Melanie Reising: State workers deserve raises

It astounds me to think that the job I do as a CNA/healthcare technician for the state of North Carolina, where I am entrusted with the care of the state’s most fragile residents who are as a majority “wards of the state,” is not considered by our government as a “top priority.” These residents are developmentally disabled. They have no voice of how or by whom they are cared for.

Our facility is hugely understaffed, and many of our employees are overwhelmed to the point of seeking other employment. We have little incentive to stay with the state because of no raises in the past six years. I only wish to be recognized as a hard-working state employee and compensated accordingly.

We as state employees are not asking for a “handout” or anything that shouldn’t already be ours without groveling for it. Raises should be mandatory and part of the state budget.

Raises for the last six years should be given retroactively and written into law. I’m sure our government gets its paycheck, and our tax dollars are paying this government!

This story was originally published June 30, 2016 at 3:22 PM with the headline "Melanie Reising: State workers deserve raises."