The following was originally posted at Dane101.com. The article, in its entirety, is there for your viewing pleasure.
When most people think of a public service employee, their thoughts probably turn to a government worker who is in a lavish office somewhere at the Capitol building.
The image in their head is indeed a myth: most government workers don’t get paid the huge sums of money that some mistakenly think they receive, work in various offices across the state, and have to pay into their pension just as most other private sector employees do. They too are struggling through the effects of the economic recession and have families to care for as well during these challenging times – the same conditions as most Wisconsinites are facing.
But even with the confused depiction of what a public service employee’s lifestyle may be, those that view them in a negative light forget that such employees aren’t just government workers. They’re also the nurses, specialists and other staff that work at our hospitals, teachers that guide and shape the minds of our young, guards that ensure stability at our prisons, and social workers that help the disadvantaged in our communities.
They’re the people in our state who do the grunt work, who serve the people not for the glamour, not for the pay, but for the belief that what they do benefits the greater public good. They’re the people we think of when we need help, when we cannot fend for ourselves, when our loved ones need more assistance than we’re able to shell out on our own.
To reward them for their hard work, for the sacrifices they make every day working a mostly thankless job, Scott Walker has determined that their contributions to their pensions and health care benefits should go up, to nearly one-fifth of their total wages. Because they chose such noble professions, our governor has decided that it’s their backs that the burden of balancing the budget ought to be placed upon.
Read the full article at Dane101.com.
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