Paul Whittingham, Region 1 Vice President for American Federation of State, County & Municipal Employees (AFSCME) Florida Council 79 and President of AFSCME Local 985, joined the America’s Work Force Union Podcast and discussed how pay for government employees in Florida struggles to compete against the private sector, despite a 5.4 percent wage increase Florida AFSCME workers won in their latest contract.
Many state run facilities are severely understaffed, and the state has a hard time retaining employees because private-sector jobs pay considerably better, Whittingham said. He discussed the impact low pay has had on morale and the services workers are able to offer the public.
Whittingham also discussed the challenges of advocating for workers in Florida, a So-Called “Right to Work” state, and how state workers fared in the early days of the pandemic.
Listen to the entire episode to learn more about these topics.