Wage Compression Still an Issue for State Employees

At their annual day on Capitol Hill, state employees said today that salaries remain an issue for them.

Jim Tucker is the Interim Director of the Tennessee State Employees Association. He says existing employees in the middle salary range aren’t getting raises comparable to what new hires make. He calls it compression.

“So you have an 18 year, experienced career service employee who is compensated only slightly above someone who is newly hired.”

Governor Phil Bredesen says while he hasn’t put compression money in the budget yet, he will after he sees the revenue estimates for the remainder of the fiscal year.

“To me the most important things seem to be some basic raises across the board but I am confident that there will be money for compression in the final budget when it’s finally signed by me.”

Bredesen budgeted nearly 86-million dollars for increases in the form of a 1-percent across-the-board raise, and a 2-percent bonus that the legislature will decide how to distribute.

Bredesen released his 27-and-a-half billion dollar budget to lawmakers this morning.