Friday, February 29, 2008
- Bud Elder
A sprited group of state employees met in Norman to discuss legislative issues
OPEA Executive Director Sterling Zearley, Board Member Dixie Jackson and a very young member in Norman
Senator Jonathan Nichols addresses the crowd, with Rep. Scott Martin, Sen. John Sparks and Rep. Wallace Collins look on
More than 80 OPEA members and state employees shared a bowl of chili and discussed issues with area legislators at the OPEA Norman Chili Supper, Thursday, February 28. Attending were Senator Jonathan Nichols, Senator John Sparks, Representative Wallace Collins and Representative Scott Martin.
Dixie Jackson, OPEA Board member and Past President opened the program by asking legislators their plans for state employee pay and benefits this session, emphasizing, the legislation that would reduce the benefit allowance that is pending in the House.
“I am concerned for state employees’ safety” said Collins. “You are overworked and underpaid, and your message is not being heard. You need to tell legislators your issues. We start nurses aides at $8.65 per hour and you can work at a convenience store for the same or less money, without the responsibility or safety problems.”
Representative Martin emphasized that he has also been a government worker for the cities of Norman and Noble and his wife had been a state employee.
"I understand what it is like to have elected representatives deciding on your pay and benefits,” Martin said. “State employees use the benefit allowance to compensate for low pay. HB 3108 which would reduce that allowance will not be passed without a change to make up for the loss in pay.”
Senators Sparks and Nichols both discussed media attacks on state employees.
“Unfortunately, it is easy to attack state government and say there are too many state employees,” said Sparks. “However, states have different responsibilities.” He went on to compare the number of transportation employees in Oklahoma to that of Connecticut that has the same population.
“Connecticut is the size of the Oklahoma panhandle, and we have the 15th largest transportation system in the nation,” he said. “We audited DOC last year and the auditors indicated they didn’t know how you manage with the inadequate resources.”
“You do extraordinary things for the people of Oklahoma,” said Nichols. “It takes three years for child welfare workers to learn their job. You will find that many don’t last that long, because of the horrendous caseloads and low pay. Every article in the paper criticizing DHS should have a paragraph in the beginning, explaining the challenges workers face.”
All four legislators praised OPEA’s work at the Capitol.
“OPEA’s presentation to the Republican caucus this week was historic,” said Martin.
“OPEA does a great job at the Capitol,” said Sparks. “However, they only set the stage. This is not a sprint, it’s a marathon. There will always be competing interests and your legislators need to hear from you. State workers are paid what they are paid because the legislature thinks they can get away with it."
"They can only do what we let them get away with," said one OPEA member. "It's time we got ourselves organized."
OPEA members were excited about the opportunity to get together and discuss the critical issues facing state employees today.
"We need to have more meetings like this," said Peggy Stoltenberg from DHS.