Projo 7 to 7 News Blog

I'd love to hear what these "outrageous medical co-pays" are. They're probably still half of what I pay in my private sector job.

Good - No contract means no raises this year. Fire them all. I'll take one of their jobs, and I,m sure there are many other waiting in line.
What would they be doing if they worked in the private sector where all the things the Governor is asking for are REAL!!!

Good riddence to the Union. I hope the governor takes this opportunity to look at outsourcing the majority of these functions at significant savings. I am sorry, but in the real world we all have higher co-pays and little if any adjustment in pay. Treat them like striking air traffic controllers.

The Governor would be wise to reconsider the provisions of this agreement that have been so handily rejected by the rank and file union members. It is very rare in labor relations for a union to reject any contract strongly supported by its leadership and by its management. The magnitude of the rejection, almost a ratio of 15-1 voting, NO, is unheard of in this kind of situation.

Instead of issuing not so subtle threats about what could happen, calmer heads should come back to the bargaining table to reach terms that the rank and file members of Council 94 will support.

The unions are crazy! I work for a major Fortune 500 company and we don't get as good a deal as Council 94 is being offered. We received no raises this year, we pay 38% of our health care cost, our co-pays went up, we have no pension, no profit sharing, our 401k match is only 2.5%, the last 3 year's raises were 2.3% and we pay for parking. In addition, our average salaried worker puts in 50 hrs a week. And We Are All Happy and Grateful To Have a Job!!!!

the unions are living in a dream world. we all deal with the reality of difficult economic times. I employ people who have not had a raise in 3 years, they work and understand the realities.

Many privately held companies have not been able to give raises in the past few years. What is it that state employee union members don't understand about the private sector being fed up with their attitude of entitlement.

What did you expect from people who have been coddled for years while those of us in the private sector have been working harder with less perks. Union and their members pursue actions that are anti-productive and a wealth destroyer for the state.

Get rid of all of them and start over. I was formerly a manager in RI and have never in my life seen so many that expect something for nothing. Its no wonder the US is going down the tubes or how it manages to keep its head above water. Send them on their way and let them find a real job.

Careful now...the unions will start telling us private sector types how we don't understand how hard they have it and how we make LOADS more money and how we're exploited... or the classic "you are just jealous" argument. Careful...you don't want to be labeled anti-spoiled baby...errr I mean...anti-union in this state! No siree bobcat! God forbid they live (and work) in the real world! replace them all with contractors!! oh wait...but then who would be corrupt and rob the state blind?!

Council 94 should visit the "Wayback Machine" and remember what happened when they held out in 1984. They even had the benefit of a Democratic Governor then.

Don't back down Gov. Carcieri. Please send them a revised offer that is less than the first one - or, start privitizing those sectors that would really produce savings.

On the other hand, those that don't like their new contract could always start their own janitorial business and bid for a State contract.

Council 94 members don't seem to have a realistic view of Rhode Island or its citizens. In fact, the average Rhode Islander seems to have less and less in common with them as time progresses and the business environment moves on.

Change is difficult for everyone. However mature people except change, build their skills, and show their value. Council 94 members have failed to do this and fail to be part of the solution. It’s our government, it’s our state, and we like them to be part of the solution, not the problem. Thinks are tough enough already.

good- im happy that the union brothers stuck to their guns and basically told the mayor what he could do with his proposal. as a memeber of afscme local 2824 council 93 in plymouth mass. i know what they're going through..i went 3 years without a contract. finally got one in'06.congrats brothers..keep doing what you're doing.

Funny I'm in Council 94 and had little or no raises for several years now. And now they want back our latest 1% raise. Sounds like this contract is a big decrease, would you vote for a pay DECREASE in these times?

What did President Reagan do when he was confronted with a similar problem from the Air Traffic Controllers Union?

He did not blink and he did not let them pass Go or collect the $200.

Pull the trigger and stand your ground Gov.

We are with you!

My salary would be reduced every year of the gov's 3 year contract proposal. I would have to pay hundreds of dollars per month more each month in the contract's first year for my family health coverage and even more per month in the other two years. The pay increases in years 2 and 3 total more than what I would get in the raises. (Remember there is no pay raise in year one...but you still would be paying hundreds of dollars more for your health care!) This is what State employees with families face! The Governor is not fair to regular hard-working employees! Let's hope the Governor is willing to get back to the bargaining table and deal fairly with his employees!

