-- As many as 200,000 state workers in California could see their pay scale slashed to minimum wage, if orders from the governor's office are followed.
In a letter to the state controller Thursday, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's administration ordered the department to reduce the payment of state workers to the hourly rate of $7.25 unless a budget is reached soon.
"These are preparations for the prospect of not having a budget passed this month," said Lynelle Jolley with the California Department of Personnel Administration.
Without a budget, the July payroll, sent to go out the end of the month, would be cut, she said.
"This is not a scare tactic," she said. "This is based on a very real legal requirement."
The legal requirement was ordered in 2003, when the California Supreme Court ruled that the state controller had no legal authority to pay wages in the absence of a budget.
"His role is to process the payroll that we give him," Jolley said.
But the state controller disagreed.
"I will not be following the governor's orders," John Chiang told CNN Radio, calling the governor's actions dangerous. "I don't understand why we would continue to impose greater hardships upon the good workers here in California and delay the economic recovery that needs to take place as soon as possible.
Read on.
1 comment:
The Gropinator ought to try living on minimum wage before the girly man opens his big mouth.
Post a Comment