State workers speak out against plan to cut jobs

Print More

(Host) Members of the state employees’ union say they’re uneasy about a plan that would eliminate 400 jobs from the state work force.

They say the economic slowdown causes them to worry about their own future.

Doug Gibson is communications director for the union, the Vermont State Employees’ Association.

(Gibson) "They don’t know what’s coming. If you don’t know where the cuts are coming from, you don’t really know if you’re going to impacted or not. So, of course they’re living with the uncertainty right now of, `What does the future hold for me?”’

(Host) Governor Jim Douglas has proposed eliminating 150 jobs from state government by June. There would be a reduction of 250 more jobs in the budget that begins in July.

But the union says there’s been little information about what agencies or individuals would be affected.

So Gibson says the union will be rallying at the Statehouse later today so state workers can talk about their concerns.

(Gibson) "They want to give Vermonters a taste of what might be coming if these cuts do happen, particularly with human services, transportation and those kinds of things.”

(Host) The proposed job cuts are being considered by the Legislature as part of the budget, which is still being drafted by a committee in the House.

Comments are closed.