These workers are simply trying to improve their compensation. Shouldn't everyone be trying to do that? These people who denegrate the public sector employees for trying to get more should consider trying to get more for themselves in the private sector. Instead, they complain that everyone's compensation package should be as lousy as theirs. In Rhode Island, the mentality seems to be: my life sucks, so I want everyone else's life to suck as well. Do you realize how pathetic that sounds? It is no wonder this State is sinking. Everyone should demand better and they should start with themselves.

"Let's hope the Governor is willing to get back to the bargaining table and deal fairly with his employees!"

You had your chance. Given our current circumstance, the proposal was more than fair. Go get'em Gov!

Gee I wish I had a job that offered health benefits! I haven't had a raise in 4 years, no health benefits, no pension contribution last year. AS MANY OTHERS IN THIS STATE! Union members need to look at the real world, gone are the days of full health benefits, no copays. Unemployment is sky high, how many Caouncil 94 are collecting OR are out of those benefits...........not as many as the regular folks.

It is an amazing Rhode Island situation.... A Governor who goes to Afganistan to learn how to turn our economy into a 3rd world state while his ace military man goes home sick. A State Government that goes out of it's way to oppose anything the Narragansett Tribe proposes while allowing a sinking ship (Lincoln Grayhound, i.e. Twin Rivers) to do more since they are part of the budget. The rich get tax breaks while the rest of us get cuts. A General Assembly that takes FREE MEDICAL COVERAGE while insisting along with the Administration that we all pay more for ours. Lip service on Illegals while we cut off Rhode Islanders. More outsourcing? Will they be US Citizens? It looks like a long bumpy ride for any of us that needs to get anything from any Dept. in the Rhode Island government. Can you imagine your trip to the Registry with replacement workers? Just wait until we have to file our income taxes (those of us who still make anything). Reasonable heads need to prevail!
God help Rhode Island and it's citizens!

Council 93 members..if you think you can get a better deal somewhere else..then be our guest.

My company only offers increase in pay every 2-3 years. Last years was to offset the increase in medical coverage. My employer does not offer paid time off like the State workers are credited with so many days per month or "imaginary" holidays. Those of us not sitting on our duff actually work for the money we really receive.

Please..don't sign a contract..maybe we can cut a little more FAT from the budget.

isnt it funny the state doednt want 2 help the little peoplse working 4 the state but if u r official u make a lot of money and they will even give u a car or suv 2 ride around in does this make since that 1 reason the state has money problem the big shot r laughing all the way 2 the bank

I am an airlines employee who had a judge order a 30% pay cut,. No raises, higer copays, increased work load. Been at it 24 years and need to hang on so I do not feel bad for these dead beat workers, Go to court Gov. Say the state is broke and ask for the Judge US Airways used and CUT their pay!

Finally a Rhode Island politician who refuses to sacrifice the economic health of the state at the altar of the unions. In my 25 years in the work force, there have been plenty of years where I've seen my pay cut or flat. Since the unions have been stealing from us for years, they could see pay cuts for the next ten years and still be ahead of the game!

The reason it was voted down so dramatically is not because state workers lose money, it's because if you actually look at the $ breakdown, the highly paid state employee makes money, and the low paid or average family guy with kids gets totally smashed vs. the high paid worker.

State workers do understand huge personnel savings have to be made here.

Just make the 90 Million in personnel savings fair. State workers know the state has to save 90 million, but spread it out not just on low paid workers and middle income families, make sure the highly paid workers get a pay cut too.

It was totally biased against highly paid vs. average family guy.

Redo the numbers to make it fair. Spread the 90M savings, to both groups; so that all state workers (poor and rich) contribute to balance the state budget.

The union bosses should be ashamed of themselves.

The $ breakdown did not come out until afterwards, I doubt during the negotiating process the union had all the information processed to make fair decisions.

The union was caught afterwards trying to recommend a contract to the members that they knew was unfair, because they failed the job they were elected for.

Disgusting negotiating by the union bosses, are they protecting their own wallets or friends vs. the average family, or just incompetent?

