trying to figure this out

[KellyHabersham]

Without getting into all the details.......it's contract negotiation time for city employees, and unfortunately, part of what city management is asking is pay cuts. If this goes into affect, this would make the starting rate for my job position to be below Arizona's minimum wage, and would be barely above the federal level. (there are a few other entry-level positions where this would also happen)

As far as I can tell, city government jobs are NOT exempt from minimum wage laws, so I'm a bit curious as to how that is going to work.

[Pimento]

If you're early into negotiations chances are they proposed a lower than minimum wage to eventually settle on minimum wage.

Or they might have contract language that agrees to use the federal instead of state minimum wage. Either way that's strange. Every negotiation we have we get 0.2-0.5% wage increases per year

[KellyHabersham]

It's mostly because of a budget shortfall and all that nonsense.....the only people who've gotten raises within the past few years are those who are eligible for merit increases.

[csquared]

I am guessing that they are asking for an X% cut. If that percent puts you below minimum wage, then it will probably be set to minimum.

[MoonCat]

That's not legal. I think this proposal is just a case of "both sides ask for the moon, then move slowly toward each other and meet somewhere in the middle." Standard procedure for bargaining.

Or they could be trying to pull something. Make sure your bargaining team researches this issue before signing agreements!

[KellyHabersham]

My mistake....I re-read the info I had, and it's .65% a year in pay cuts for two years, not 65 cents. Not as bad as I was thinking, but I'm a bit concerned about how any cut in pay will affect my health insurance next year.

[Pimento]

Hopefully your local has elected a good bargaining group that is strong enough to get a fair deal that works to the employees best intetest

[KellyHabersham]

Hopefully your local has elected a good bargaining group that is strong enough to get a fair deal that works to the employees best intetest

They do their best with that, but the thing about health insurance is........I don't get it through work because I'm part-time, and the only way I could afford it this year is I qualified for subsidies. Any cuts in pay could put my income to where I lose that, and my only "affordable" option for insurance would be Medicaid. (let's just say I do NOT want to go that route)

[wolfie]

the only way I could afford it this year is I qualified for subsidies. Any cuts in pay could put my income to where I lose that,

It's my understanding that subsidies are supposed to make commercial policies affordable for low-income people. How could a pay cut result in the LOSS of a subsidy?

[KellyHabersham]

It's my understanding that subsidies are supposed to make commercial policies affordable for low-income people. How could a pay cut result in the LOSS of a subsidy?

My state chose to expand our Medicaid program, so if my income gets to where I don't qualify for subsidies, that's the only option I can get through the healthcare exchange.