Thursday, September 19, 2013

Retirements and Government Services

The ABQ Journal had an interesting story on the number of public service employees retiring in the state.  Most of it is probably due to an aging workforce and fatigue caused by the anti government rantings of the Republican Party.  It is hard for anyone to put up with that kind of constant degradation.

I think the bigger story here might be one of who replaces many of these experienced workers.  They actually do serve important functions no matter what the Tea Party radicals say.  They are engineers, health specialists, public safety officers, environmental protection specialists and all the way down to the guys who patch our highways and clean up litter.  They all require experience and dedication.  Are some employees in government slackers?  Sure, just like anywhere else.  But mostly they are good people watching out for you in a thousand ways to make your life more manageable.

So as the likes of Congressman Steve Pearce, Mayor Berry, and Governor Martinez and their Tea Party friends continue to assail public service, what will young talented people think about entering government service?  The corporate handlers of the right wing have already turned Union members into demons with their constant use of dollars to defame the hard won rights of workers.  Will they be as successful in keeping much needed new talent out of the government workforces?  Let's hope not.  Because if they do you will suffer for it greatly.

And a word of advice for public employee organizations.  You better start fighting back or the Koch brothers and their ilk will privatize your jobs and pay minimum wages.

I salute those government career workers who show up every day to provide the services that make our lives safe and productive.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

I'm hoping to replace one of those retirees as we segue from Alabama to NM for my husband's retirement and my "last" career. Pay scales are definitely low in NM. It's tough to imagine anyone seriously suggesting the state employees should make less.