They let the average state worker family guy down whose struggling to pay his bills, but a highly paid state worker is smiling.

Tell me how that is fair?

No wonder the vote was so lopsided.

Redo the numbers, and spread the pain around to all state workers.

I am not even talking about the roughly 3000 or more state workers leaving by October 1st because of Retirement Health Care. Why doesn't the union and the governor use that NEW figure and adjust the 90M pain?

Why doesn't the governor and the union insist that these positions remain largely unfilled to achieve the savings needed? Won't this solve the problem?

Is this another oversight by the Union bosses? Very sad they are clueless, the governor is killing them.

The union has been a cancer to this state. Please get rid of them !

At last a sleeping giant awakes. Those other unions that ratified the sellout of their own members are piloted by worthless hacks either in bed with management or afraid of shadows.
More power to the members of Council 94.
Why in the world would any union ratify a four year contract when this governor is gone in two?
Seems like the two big names that lead the negotiations were more concerned with the well being of their bigger constituency--the municipal workers in the state.
Bravo members of Council 94 who stood up to this nonsense!

Wife and I left RI 9 years ago,and relocated to Fl.because could not afford to live there.IE Fl is much less expensive to live as compared to RI.Wife and I are both college graduates,with professional jobs in RI.We are now retired and will gladly take one of the union jobs.So you union people smell the coffee and get with the real world.

Remember, the Govenor is from the big business environment. Many of the people making the private sector comment tend to embelish. No pay raises, we pay for health coverage, blah blah blah! You should have gotten a State job 20 years ago. Oh no you wouldn't have done that the pay was small the only benefit was a pension and health coverage. Know the benefits are no longer there you have to work longer for a pension and the pay is fair. What about all the top ranking goverment officials making $100.00 plus and some being in the Govenors office. Don't hurt the small salaried State employee who is asking for a fair raise. Good luck to all council 94 employees stay strong.

Many state and municipal workers and teachers and union workers argue that they deserve cushy benefits because they are paid less than "private sector" types. This is nonsense. Free health care (and a lump payment if a spouse has a health plan elsewhere), enormous pension benefits which are coupled to retirement in twenty years, many holidays, sick leave. Further, many of them do not do a full days work despite all the gravy.

Real, private sector workers get none of this. The biggest crime is the pension. Let them work until they are 63 yo like the rest of the world. Let them contribute the bulk of the pension load like the rest of the world.

Also notice how many of them end their careers prematurely because of "health disability". This means an untaxed pension for the rest of their lives while they take a second job when they are forty years old and retired.

It is astounding how many disabled police and firemen have retired in RI. Sore thumbs, sore backs, stress related hypertension. It is a crime and the principal reason that the state is in such a deficit.

Unfortunately the few good workers get painted with the many lazy and greedy workers who want everything because of some sense of being disrespected and entitled.

Go private Governor. Get the pigs away from the trough.

to chris and antone and all of you people stunned that we turned down that so-called offer: you have no idea what you're talking about. i work in one of those unions. with the "deal" they offered us, i'd take home $78 dollars less PER PAYCHECK, plus have higher co-pays (which currently equal the co-pays i had in my private sector job, btw). Please also note that all the bull you've read in the paper with the governor talking about the average worker making roughly 50k a year... well we'd all like to know who they are! it's certainly not anyone in our unions. and as you read that i'll be taking home $78 dollars less a paycheck, sleep tight knowing that i am a single mother of a two year old with no child support, not on any kind of government assistance, but that my daughter and i don't have hot water anymore- it got turned off because i couldn't afford the bill.

State employees should not have to balance this state's budget on their backs.
We have no problem not getting a raise, but would any of you accept a pay decrease each year for four years. Our lowest paid employees (making under 30,000) would lose about $2000 off their salary over the next four years.
They are not replacing retired workers so we all have more work- that is ok. They have restricted overtime, gas reimbursement, clerical, and still we keep working. Do you really expect us to take a pay cut. My gas, oil, and electricity is going up just like everyone else's.
Oh and let's top all this off with a proposal to make us work ten days and only get paid for nine. Does any one of your employers ask you to work without getting paid.
The proposals put out by the governor are ridiculous. People may say we are spoiled state employees, but think about how you would feel if these were the offers your boss made to you. And remember you have to accept all of them at the same time.
It's time to get rid of Cacieri's friends making 100,000 a year. Make our elected officials pay some of their health care. And stop paying ridiculous contracts to employers who break laws or pocket more than they are paying their workers.
We are not begging for lots of money or a sweet deal- just don't balance the state deficit on our backs.

