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I have an idea. Instead of complaining about the meager pensions government employees receive, why don't you demand better labor laws so workers in the private sector aren't treated like slaves either? Rather than acting like a crab in a barrel tying to pull everyone down around you who is climbing toward freedom, why don't you demand our economy be restructured so that wealth isn't rapidly sucked up to the top for the exclusive benefit of the top percentiles? Australia's minimum wage is $15 an hour. Miraculously (only to those who patronize certain skewed media sources), they still manage to have a functioning, first world economy.
Does it bug anyone besides me that public employees that are funded by our tax dollars tend to have these great benefit packages where they can retire after twenty years of "service" while the rest of us private sector chumps are probably going to end up working into our 70ies? I mean good for them but the fact that I'm their employer and provide such generous retirement benefits to them that I don't get to enjoy myself bothers me. Does it bother you? Sound off.
Dude, you're no one's employer. And it doesn't really bother me.
The real question should be is - why don't private sector employees unionize so that they can have some bargaining power and get fixed benefit pensions like they used to have, it wasn't always like this. IMO people hating on public employees are just plain jealous and fail to understand that they could have the same thing as public employees if they would take the initiative to get together and unionize
Location: Free State of Florida, Support our police
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Quote:
Originally Posted by infocyde
Does it bug anyone besides me that public employees that are funded by our tax dollars tend to have these great benefit packages where they can retire after twenty years of "service" while the rest of us private sector chumps are probably going to end up working into our 70ies? I mean good for them but the fact that I'm their employer and provide such generous retirement benefits to them that I don't get to enjoy myself bothers me. Does it bother you? Sound off.
Doesn't bug me at all lol. I retired at 42 years old!! I did 21 years. 20 years of midnights. I worked weekends. I worked holidays. I risked my life. I missed out on tons of family events. I made 100's of arrests protecting the public. I testified at court. I had to testify at all sorts of internal investigations. I knew exactly what I was getting into. I remember in the late 90's when people would laugh because I worked for the PD. They laughed because they worked on wall street and were making bank while I was making dirt. Guess what I knew exactly what I signed up for. I never once complained. Why? Because I knew I was getting a pension. I knew I would never be rich but I will always be able to feed my family. Now I can work if I like or I don't have to do a dam thing. So keep up your crying. I will dream about your whining as I go back for my NAP!!!!!
Last edited by retiredcop111; 06-11-2015 at 05:16 AM..
Right now the only good jobs in southern most NJ are government jobs. And you have to know someone or be someone's kid to get one. And they pay great and you get free healthcare for life. Most in my little town start at 50K. And you get a great pension for life. All of these jobs retire after 25 years. Some of the administrators retire and then get hired for another one. Great if you can get it..
If everyone became a public employee, there would be nothing left. Sorry, but public employees, no matter how well-intentioned they are (and many are great people), just don't contribute to an economy. There is no production going on, they don't adapt to market demands. They exist in a bubble, taking money from citizens based on what the government just asserts they are worth.
Maybe it sounds good to have these plush packages, but they are completely unsustainable and will certainly not be there for the employees in 20 years. Private sector workers are still in better shape, long run.
There are serious problems with many public pensions that this thread is overlooking.
Look at the city of Detroit's pension. It was run by Union leaders who benefited from mismanaging the math and giving out more benefits than mathematically possible.
Detroit would give out 13th month bonus checks, even though it was not in the plan and the math didn't call for it. A good way to keep getting reelected to union leadership though.
Detroit ignored the math projections for return estimates, because willful ignorance allowed them to promise more money to retirees in return than if took their job seriously. State actuaries screamed that the projected returns on investments were irrational. This way, you can put in less money and promise more in return...which is why every other decade the program needs government intervention.
Detroit had a supplemental plan where any additional money put in was guaranteed a 7.9% return no matter what.
Detroit pensions got a massive bailout in 2004, but continued to squander the money to the point where they needed another bailout just over a decade later. As it was left in Union control.
In addition to the 13th month bonus checks, that remember were uncalled for in the plan, Detroit gave out a massive bonus when stocks peaked...which meant there was less money there for the eventual massive downturn in the stock market. Remember pension money is invested primarily in stocks and bonds. So they were wasting money at the precise moment when you needed to save it.
