Mississippi State Workers Put Budget-Slashing Lawmakers on Notice

After three years with no raises and new threats of job and benefit cuts, state workers in Mississippi are demanding that legislators balance the budget without putting employees and the people they serve in jeopardy.

"Raising new revenue or using a combination of the rainy day fund and remaining stimulus funds" are two solutions that must be considered, Brenda Scott, president of the Mississippi Alliance of State Employees-CWA, said at a news conference at the state capitol.

Joined by union members, elected officials and community activists, Scott said cutting one agency to fund another is "stealing from Peter to pay Paul," while passing the buck to cities, school districts and college students is "nothing more than tax increases in poor disguise."

Gov. Haley Barbour is waging a fierce campaign against workers, seeking pension fund cuts, big hikes in premiums for pre-Medicare retirees and the right to fire any employee he pleases without regard to seniority, job performance or other factors. "This has got to stop," Scott said. She put legislators on notice that they need to embrace new, pro-worker solutions for balancing the budget.

Photo Caption: At a news conference in Jackson, MASE-CWA President Brenda Scott calls on Mississippi lawmakers to look for new solutions to balance the budget, not more cuts in jobs and services. Photo Credit: Gwen Farmer/MASE-CWA