Government Employee Sick Out

Screw them, the entire private sector is struggling and cutting back. Just lay the useless bastards off and make an example. They don't realize how good they have it.

Probably no difference in service from any other day, sadly.

this country is now 11T in debt. 48 out of 50 states are in deep trouble. Most can not cover the benefits of the existing state employees with the revenue that they get.

There are two answers to this. First is increase taxes. So the last person paying taxes will turn off the lights. Government employees will get nothing and everything will come apart..

The second is that ALL state employees (this includes the USVI) need to step back and trim the work force and the benefits. I can not believe that gov employees are so short sighted that they can not see the end coming. And remember that without the money Washington sends down this would be a third would island. The taxes we collect in no way come close to support the life style that government employees have. Our wonderful governor makes more than the governor of NY state! What do they have about 20M people! Big get togethers on tax payers backs! A government that is about 10 times what we need in the VI. A police force that can no boast the second largest murder rate in the WORLD! THE WORLD! SS needs to be changed so that more than one person paying is supporting one person collecting. That says that we all need to look at what we get and what we need to give up. But not government employees. They have a right to get as much as they can, NOW1

We all need to rethink our future. Or we also better start learning Chinese! They are second largest revenue producer country in the world. And they have there sights on being number 1. And they have their sights on us!!

Sorry about the ranting but now is the time to act, not to protest.
billd

People seem to use govt employees as a scape goat lately. What are politicians and general running of Washington doing to cut make costs? They want you to focus on the little guy and not think about them. Its a classic. Most local, state, & federal employees make less then their corp counterparts. The difference is they get nicer benefits, it's a wash.

The problem with cutting govt employees salaries and benefits is you are going to also hurt your local economy. Do you think said employee is then going to go out and spend much in their local area? No they are going to stay home and not spend. It's a double edge sword.

Oh Please Hiya; most VI Gov't workers are useless--you have to kiss their ass to get anything done. They spend most of their work day on the phone or eating.

A few years ago--maybe still--workers at DMV got 3x their salary taking money under the table to inspect and license cars they never saw.

28 paid holidays costing tax payers millions of $$ a year--why should they get paid to take the day off for the Children's parade on STT when they live here.

The private sector people works 60 hours a week and pay taxes while the Gov't employees sit around, suck their teeth and have tons of paid holidays!

StX I was not merely talking about "our" local govt as the poster I responded to was. This is major news all over the states.

But on the subject I deal with many govt employees here. While the local dmv is a huge big nasty pill to swallow, I find most other local govt employees to be pretty friendly here. Try saying hi and asking them how they are doing. Never once had one turn me away when I asked for help.

Govt employees often work long hours too. Just like the corp sector it depends if you are management or a drone. Drones generally get shorter hours, unless they are on a career track and then they get paid little and work even longer hours.

Your point of view is very black and white and I wonder if you know any govt employees, how do you know what they do?

You've got to admit the dmv statesite is a huge pill too though.

Why not try and get a gov't job then? *-)

They are full up!!

Current Vacancies
Title Salary Range District Closing Date
Select Police Officer (100 Vacancies) $27,753 - $29,748 STX/STT 1/1/2099
Select Social Worker III $37,571 - $41,291 STX 1/1/2099
Select Social Worker II $34,000 - $40,000 STX 1/1/2099
Select Medical Examiner $150,000 - $170,000 STX/STT 1/1/2099
Select Correction Officer $30,000 - $55,284 STX 1/1/2099

They had many more "professional" positions open before the first of the year.

The nurses at JFL haven't had a raise in three years and there won't be one this year, the year the RN's negotiate their next 3 yr.contract. We are paid considerably less than in the states and work way, way longer hours. Look at those wages posted by Erikw. Even in the back woods of Vermont, a police officer in a village of 2 square miles couldn't live on those wages and the cost of living here is very similar to VT. There are always a few bad apples in the barrel but please, don't condem us all because of those few.

