Lawmakers may target Mich. state worker pay raises

WKAR Public Media

Published February 25, 2010 at 6:41 AM EST

By AP

LANSING, MI –

Michigan lawmakers might soon try to rescind a 3% pay raise scheduled to take effect Oct. 1 for roughly 35,000 union-represented state workers.

Republican Senate Majority Leader Mike Bishop says the state can't afford the raises. Michigan is wrestling with a projected $1.7 billion overall shortfall for the next fiscal year, which also starts Oct. 1.

Republicans say scrapping the pay raises would save an estimated $48 million. But rejecting the raises may be a longshot because it would require approval by two-thirds of the members of both the Republican-led Senate and Democratic-led House.

Union leaders said Thursday that workers already have made concessions and they will oppose any effort to take away raises.

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