State Employee Pay Raise to Go Through

The scheduled 3% pay raise for the state’s unionized employees will take effect this fall.  The state Senate tried unsuccessfully for a third time to overturn the raise.

The third vote was the same as the second, 23-15 in favor of rescinding the raise.  However, the vote requires a two-thirds majority to pass (26 “yes” votes).  The state House never took up the measure. 

The vote to obtain the majority needs to happen before April 11, and neither chamber is scheduled to be in session until April 13.  Therefore, the raise will go through as scheduled.

Recall that as part of the governor’s budget non-unionized employees had their 3% raises rescinded.  The measure would have saved the state $83 million.