I agree that the wages for police are ridiculously low.

this government has been reneging on negotiated salary increases for decades.

finally a couple of years ago, there was a huge conference that was available on the radio where a project to begin to pay off some of the retroactive pay raises, or "retro", was supposed to begin. they could not pay it all, but it was a start. i'd like to think that this was done in good faith.

people are literally dying as they await retroactive pay due to them for many many years.

V.I. sending out first retroactive payments
By ALDETH LEWIN, Daily News Staff
Published: October 6, 2010

http://virginislandsdailynews.com/v-i-sending-out-first-retroactive-payments-1.1044457

what's being mentioned here did not start with the recession, it's been going on for way too long, it's demoralizing to watch hiring, raises and creation of contracts, yet the front line workers get no attention until it's close to election time... and once the votes are counted, someone turns out the lights.

i have never worked for the government but it still sticks in my craw that people could vote themselves raises knowing full well that they owed so much to so many.

off the soapbox now, and back to my pesto pasta. which, thankfully, i can afford.

Screw them, the entire private sector is struggling and cutting back. Just lay the useless bastards off and make an example. They don't realize how good they have it.

Couldn't agree more.

most VI Gov't workers are useless--you have to kiss their ass to get anything done. They spend most of their work day on the phone or eating.

28 paid holidays costing tax payers millions of $$ a year--why should they get paid to take the day off for the Children's parade on STT when they live here.

The private sector people works 60 hours a week and pay taxes while the Gov't employees sit around, suck their teeth and have tons of paid holidays!

Here here! In my neighborhood we've been trying for YEARS to get the Dept. of Public Works to make some much-needed repair to our roads. Among other things, we have a single lane bridge that is the ONLY access to our neighborhood and it is getting frighteningly degraded to the point where we can see old wood timbers poking out from under the asphalt. If that bridge goes down our entire neighborhood -- almost SIXTY single-family homes -- will be literally stranded.

The response from Public Works? Silence. Utterly nothing. Year after agonizing year we hear nothing from them. Those lazy pieces of crap won't even return calls nor will they reply to numerous letters from our association over a period of many years. Pathetic.

You've got to admit the dmv statesite is a huge pill too though.

Um, no I don't. In Minnesota, I breeze in and out of the DMV in less than 20 minutes every single time. And that's without an appointment at a DMV in a major metropolitan city.

You've got to admit the dmv statesite is a huge pill too though.

Um, no I don't. In Minnesota, I breeze in and out of the DMV in less than 20 minutes every single time. And that's without an appointment at a DMV in a major metropolitan city.

Wow Nug, didn't realize that this stream was all about you!! I have lived in four different states and the DMV's have always been a chore!

Hiya has given me and others very good advice in the past. Don't be an *hole and make general comments only about you!

Huh? I was merely refuting Hiya's incorrectly assumptive statement. How does that make it "all about me"? I know you're the VI messageboard master with your five posts and all, but try and be nice to us mere mortals, k? 😛

In many states you can now do the DMV tags online.
In AZ they have had to stop doing vin number inspections on new title changes.
Many of the cities have had major lay offs or no rehires. They have also had buy outs to get people to retire early.
In Scottsdale what new hires they do have are getting far less in future retirement benefits and retirement healt care benefits.

They need to cut back here as well. 6 or 7 paid holidays are enough!

You guys are talking a bone and making a meal out of it. You know what I meant buy what I said about stateside DMV, but in case you didn't this is the gist. We have many many stateside govt dept that are horrible to deal with. If you've never had to deal with any then you are lucky, but don't claim that we have no problems stateside. You guys were seeing the tree but missing the forest of my point.

My husband has gone down and talked with Mr Cintron at public works and we've had a good experience. You have to remember you can not call or mail here. You must do things in person. If that means going down once a week, that is what you have to do. You guys have lived here long enough to know this is the island way and NOT just with the govt. You have to be pleasant but pushy.