(Columbia) March 2, 2004 - Busloads of state workers arrived at the State House on Tuesday to call for higher wages and stable health insurance costs and benefits at a rally Tuesday. Nearly 500 state workers, retirees and educators showed up to talk to their legislators.
Most of them wore red stickers for the Coalition of Public Employees stickers, a new group formed of retirees, state workers and educators that brings the lobbying power of more than 370,000 people to bear on issues.
State workers say the 2% raise agreed upon by the House Ways and Means Committee-approved budget is not enough considering they did not get raises the past two years, but have had to pay more for insurance.
Annette Goodwin has three children, including one about to go to college. She says she also has a low income, "I've worked at the Department of Disabilities for 18 years, and I make $17,000 a year. ... It's been so many years. We haven't had a pay raise, and it's just not fair."
Perry Rickenbaker works for the South Carolina Department of Corrections, "We need those pay increases in order to keep up with the economy." He says, "I had a lady yesterday ask me if it was a partial paycheck. I had to let her know, indeed, it was a full paycheck."
The group is asking for a 5% increase.
The South Carolina State Employees Association says inflation has grown seven percent in the past three years while the average wages for state workers has increased just one-and-a-half percent.
State employees association director Broadus Jamerson says half of state workers make less than $30,000 a year. He says a quarter would qualify for food stamps if they were supporting families of four solely on their paychecks.
Rickenbaker says salaries for Corrections Officers start at a little over $20,000 a year, "And, that's a very difficult amount of money to make a living on, especially if you're a single parent." He says low pay leads to high turnover, which he says means additional costly training, "The salaries are just killing us right now." 50% of new hires leave within a year and 75% have left by two years.
Other workers say inflation and rising health care costs are eating into their retirement. Retirees say they need more money to make up for higher health insurance premiums and out-of-pocket expenses during the past three years. And, workers say health care premiums have risen 200% in the past three years.
Debi Gupton works for DSS and says something has to be done, "I've taken two pay cuts this year, furlough at DSS, insurance has gone up, inflation went up and my income went down."
House Ways and Means Chairman Bobby Harrell says he understands the plight of state workers, but he says in tight budget times like these, salary increases depend on what taxpayers are willing to pay, "Because we started with a shortfall, we either have to cut the budget or raise taxes, and there's no appetite for that. I certainly don't support it."
There's still a long way to go for the 2% to be finalized. The budget that passed House Ways and Means Committee hits the floor of the House next week for debate. Minority Leader James Smith told News 10 he plans to propose an amendment that would give state workers a 5% raise.
Reported by Megan Hughes
Updated 6:48pm by Chris Rees with AP
