During the past ten days, there’s been a tempest in a teapot brewing about the fact that New Jersey state workers lost the day after Thanksgiving as a holiday. Although it’s never been an officially negotiated day-off, it was regularly granted to state workers by gubernatorial proclamation, since around 1962.
I can understand the disappointment with Governor Corzine in that he did not continue that tradition; but let’s get realistic – it’s simply not a big deal. Things change, and this is one of them. State employees have known for a year that this was coming down the pike, so last minute protestations by some of them are falling largely on deaf ears. Corzine has not said that state employees can’t take the day off; he’s just saying that it will be charged to them. Thirteen paid holidays is not a chintzy benefit.
I don’t believe that those who are making the most noise represent the thinking of all state employees. Other state workers who have paused to consider how their job security, medical benefits, and defined pension plan compares quite favorably with those in private industry must be blushing over their colleagues’ weak claims of entitlement.
Note: For a more thorough discussion of this issue see the following AP story which appeared in the Courier News on November 18, 2007, http://www.c-n.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20071118/NEWS03/711180454/1007
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