Detroit's pension charged nearly 1.5% management fee that remember goes to union leaders to run this program into the ground.
You can get a partial retirement after just 10 years of service.
Then in the end, when Republicans want to fix the math, Union leaders scream that Republicans hate workers and want to kill the middle class.
Does it bug anyone besides me that public employees that are funded by our tax dollars tend to have these great benefit packages where they can retire after twenty years of "service" while the rest of us private sector chumps are probably going to end up working into our 70ies? I mean good for them but the fact that I'm their employer and provide such generous retirement benefits to them that I don't get to enjoy myself bothers me. Does it bother you? Sound off.
I'm retired military. Since we pay taxes also, it's as if we were paying to work! Now how is that fair? I say this in a joking way. No need to get all huffy. Chill out guy/ girl.
Some people did think we didn't pay taxes. In fact I'm still paying taxes on my retirement pay!
Does it bug anyone besides me that public employees that are funded by our tax dollars tend to have these great benefit packages where they can retire after twenty years of "service" while the rest of us private sector chumps are probably going to end up working into our 70ies? I mean good for them but the fact that I'm their employer and provide such generous retirement benefits to them that I don't get to enjoy myself bothers me. Does it bother you? Sound off.
I'm a public employee. If you're the one paying my salary, you're doing a horrible job: I haven't had a pay raise since 2004. Not even a cost of living adjustment for much of that time.
But I love what I do and I believe in my mission. That's why I took the job to begin with. That was back when my fellow college graduates going into the private sector were making almost twice what I started with. And they thought I was nuts. I don't get stock options, bonuses, or any performance-based awards (not because I don't perform, but because it's not in the budget and hasn't been for about 15 years).
When I'm done, I'll have a decent retirement, but hardly a "gravy train."
The problem I see: when the economy is doing well, not only are private sector employees happier, but they say nothing about how much less the average public salary is. When the economy goes into the crapper, then begins the finger-pointing and discussions about how much 'better' we have it than they do. But I don't blame those people, because they're going through a tough time and are just trying to find their feet.
I DO blame the political hacks who always seem to be the root of the finger-pointing, trying to make a name for themselves with the average voter (who is - more often than not - a private sector employee) by rallying them against a particular cause or issue. And strangely enough, as public employees, themselves, that 'cause' never seems to include the fact that they receive pay, benefits, and enormous perks that the vast majority of government employees do not. Like being able to give themselves raises.
All of the people I know in the public sector who DO have it very well worked hard, for a long time, with much lower pay in order to get where they are. And now, in the name of drumming up votes and popularity, someone like Rand Paul is going to use them as an example to try and cut salaries, programs, and benefits for everyone in the public sector. Don't drink their kool-aid. Do your own research and see the disparities that have traditionally existed.
My prediction: Everything goes in cycles. And the economy will rebound. The private sector will inevitably prosper again. But the changes/cuts that have been made to public employee salaries and programs will not be undone, and the disparity will be even more glaring when that happens.
Note: I'm simply responding to the OP. I am NOT complaining about being a public employee, since some posters are obviously trying to turn this thread in that direction. Why? Because they have nothing else to say and can only respond with the old "deny-admit nothing-make counter accusations" tactic.
About 30 years ago or so, I had the chance to become a State employee.
I was temping in a mental health agency and the bosses liked my work. I was offered a permanent position, but the salary was so low I just couldn't accept it, even though I enjoyed the work.
When I was working there as a temp, I met all different kinds of people. There were the ones who spent an hour or more taking a smoke break and did little work. Interestingly, those were the people making around 50 grand a year, which was quite a bit of money back then. When the State had to cut back on spending, word got around that all the temps would have to go. One of the 50 grand/year lazy bums said (literally) "Oh, no, who's going to do all the work?"
I also met people of all wage rates who were dedicated, sincere, and truly cared about their jobs.
It's just like any other place of work; most people pull their weight; some don't.
The difference it that when a private company has to cut the "fat", the ones not pulling their weight go. In the public sector, it's VERY difficult to get rid of an employee, not matter what they do or don't do.
The VA is a perfect example. Rampant corruption, yet ONE person lost their job.
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