The article "Managers seek bill for pay commission," June 13, captured the essence of a situation that just does not make any rational sense. With only one dissenting vote in each house, the state Legislature followed your prescription and passed the M/C Pay Commission Act.
Management/confidential employees are now in their fifth year of increases being withheld across the board. Thanks to the withholdings of legislated raises in 2009-10 and 2010-11, M/Cs are being paid a minimum of 7 percent less than their Public Employees Federation- and Civil Service Employees Association-represented counterparts, all of whom got their raises. They also lost their step increases in 2009-10 as well as longevity payments that were due lower-graded M/C employees.
The 2011-12 step increases and longevity payments, due in April 2011, were not paid until December, and in 2012, step increases and longevity payments were paid. The 2013 step increases, merit pay and longevity payments and the $775 retention bonus, due in April 2013, have yet to appear.
No business should be run this way. Even the 2012 Workforce Management Report from the state's Civil Service Department notes the need to fix the salary compression debacle between M/C positions and subordinate ones.
The Legislature obviously gets it, and this new act can begin to rectify this salary mess. It's about workplace fairness and respect in the people's workplace.
Let's restore the career ladder for all state employees. Let's restore proper compensation for the M/C employees. Let's urge Gov. Andrew Cuomo to sign the act and quickly create this commission to restore what was taken from all M/C employees.
Barbara Zaron
President, Organization of NYS Management/Confidential Employees, Albany
Joseph B. Sano
Executive director, OMCE Albany