about that. Have I accepted the situation? Of course. Am I greatful to have my job? Of course. But you don’t know my financial situation or if I can afford to go a day without pay so don’t assume that myself or anyone else just can go a day without pay. In these times most of us live close to our budget and that amount of money less one week could mean foregoing paying a bill. It takes a lot of nerve to criticize people you know nothing about personally. Why not just close the state down for a day and not pay anyone for the day off. At least then we would not be working for nothing.
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