Unions representing workers for New York state are pushing their members to approve contracts that include stiff pay cuts:
The new contract would also require workers to take nine furlough days, and it would increase health insurance costs for employees. For example, state employees currently must pay 10 percent of their individual health insurance premiums; under the new contract, the contribution would rise to 12 percent for lower-paid workers and 16 percent for higher-paid ones.
A pay cut is always demoralizing for employees, but at least in New York's case, they were progressively distributed. Higher earners had to shoulder a higher cost of their benefits. In Wisconsin, everybody in state government, from janitors making $10 an hour to managers making six figures, was dealt the same increase in health care premiums. As a result, I would expect that many low wage workers will drop out of health care entirely.
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