I know you have a habit of believing everything you read. But I'm just going to say, don't believe everything you read. I have harder time believing that article than the 100 or so public employees I know. And the tax returns I've seen for people working for the government (from working at a CPA firm), I can honestly say, 90% of public employees' compensation I've seen, they make way more than 3% less of their counterparts in the public sector.
Hell, after seeing what firefighters make, I'd say they alone skew the figures. I can't believe what they make.
This was a study by the State of Oregon. Plus, you aren't including benefits in public salaries. In the private sector, you have to pay fully for your health insurance, and at best you're going to find a matching 50/50 401k.
Just wait until July 1, 2013, when the PERS bomb really drops. Also, you can deny the data presented, but the fact is that it was conducted by the state of Oregon. I don't think they would have any reason to lie, other than to make the difference greater between public pay and private pay.
Since when do I believe everything I read? I'm probably the most cynical bastard on this board regarding what I read.
I don't even know what my brother makes a year, or even what my dad made when he was alive, let alone 100 state workers. Are these conversations that you have often with people? "How much money do you make?"
In an earlier post, you mentioned that benefits were included in the salary. As for working in the private sector, I've never worked anywhere, nor has anyone I've ever talked to about the subject, had to pay more than 50% for their health insurance (and it's always one of the first questions I ask someone when they're looking at jobs). Never. Not one single time. Not any of my 80+ former clients. As for the 401k.... Again, from those I know, plus my former clients, I'd say 85-90% paid a minimum of 2% into a 401k, plus another 1-3% to match employee contributions. Nothing against your sources.... not disputing them. There's just so much manipulated data, junk data, terrible sources out there.... I trust my own personal experiences and what I have actually seen than random articles. Everything in the media has an agenda, and so often, those factual articles later are poked full of holes and can no longer hold water.
You've obviously never worked for a small business, or owned your own business. Nobody is paying 50% of our health insurance for us. Considering your lack of experience in workers from all fields, perhaps you should open up your mind to some actual data, instead of relying on what is obviously a less-than-complete view of how private industry works.
You misread the study. The 3% difference is not in salary, but in salary + benefits + retirement. So, even after you add PERS in, state employees make less than the private sector. barfo
I have a very open and honest family, from my parents to my grandparents to several of my aunts and uncles, even some of my cousins. Nobody has anything to be ashamed of, nobody has anything to hide amongst family. Most are public employees, so I think they probably feel it's easy to get a feel for what they make online. And again.... I worked at a CPA firm for a decade. Between the experience of that (80+ business clients), plus the personal returns, plus returns for most of my family and friends..... I know you think my comment may have been made up or exaggerated, but it's not.
Oh, that explains it. Nevermind. My mother-in-law is a PERS pensioner, and my wife and I can't bring up PERS reform, even when her mom starts bitching about school programs being cut. On to the next topic...
The CPA firm I worked at for a decade was 6 people when I started. They paid 100% of my insurance and 25% of my dependents'. The company I work for now is 6 people scattered about the USA (5 when I started). They pay 100% of my insurance, and 100% of my dependents' insurance. That's health, dental, and vision. What qualifies as a small business in your world? 5 or less employees?
I'm wondering where the magic beans grow that will pay for 50% of my family's health insurance. Anybody seen them?
i pay for my own insurance so i dont have to go in front of the death panels and accept whatever immigrant doctor they want to push on me and its all the teachers fault
Sorry, I shouldn't have said that because it really isn't true. You have your stances, and appear incapable of shifting them. Then you find articles that support your stance, no matter how radical or one-sided they are, and you post them to support your belief. Nothing wrong with it, and it's honestly not a dig at you, it's simply how I see you (and it's how I believe other posters view you based on posts). Those who disagree, it bugs. I can be so in the middle at times that most of the time, those who are completely on one side or the other on an issue, it doesn't phase me, and I can see their perspective clearly. And I have no doubt there are people who get annoyed with me for sitting in the middle, or being Republican on issue and Democrat on another.
My neighbor across the street is a Portland firefighter. Nice guy, nice kids, great family. Works 3 days a week, his wife doesn't work, he is a member at the Tualatin Country Club, and he's dumb as a fucking post. Nice guy, really, but trying to have a conversation with him is painful. You can almost hear the gears in his brain trying to formulate words to come out of his mouth. His wife, on the other hand, is very bright, has a bachelors degree, yet doesn't have to work to live in our nice neighborhood.
Many private sector jobs will, or do. It's just you changed it from private sector, to very small companies/self employed. Big difference between the two. I've never been a public employee, and have never paid even 50 of my health insurance costs.
