The Iowa affiliate of the AFSCME union representing state employees, voted the end of November 2009, to accept 5 days of unpaid work for the current fiscal year, in their effort to assist with the state's budget crisis. This, in one sense, would be the equivalent of a 1.9% pay cut. (5 days / 260 annual days) See the story in the Des Moines Register.

But their local chapter, operating out of the Osceola County Sheriff's office, doesn't feel the need to share the burden. They are insisting on a pay increase of 3.25% for the coming budget year. We here at OCTA are forecasting that if they keep up this level of greed, indifferent to the economic hardship suffered by fellow county residents, that a job layoff will likely be forced upon the Public Safety Commission in the next year.