Union-backed report: Public employees paid less than private workers

By Rick Pluta, MPRN

LANSING, MI – A report commissioned by a union-backed think tank says public employees in Michigan are underpaid compared to private sector workers with similar jobs and education levels. The study by the Washington DC-based Economic Policy Institute says state and local employees earn about 5% less than their private sector counterparts. The report says college-educated public employees earn 21% less. The report is based on data from the US Census data and the federal Bureau of Labor Statistics.