New Jersey State Workers To Get Average 35 Percent Salary Increase Over Four Year Union Contract

This is the “fair contract” Governor Jon Corzine has negotiated with the state’s public employee unions. The average New Jersey state worker will receive a 35 percent increase in salary over the next four years - 13.6 percent in wage scale increases, the balance in incremental salary increases.

The average state worker currently makes an annual salary of $54,742. That average worker will be getting $73,902 in pay when the union contract expires in 2010.

It’s been fifteen years, back when Jim Florio was governor, since the union won wage scale increases for every year of a contract. This is the price taxpayers have to bear so that Governor Corzine could reach an agreement in time for his unveiling of the state’s budget in February. The union crows, “We said that we believed the Governor was motivated to get a contract early and that it would work for us”. Boy, did it!

More details about the salary concessions Governor Corzine made to the unions, with examples:

The contract provides an across the board salary increase every year for the next four years. Every worker, regardless of performance, will get a 3 percent raise in each of the first two years and a 3.5 percent raise in the final two years.

The contract also preserves incremental salary increases for all workers receiving a “satisfactory” performance rating and who have not reached the maximum salary level for their position. According to the union, 70 percent of workers will be receiving these incremental salary increases every year for the next four years.

For example, a worker in a pay grade 25 position, currently earning $52,901.32 annually will have receive a $71,380.30 salary in four years. A worker currently earning the maximum of $75,194.05 in a pay grade 25 job will be making $85.445.20 when the contract expires in 2010.