Under the Dome podcast: The head of SEANC and what’s at stake for NC state employees
Time to start your week in #ncga #ncpol with the latest episode of Under the Dome, our News & Observer politics podcast. Dawn Vaughan here, your host and state Capitol bureau chief.
On this episode for the week of May 29, 2023, I interview Ardis Watkins, executive director of the State Employees Association of North Carolina.
SEANC and Republican state agency leaders are the latest to sound the alarm about the impact of North Carolina state employees’ vacancy rate, which is is nearing 25%.
The Republican-supermajority General Assembly is negotiating a final compromise budget, known as the conference budget, between the House and Senate. The House wants to give state employees a 7.5% raise over the next two years, while the Senate wants 5%. SEANC wants state employees to receive a 10% raise and significant bonuses.
On the podcast, hear about what Watkins says SEANC is doing to urge lawmakers to give raises high enough to affect the retention and vacancy problems in state government.
“Everybody’s having a hard time keeping employees. But it seems to be a problem on steroids in state government,” Watkins said.
Jobs that affect people’s lives have critical vacancy rates, she said.
“One out of every four state positions being vacant should alarm anyone — if nothing else, because you’re paying for 100% of services, and you’re getting at best 75%.”
Watkins also talks about SEANC’s role in labor issues and how she got her start at the Department of Labor.
Headliner of the Week
Watkins has been at SEANC for about 20 years and spent plenty of time at the Legislative Building, so I of course asked about her favorite Legislative Cafeteria menu item. It’s one that people often say you should definitely try.
Stay tuned to the end for our picks for Headliner of the Week, both about remembering those who have gone before us.
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This story was originally published May 29, 2023 at 5:00 AM with the headline "Under the Dome podcast: The head of SEANC and what’s at stake for NC state employees."
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