Survey Shows Significant Slowdown in Public Employee Salaries
States still reeling from ongoing fiscal crisis

The AFT Public Employees Compensation Survey, now in its fifth year, is a comprehensive source on salary information for state employee professionals used by by union leaders, public employee negotiators, state governments and labor relations professionals across the country.

Washington, D.C. — States have slashed the number of public employees in key safety positions and workers’ salaries are at a standstill – a result of continuing budget pressures plaguing the states – according to the 2004 AFT Public Employees Compensation Survey.

"At a time when we are relying on public employees to redouble their efforts to protect our homeland and provide essential services, states are putting the brakes on salaries and laying off critical personnel," said Edward J. McElroy, AFT president. "States also are hampered by harmful federal policies that cut funds for vital programs and threaten public employees’ workplace and overtime rights."

"This survey shows that states still are struggling to rebound from the nation's economic slump," said Steve Porter, director of the AFT Public Employees division. "It’s going to take years for states to recover from the Bush administration’s tax policies, which are hurting, not helping, states’ ability to deliver the high-quality services that Americans rely on."

The survey shows that states have significantly reduced salary increases, which have plummeted from 3.63 percent in 2002-2003 to 0.45 percent in 2003-2004. This compares to overall U.S. salary increases of over 3 percent for 2003-2004, according to Bureau of Labor Statistics information.

"In a shortsighted effort to manage budget deficits, state agencies across the country are sacrificing experienced staff to layoffs, attrition and early retirement pension buyout options," said Porter. "These stopgap measures can have disastrous effects. For example, how can we effectively maintain the safety of our nation’s bridges when we have lost over 700 inspectors, a 33 percent drop in one critical safety position alone?"

The survey also shows that public employees with union representation, by and large, earn higher salaries than nonunion public employees, mainly the result of collective bargaining rights. Of the 44 surveyed job titles, 41 earned more in states with collective bargaining than those without. The average weighted mean salary for public employees in collective bargaining states is nearly 20 percent more than for those without collective bargaining.

For the first time, the AFT Public Employees Compensation Survey reviewed job titles in all 50 states and the District of Columbia. The survey tracks 44 job titles covering a broad array of professional and scientific careers. For each job description, the survey provides a salary range, number of employees, collective bargaining status, pay plan type and average base salary. The survey also includes a table with the weighted mean and median salary for each job title and private sector pay for comparable positions.

The AFT Public Employees division also released a cost-of-living analysis that lists the states that pay the most for each surveyed job title.

"We need responsible elected officials who understand the value of a strong public workforce with the capacity and expertise to keep this country safe and running smoothly," said McElroy. "There is too much at stake for us to take public employees for granted."

To view the 2004 AFT Public Employees Compensation Survey, go to: http://www.aft.org/salary/2004/download/aftpe04survey.pdf

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