To everyone who is saying go for it Governor, get rid of them and all that, have you tried to contact a state agency in the last few months?? I bet not. Because of the Governor forcing everyone to retire it has left these departments with one or two people per department handling thousands of applications, requests, etc. Try calling unemployment you will wait up to 2 or 3 hours and usually get hung up on; try applying for any kind of assistance I am sure that wait is just as long. I do not understand why the public does not realize that without people in these jobs there is no one to handle their unemployment, welfare, car registrations, etc. etc. Instead of saying how bad state workers are how about looking at our legislators who are getting FREE HEALTH CARE. Imagine if you worked for a company and you had to pay high co-pays and pay for someone else to have FREE healthcare?? How about Governor Carcieri and all his people getting 12% raises, would you accept that in the private sector? I think not. I have worked in a few departments where upper management have screwed up and they just move them to another department making the same amount they were making and doing much less work. Think about the recycling commericial. The only name I can think of now is Ellen Nelson, but there were at least 3 or 4 more. How about Carcieri's niece who is working for the state? That should not be allowed. Think about this when all the people were forced to retire, they are all making the same amount they were making and now they are sitting home. How did that save money? As a side note I voted yes because I would rather take a pay cut than a job cut and I would rather take a one day pay cut then 365. As you can see all of us, lazy state workers, are not just union controlled robots. We were told not to vote for it, but 196 of us realized things could be worse, so please do not group all state workers together..

Governor Cacieri stand strong. The unions in RI are out of control. They are destroying your state. I moved four years ago to a state with no government unions. What a pleasant change. If they do not take your offer, get rid of all of them.

OK fine.......Let's lay off another thousand!

I have to laugh at the mentality of all these non-state workers who are ready to jump on their soapbox and say how the state worker has this benefit and that benefit. So I say to you ignorant one, Go read what the Governor proposed and see if you would accept it. A year with no pay raise, then the next year 2.5%. Thats barely $10 after taxes. Which is then taken away for the increase in healthcare costs. Let's not forget the unpaid work day. Show up for work and not get paid. But wait! You can recoup that day as a paid vacation day, but not until after 2010. By then you could be dead. Or hopefully, you have forgotten about it. Never mind the use of scare tactics or even blackmail to say if they don't accept the offer, they will be fired. That's like being a little brat that can't get his way. There seems to be echoes of a dictator from World War II. Maybe the union state employee ID number should be tattooed on their wrists. Sure, lets get rid of them all. For they are the scum of the earth. Then we can pay them unemployment! Fun stuff! How about we stop and forget about the unionized state worker for a moment? You know, the one that is barely making little over 30K? Let's take a look at all the non-union State workers who are in the higher up positions making well over 100K. For some strange reason, these positions seem to still be magically filled there. How about the new DMV director? I am sure she is starting with a nice chunky salary. What about the Gov's niece in-law? She didn't lose her job. Why? Because, and I quote our Governor, "She is counting on her job. She has a house and family" Not to mention she is making a cushy 52K! So you advise me on some things. Is the union state worker an orphan? Do they live in a pod? Do they not pay over $4 a gallon for gas? Aren't many of them on the brink of foreclosure because they can't make ends meet? Are many of them now overworked because of the many retirees leaving? Take a good look people. When your WIC card, car registration, or other state benefit doesn't come back in time you will be the first one on the phone. The quality of service will falter. It already has. Especially with the so-called rumored and predicted privitization as some temp clerk, maybe even an illegal alien, obtains all your personal information. What doesn't make sense is how is the state saving money for the workers that were forced to retire? Now they get to stay home, laugh at all this nonsense, and collect their pension. Isn't the state, in essence, still paying them? They also get to pay a very small amount for their healthcare. What a mess. The State of RI is becoming just like my Old Stone stock.........Worthless.

