Dennis Richardson
If you have been watching the action in Wisconsin, you know of the public employee outrage, orchestrated demonstrations and partisan controversy over their governor’s response to the state’s budget crisis.
Are there lessons for Oregon to learn from what is transpiring in Wisconsin?
Consider the following facts:
Wisconsin has a population of 5.7 million. Oregon has a population of 3.8 million.
Wisconsin has a budget shortfall of at least $3.6 billion over the next two years. Oregon has a budget shortfall of at least $3.5 billion over the next two years.
Wisconsin state workers currently pay 6 percent of their health benefit costs and are being asked to increase the employee’s portion and pay 12 percent of their health care premiums. (Kaiser Family Foundation states the national average contribution toward healthcare policies among government and private workers is nearly 30 percent.) Oregon State workers currently pay nothing (0 percent) toward their health benefits. (Oregon is the only state in the USA that pays 100 percent of its employee health benefit and PERS costs.)
Wisconsin State workers currently pay 1 percent of their retirement plan costs and they are being asked to increase employee contributions to 5.8 percent. (The national average for government worker contributions toward retirement plans is 6.3 percent.) Oregon State workers currently pay nothing (0 percent) toward their retirement plan (PERS) costs.
Wisconsin’s proposal includes prohibiting most government workers from (1) collectively bargaining for anything other than their salaries, and (2) demanding pay increases above the Consumer Price Index measure of inflation. To bypass the salary cap would require voter approval. Additionally, Wisconsin’s proposal would stop unions from requiring public employees to pay union dues.
Oregon has no limitations on public employee unions or their ability to collectively bargain, and Oregon collects union dues from state employee paychecks. (Oregon’s public employee unions are free to continue negotiating for the State to pay 100 percent of both health and PERS retirement benefits for all state workers.
How have Wisconsin’s citizens responded to the on-going partisan clash between its governor and the public employee unions?
A just-released poll of Wisconsin citizens reveals the following:
By 74-18, Wisconsin voters support making state employees pay more for their health insurance.
By 79-16, Wisconsin voters support requiring state workers to contribute more toward their retirement/pension plan.
By 54-34, Wisconsin voters support ending the automatic deduction of union dues from state workers’ paychecks, and support making unions collect dues from each member.
By 66-30, Wisconsin voters support limiting state workers’ pay increases to the rate of inflation unless voters approve a higher raise by a public referendum.
By 41-54, Wisconsin voters oppose limiting collective bargaining to wage and benefit issues.
By 58-38, Wisconsin voters support limiting collective bargaining on matters relating to educational issues such as, (1) giving schools flexibility to modify tenure, (2) paying teachers based on merit, and (3) discharging bad teachers and promoting good ones.
Is Wisconsin’s turmoil a precursor for Oregon? You decide.
Dennis Richardson is a member of the Oregon State House of Representatives from Central Point.