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OPEA WEIGHS IN AS DHS CUTS SERVICES, INCREASES SALARIES

OKLAHOMA CITY (November 4, 2009) – The Oklahoma Public Employees Association is concerned about the timing of a series of hefty pay increases for some top DHS officials.

 

This comes in the wake of a press release issued by the Oklahoma House of Representatives Wednesday that details an exorbitant number of pay raises at the Department of Human Services.  The press statement says top administrative DHS staff received almost $200,000 in pay raises in the past year before the agency cut senior nutrition programs.

 

“We find the timing of these raises is very disconcerting,” said OPEA Executive Director Sterling Zearley.  “At a time when all agencies are being asked to cut back, and nutrition services to our seniors are being cut, these folks are seeing hefty pay increases.   While we believe all state employees are deserving of better pay, we believe these particular raises could have been delayed.”

 

State Representative Randy Terrill, in a statement released by the House of Representatives, said: “This unconscionable series of events calls into question the judgment of DHS’ senior management.  With state workers facing furloughs or layoffs, the Legislature should scrub every agency budget to determine whether the DHS abuses are an isolated case or just the tip of the iceberg. Somehow, I suspect the latter.”

 

Oklahoma Public Employees Association (www.opea.org) is a non-profit labor organization that has represented the interests of state employees at the Capitol in Oklahoma since 1975.

 

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Posted on Wednesday, November 4, 2009 by Mark Beutler

10 comments (Add your own)

1. Dave wrote:
Some individuals at the Oklahoma History Center have also received exorbitant raises this past year. Now many of their positions have been cut, people haved been laid off, placed on involuntary half-time, and are facing furloughs. Raises for top positions is not just a DHS problem.

November 5, 2009 @ 7:44 AM

2. Brian wrote:
Not to worry. The savings from the new electric car will more than make up for these much needed salary increases.

November 5, 2009 @ 11:15 AM

3. FattCatt wrote:
This is just wrong.
Do these people not have any kind of moral conscience.

>*x*<

November 5, 2009 @ 12:14 PM

4. ML wrote:
The adage " we are in this together and we will make it through together" is no longer a battlecry worth the air used to speak it.
I remember my Grandpa used to say, about politicians, " they out to throw all the bums out."

I won't be holding my mileage expenses any more, thinking that was just another way of doing my share of helping out.How are we supposed to go to our clients house now to do our job with such shame hanging over the agency? And what is this about an electric car?

November 5, 2009 @ 2:46 PM

5. Mental Health Employee wrote:
Turn over the rocks in most agencies and you will find that the Central Office takes care of themselves. Mental Health is pretty good about changing job titles with newer more exotic ones that give salary increases.

November 5, 2009 @ 3:57 PM

6. TD wrote:
I heard the State Office has gotten a new electric car to shuttle the people back and forth from the parking lot. Are the employees that work at the state office that lazy? We here in the outer offices struggle day after day to support our families and 90% of us could go into the office and fill out the paper work to receive food stamps. What is wrong with this picture?

November 5, 2009 @ 4:46 PM

7. Penny Fora Thought wrote:
In school when some kid took your lunch money they were called a bully or a thief and something was done about it. Now if you are elderly and someone takes your lunch money they are know as DHS top officials with a big new raise. When things are done on a much larger scale by people in positions of distinction it seems to be acceptable. I work at a facility where each and every year we must take a class called abuse and neglect. And I believe that class teaches if you if you take someone's funds spend it on yourself or fail to feed them when there is a need then that constitutes abuse and neglect. Shouldn't Adult Protective Services be notified that DHS top officials have done just that. I know if you as an individual did this you would be facing criminal charges. What's happens next year and when the seniors have all starved to death, do you take the kids' food stamps away and get a new car or office furniture? I know we aren't getting any raises and are facing possible vobo's & rumors of rifs. But I would rather do without then have someone's grandparents hungry. Looks like DHS Top officials have gotten caught again with their hand in the cookie jar and getting FATTER. SHAME SHAME SHAME How do you go to bed at night and sleep? On a FULL Stomach I Imagine. Guess before long it won't only be FEED THE CHILDREN on TV but FEED the grandparents. What about all the previous bragging DHS has done about Foster Grandparents and how in Oklahoma it is grandparents raising their grandchildren. What's up with that? Decide to starve a few out and cut down on the cycle?

November 7, 2009 @ 6:19 PM

8. Ross wrote:
As a Historical society staff member for 23 years I'm deeply disappointed in what has happened there. With probably more cuts on the way, I feel they are acting out of desperation. And thats scary for anyone there. Not just now but in the future. In defense of the Historical Society they started out with a mere 11 million dollar budget and at this point have had 2 million cut from it. To expect a agency like that to take the same cuts that much, much larger agencys do is very, very unrealistic and simply not right. At the same time with historical society wanting people to cut their hours and pay, that should include the executive director and everyone in admin instead of just those much below that level If we are truly all in this together, then it should include them as well, that would be very effective and send a message we are united there , but that won't happen for sure.

November 7, 2009 @ 11:12 PM

9. Tell me the truth wrote:
I am thankful that OPEA's leadership has brought this to our legislature's attention. I specifically checked OPEA's website this morning after hearing a story on National Public Radio on the way to work in which Senator Debbie Leftwhich was also commenting on the raises. In the story she was commenting how inappropriate the raises were in light of all the cuts to senior nutrition programs. I can tell you personally from where I sit that senior nutrition is not the only program being cut as there are many mentally and physically diabled clients who are also experiencing a loss of services in critical areas. Lastly, and possibly not as well know to the general public is the economic struggles of our line workers. Thanks you Sterling Zearley for getting the information out there!

November 9, 2009 @ 10:00 AM

10. D wrote:
If we are all in this together than I say our legislature come into special session "FREE" the first order of business is to a salary reduction equal to the last 2 payraises given to themselves. Look at the benefits received and make an appropriate adjustment as every state employee is paying. If the state employees have no pay raise neither should they. If our insurance hikes so should theirs. Special Sessions should not be paid as they have a job to do just like we do. During the session they should get that done, if not we should not pay for it. We are all working during lunch after hours etc to pick up the slack no one is getting paid or comp time to get thru and neither should they. Can imagine what that would do for the budget or how it is looked at.

November 12, 2009 @ 3:41 PM

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