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To the editor:
The Chief recently reported that unions are pointing to the Tier 6 pension system as the reason why many agencies citywide and statewide cannot attract talent (“Tier 6 to blame for state’s hiring, retention woes, unions say,” Oct. 20). Different agencies such as the MTA filled thousands of positions. But turnover keeps happening at record numbers and the retirees which are mostly Tier 4 or higher pension systems are leaving in droves.
These agencies kept the cost low and under budget by paying newer workers less and gutting benefits such as pensions, healthcare reductions.
This is a nationwide trend that many of the agencies citywide and statewide failed to plan for. They still have time to plan for the mass exodus of baby boomers by offering higher wages because most of the talent is not looking 20 years down the road when signing up for employment. Most talent is looking to make money now. Most employers are only offering 401(k) plans, yet attract enough talent.
The problem is that these agencies are losing the most experienced managers and supervisors.
This is a workers market and the city announced last week that a record 28,000 jobs were added in a single month but forgot to mention these were private-sector jobs.
The wages for most of these city and state jobs have not kept up with inflation. And vacancies have caused burnout with workers having to make up for fewer staff, all for less pay.
Celso Garcia
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