I know times are rough right now.....

[Racket_Man]

BUT I think this story beats all others

ALL Scranton PA workers wages get cut to minimum wage including police, firefigthters and the mayor

[HYHYBT]

To be clear, that's all employees of the city of Scranton, not all workers in Scranton regardless of what they do.

(You may wish to remove the extra "http//" from the link so it will work.)

[drunkenwildmage]

Well, when you don't have the money to pay people, what are you going to do?

The options are limited.. either lay people off, or cut their wedges..pick your poison.

[bara]

Well, I think it would be better to reduce what people get paid rather than just lay off a few dozen people. At least this way they still hold jobs and benefits ((I hope))

[s_stabeler]

um, this is a case of the Mayor trying to balance his budget. The Mayor himself earns minimum wage- he isn't cutting salaries for the sake of it.

[linguist]

um, this is a case of the Mayor trying to balance his budget. The Mayor himself earns minimum wage- he isn't cutting salaries for the sake of it.

it's also a good way to find himself running the city entirely on his own, as city workers leave their jobs for others that will pay them an actual livable wage. it's especially going to suck for that city when they lose their police and fire departments, since they aren't being anywhere near fairly compensated for the very dangerous work they do.

[Andara Bledin]

Sure, their take home is only minimum wage. What are their benefits?

I make a lot less than I'm worth, but I'm also getting about $100 week in untaxed and unreported "income" that my work pays for my health coverage.

From what I recall, working in the public sector has quite the healthy benefit package, so while they may not be taking home that much in liquid assets, they might still be getting competitive compensation.

^-.-^

[PepperElf]

Well, when you don't have the money to pay people, what are you going to do?

The options are limited.. either lay people off, or cut their wedges..pick your poison.

This. Really.
If there's not enough money, how do you make it cover everyone? Lower costs or raises taxes... which will benefit everyone the most?

Sure, their take home is only minimum wage. What are their benefits?

I make a lot less than I'm worth, but I'm also getting about $100 week in untaxed and unreported "income" that my work pays for my health coverage.

From what I recall, working in the public sector has quite the healthy benefit package, so while they may not be taking home that much in liquid assets, they might still be getting competitive compensation.

^-.-^

unreported wages? how does that work?

[AdminAssistant]

I believe Andara is referring to her insurance benefits as income, although it does not get deposited in her bank account.

[drunkenwildmage]

This. Really.
If there's not enough money, how do you make it cover everyone? Lower costs or raises taxes... which will benefit everyone the most?

According to the story they are pretty much cut to the bone, so they are getting to the point that the employees will have to be effected. Hell, even the mayor has taken a pay cut.

Raise taxes? Sure.. that will work..in the short term.. Long term, people will start moving out of the city limits to ease their own taxes, if they can. Less people paying taxes, less tax income coming in, and down the road the city is in the same position.

[Andara Bledin]

unreported wages? how does that work?

It works pretty much exactly how I stated in the post you quoted.

What you get out of a job isn't limited to just what you get paid. I'm not sure how I can make that any plainer.

^-.-^

[daleduke17]

The mayor better be careful he doesn't break any contractual rules in place with the unions in the town. Firefighters Union, Police Union, Teamsters.....not the unions to be messing with for one. Two, the city set a contract to pay the members of the union an agreed upon wage. I think Governor Quinn of Illinois just got his hand slapped for trying to not give union agreed upon raises to his employees, this should fall in about the same arena.

So, Scranton's mayor has just screwed up big time and needs to find another job after the next election.

[guywithashovel]

I'm not surprised this happened. Public employees have pretty much become a favorite whipping boy. Too many people think their paychecks are nothing more than welfare.

[AdminAssistant]

Paying public employees crappy, bare minimum wages only means that you don't have the best people working in public offices, which can backfire in so many ways.