The Governor and some of the Union Leader's tactics were mafia like. The offer was potential unemployment if the proposal was rejected or a cut in pay if the poposal was approved. It seems for some it was an offer they couldn't refuse but Kudos to Local 94 for sticking to their guns.

Rhode Island should fire another 30% of state workers. And I am a liberal democrat. The unions in state government are out of control. Too many perks. Too many state workers

He gave better deals to higher paid people it the under 45,000 that he is wanting poorer. Don't be fooled. Their co-pay is not that different from the private and it is what they will be paying $100.00 hospital co-pay, percentage of the health care cost making them take home hundreds to some in a year $1,000's less - he already had 1,000's retire so he wants more work from each for less take home pay. Let's be fair. If you work in private sector you may make under $45,000 a year also but are you making it? Could you live on less, yeah....fire them so they can collect and go on social security. No one said give them a raise they say leave it as is....which is not asking alot. No raise and no increase in co-pay for the year may be ok, let us be fair. Maybe you would like to let your bosses know you don't mind lossing money in you pay this year. If goverment can do it they sure can let privite sector. So let us all but the well paid get paid less. You all would understand. Because guess what state workers DO work, most of them....just like you. I know of lots of jobs, no one is running to get them.

Hey you guys want to go with private contractors to do state work just look at todays news about private contractors in the state Courts and tell me again why we should go with outside contractors
this state is lucky ICE isn't after them for hireing Ileagal Aliens

I believe the Governor is negotiating contracts in good faith and for me a NEA member, Job security is more important than paying a gradual increase in Health coverage..

Is this a bad idea?

I'd like to see Rhode Island be the first State to mandate anyone whom is given any form of tax paid social service (welfare/rite-care) have to sign a legal binding promissory note mandating they must pay back that money after their benefit term has ended..They must also have a legitimate social security number before receiving any social program benefits funded by the State..The social security numbers are a tracking tool to locate later for non payments..

For the most part I see people's comments are feed up with the union. I see some pro-union comments that focus on the pay reduction. The thing that the pro-union comments miss is the money comes out of my pocket, e.g., a pay cut to me so they can have a raise. It hard for me to feel sorry for them when it means taking more money from my family. Rhode Island is already the 5th or 5th most taxed state in the nation. Do they want us to be the number 1 most taxed state?

I understand times are tough, but it appears they don't. They need to understand that in the real world, people pay a third of the their health care costs. It is hard for me to feel sorry for the union members given their benefits relative what is available in the private sector. They need to realize that the private sector pays for their jobs. Their benefits need to be brought into line with the private sector, e.g., 401k, no pension, retirement age of 62, paying a third of their health care costs, two weeks of vacation and the list goes on.

Although I am generally supportive of unions, I believe Council 94 has made a fatal mistake with this vote. I think in many ways it reflects the vote of an uneducated group that is ignorant of the realities RI faces (and the temper of the populace against their cause). I'm sure Carcieri is thrilled with this development and that Council 94 will rue this time in their history.

My guess is that Carcieri will wipe out these contracts completely. I feel bad for Council 94. They just dug their own grave.

Hey Gov, if you fire then I'll be one of the thousands of Rhode Islanders LINING UP around the block to take one of those jobs. No pension. No gold-plated benefits. Just give me fair pay for my efforts and a 401(k) and I'll be THRILLED.

The unions don't know how great they've had it. Today is Friday. And it's a WONDERFUL day to fire a few thousand state workers.

Ok... What I don't get is if the Gov is SSSOOO concerned with the budget, why are there job postings for over 100K jobs(for his friends) when he is stating more layoffs!!! Also he is a millionare, why do we pay for his Big GASGUZZLER of a Truck, pay for it yourself!!! Take a page out of the book of Gov. Duvall Patrick in mass. They were really bad off but now that are improving. Gov, Carcieri once accused Fogarty (during the debate) of backroom deals.. well HE IS THE KING of backroom deals!! Has anyone notice that all is friends from Old Stone are now in High paing jobs )even if they don;t know what they are doing.. And how many Asst Directors does one agency need. So before we start bashing the state workers, let's start will the Non-union workers and how they are stealling from the tax payers and not paying their fair share to help the budget!!!!