AFSCME Florida Statement on Profile Story on State Worker Layoffs
Miami Springs – AFSCME Florida released the following statement following the Tallahassee Democrat’s story on state
worker layoffs:
“Jeff Burlew’s story underscored many of the problems facing Florida’s dedicated public workers and every Floridian who expects their taxes to fund state services they can count on. At a time when Florida is experiencing a record budget, we should be reinvesting part of that budget in the services the state provides and in those who provide them just as any good business would. Instead, Gov. Scott is spending it on lawsuits, special sessions and countless other casualties of his extreme philosophies.
“The story profiles a state worker who, after 34 years of service, made around $40,000 a year. It discusses the 11,000 positions Gov. Scott eliminated during just his first term in a state that is continuing to grow and expect more services. And, most importantly, it details how a state that is no stranger to natural disasters is spending less than half the national average on a workforce that is proportionally undersized. This will ensure the state will face serious problems meeting the needs of its citizens in the future thanks to cuts that are shuttering critical public safety projects and programs.
“AFSCME Florida will continue ensuring the state fulfills its obligations under the collective bargaining agreement, including when it comes to layoffs and outsourcing. And our members will be fully engaged in the next legislative session to support a well-deserved pay increase, the first one in many years, for the men and women who keep Florida running every day.”