A state without public sector unions.

[Razgovory]

Well techically they form associations, but can't do strike for do much collective bargaining.  Anyway, this should warm some hearts and bring some smiles to faces.

http://www.connectmidmissouri.com/news/story.aspx?id=1195982#.VTvkZpPQuEI

JEFFERSON CITY -- State employees said Friday they were disappointed but not surprised to learn Missouri's 2016 budget keeps their wages flat.

No state worker was willing to give their name, but several KRCG 13 spoke with expressed frustration that their pay would remain unchanged for the fourth time in the last 7 budget years. One woman wondered aloud, "Don't we have any value?"

Jeff Mazur, the executive director for the local American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees council, said it would take a long-term effort to turn the state's worker pay around. Mazur said Missouri ranks 34th nationwide in cost of living but last in worker pay. He said it would take a $5,500-per-year pay increase to make Missouri's state workers the 34th-highest-paid within one year.

"Obviously, everyone knows that's not going to happen in a single budget year," he said.

Mazur said there is growing bipartisan support for a pay raise for state workers, with GOP Reps. Jay Barnes and Travis Fitzwater and Democratic Sen. Jamilah Nasheed among those calling for one. Still, he said it will likely take at least 4 or 5 budget years before Missouri's state employee pay corresponds to its cost of living.

[Ideologue]

I'm actually a bit suprirsed MO is the 34th most expensive state.

[Ideologue]

Huh, on the plus side, since you happened to make me look it up, according to Forbes it turns out the COL in Pittsburgh is pretty much exactly the same as it is in Columbia.  How is that possible?  It's a horrible urban hellhole.

[Admiral Yi]

I'm actually a bit suprirsed MO is the 34th most expensive state.

St. Louis and KC.

[Ideologue]

I thought they were post-apocalyptic bartertowns operating largely off of methane farming and police piracy.

[Admiral Yi]

I thought they were post-apocalyptic bartertowns operating largely off of methane farming and police piracy.

They have nicer parts too.

[grumbler]

Huh, on the plus side, since you happened to make me look it up, according to Forbes it turns out the COL in Pittsburgh is pretty much exactly the same as it is in Columbia.  How is that possible?  It's a horrible urban hellhole.

Pittsburgh isn't that much better.

[Ideologue]

Sad trombone.

[Berkut]

34th in cost of living, and 50th in pay?

That isn't that radical a difference.

I wonder what public employee pay in Missouri is like compared to private sector?

How many times has the average privat sector worker in comparable jobs seen raises over the last seven years?

What metric are they using to measure pay and cost of living?

[alfred russel]

34th in cost of living, and 50th in pay?

That isn't that radical a difference.

I wonder what public employee pay in Missouri is like compared to private sector?

How many times has the average privat sector worker in comparable jobs seen raises over the last seven years?

What metric are they using to measure pay and cost of living?

I don't know a thing about Missouri pay for public workers, but I don't think state workers generally have all that sweet of a gig. Not like federal at least. I at least know in Georgia the pay for state workers in my field is abysmal.

Maybe in states like New York or Massachusetts it is different.

[frunk]

34th in cost of living, and 50th in pay?

That isn't that radical a difference.

I wonder what public employee pay in Missouri is like compared to private sector?

How many times has the average privat sector worker in comparable jobs seen raises over the last seven years?

What metric are they using to measure pay and cost of living?

I hate comparing two different rankings like this.  There's no way to tell how significant the difference is.  It's a pretty useless comparison.

[Berkut]

34th in cost of living, and 50th in pay?

That isn't that radical a difference.

I wonder what public employee pay in Missouri is like compared to private sector?

How many times has the average privat sector worker in comparable jobs seen raises over the last seven years?

What metric are they using to measure pay and cost of living?

I don't know a thing about Missouri pay for public workers, but I don't think state workers generally have all that sweet of a gig. Not like federal at least. I at least know in Georgia the pay for state workers in my field is abysmal.

Maybe in states like New York or Massachusetts it is different.

In New York I think (depending on the profession) the pay is not as good as the private sector, but the benefits are incredible and of course you cannot be fired no matter how terrible you are...

[Razgovory]

In Missouri, you can get fired fairly easily from the state.  We've had rounds of lay offs.

[Eddie Teach]

I'm actually a bit suprirsed MO is the 34th most expensive state.

Should it be higher or lower? 

Keep in mind, the big, empty western states will have higher distribution costs.

[alfred russel]

In New York I think (depending on the profession) the pay is not as good as the private sector, but the benefits are incredible and of course you cannot be fired no matter how terrible you are...

I'd guess there are states where state workers are very poorly compensated, and states where they are getting sweet deals. I'd also guess that if Missouri is really 50th in state pay, the workers there are not very well off.

I'm surprised that they are 50th though. The state isn't especially poor, and isn't hardcore conservative either. The source seems to be a union guy in Missouri quoted in a connectmidmissouri online article, so who knows.

Knowing the limited amount that I do about state employment in Georgia for accountants, I think the workers are woefully underpaid.