Comments on: $70K pay for janitors + rate hike should = revolt

By: Kreditanstalt

Kreditanstalt — Sat, 08 Jun 2013 17:45:47 +0000

One thing missing here is that it is exceedingly difficult to even qualify for grunt work as a machinist, lathe operator, truck driver, taxi-driver, carpenter, plumber or what-have-you. Even though the actual hands-on “skills” could be learned effectively in a couple of days, newcomers are effectively barred by “qualifications”: certificates, apprenticeships, “journeymen’s” credentials, “tickets”, diplomas, training, licenses, insurability, seniority in hiring and firing, union protections for established workers, “minimum wages” (preventing any from working for less) and so on.

It’s all about protecting the existing few. Plus, employers are too fat and sassy to do their own sourcing, checking, interviewing, tryouts, and legwork – their businesses are, facing no free competition, simply profitable enough now to allow this luxury of reliance on “qualifications”. And, even IF one jumps thru all the hoops, the field may be flooded or knowledge gained be outdated by the time one arrives.

Not so easy…even if we could get there…

By: Richard Rider

Richard Rider — Sat, 08 Jun 2013 14:50:26 +0000

Eva makes a great point about transferability of pensions. It’s been the bane of CA governments.

The whole PURPOSE of a pension is (well, SHOULD be) to retain quality employees. But with transferability, state and local govt employees can leapfrog from agency to agency without the usual penalties found with more functional private pensions.

By: jimmydeeoc

jimmydeeoc — Thu, 06 Jun 2013 23:39:31 +0000

Very true, RR……..look at Lois Lerner……she had 100s working under her, and made, what, $170K or so including bonus? Something like that.

But your average cubicle hamster is VASTLY overpaid.

By: Richard Rider

Richard Rider — Thu, 06 Jun 2013 18:35:58 +0000

BTW, contrary to the populist mentality, the biggest compensation disparity between public and private sector work (people doing the same job) is NOT at the top. It’s almost always at the blue collar end — the less skill involved, the higher the pay disparity.

And, just to beat these downtrodden janitors more, don’t forget their Cadillac pensions, early retirement, (likely) subsidized retiree health care, great vacations and extra holidays. And job security.

The solution to all is obvious — GET A GOVERNMENT JOB. ANY job.

By: Richard Rider

Richard Rider — Thu, 06 Jun 2013 18:29:58 +0000

Well, at least the water district fires the substandard janitors. Only the best janitors are retained for such work.

Right? RIGHT???

By: Eva

Eva — Thu, 06 Jun 2013 18:19:21 +0000

“Turnover among federal employees is minuscule. That indicates compensation is far more than adequate.”

The biggest reason for the ‘minuscule’ turnover of all public service employees is the lack of transferable pension plans between public entities and public-private. You are basically stuck with your agency. That’s especially true for municipal and state personnel.

By: jimmydeeoc

jimmydeeoc — Thu, 06 Jun 2013 17:21:45 +0000

Steve-o shows up in …..3…..2…..1…..

By: doug

doug — Thu, 06 Jun 2013 17:03:43 +0000

“protect a union job at any cost”
they were the main $$ source behind Wendy Gruel when she ran for mayor.

we’ll see what Garcetti pulls out of his hat.
it’ll start with some sort of bond probably.

By: us citizen

us citizen — Thu, 06 Jun 2013 14:44:39 +0000

You have no idea how bad this pisses me off. These salaries are beyond ridiculous! Im not paying someone else more money than what I make for the same damned job plus they get all the bennies. WTF is wrong with this government!!!!!!!