'NOT ONE PENNY LESS" Pay Raise Campaign

AFSCME WV proposes across-the-board increase for state employees that is ‘NOT ONE PENNY LESS’ than the teachers; a special legislative session on pay levels and benefits set for September 7th

Join our campaign urging the governor and state legislators to provide state employees with an across-the-board pay raise equal to WV teachers!

1. Why AFSCME WV launched the ’NOT ONE PENNY LESS’ campaign:

Fact: State Employees in West Virginia haven’t had an across-the-board pay raise since 2002 - that’s three long years ago and then it was an insulting $500 while WV teachers received the highest pay raise in the nation that same year (approximately $1500). Our state’s teachers are very important, but FAIR is FAIR.

Fact: State employees salaries have remained frozen at a time when the costs of health care, gasoline, housing and other essentials have soared. Even though AFSCME West Virginia helped to successfully lobby the governor and legislators to freeze PEIA premiums until January 1, premiums could raise considerably come 2006. PEIA co-pays and deductibles continue to rise. In 2002, the average cost for a gallon of gasoline was $1.41. Today, it’s 70% higher. No pay raises means all state employees except the very top are losing ground economically.

2. Why AFSCME West Virginia supports an across-the-board pay raise proposal:

Fact: AFSCME West Virginia proposes a pay raise for all state employees to begin immediately, be retroactive to July 1 of this year and has adopted the ’NOT ONE PENNY LESS’ campaign to fight for this raise.

Fact: AFSCME West Virginia believes an across the board pay increase is the most equitable way to distribute the money. A percentage increase would give a higher raise to those at the top (you know who they are) and would be a much smaller raise for those making lower salaries. Top agency management would receive 2 or 3 times as much money as a hard working, dedicated state employee under a percentage raise.

Fact: AFSCME West Virginia’s proposed across-the-board raise would treat state employees equally. Bonuses and pitting groups against each other by giving some agencies and department raises will not bring us up from the bottom of the entire nation’s pay scale.

Fact: AFSCME West Virginia is fighting to focus state dollars on pay. For the past few years, the percent of state dollars being directed to the employees has declined. Our leadership and lobbyists will be at the Capitol for you.

3. Why AFSCME WV believes state employee pay should be a priority of the Governor and the Legislature:

Fact: West Virginia’s average monthly payroll for full-time state employees by state from the U.S. Bureau of Census shows that over a ten year period, West Virginia ranked 49th in 1993, “jumped” to 47th in 1998 and then fell to 48th in 2003 (latest figures available). Monthly payroll per employee is 12.2% up to 31.5% less than the average in all the five border states surrounding West Virginia - Pennsylvania, Ohio, Maryland, Virginia and Kentucky.

Contact your legislators and the governor’s office in person, by mail and with calls, circulate the petition in this mailing ASAP and be ready to take action as we get closer to the session. Our web site - www.afscmewv.org or www.wvstateemployee.com (same site) will have the latest updates.

AFSCME West Virginia August 2005