HELENA, Mont. -- Montana's public employees are touting the roles they play in communities, even after they retire.
According to AARP, retirement checks from more than 23,000 public employees in Montana helped support more than $1 billion in economic output in 2019.
Rep. Moffie Funk, D-Helena, a retired teacher, said the money stays in communities.
"The money that we get from our pensions, we put back into our local economies," Funk explained. "So, it's great for our state's economy as well as for our lifestyle."
The average pension paid to Montana Public Employees' Retirement System members is $1,544 a month, and AARP said tax dollars make up a little less than 20% of the cost of benefits.
Public employees said they are watching the Legislature to see if any measures this session might affect their pension system.
Debbie Willis, a retired probation and parole officer in Billings, believes there's more security to a pension when compared with to a 401(k), which is tied to the stock market.
She also noted pensions are good tools for recruiting and retaining public employees.
"You'll have this pension; this is your security," Willis asserted. "This is something that you'll have on top of your Social Security when you retire, or on top of another job wage that you have. Those would be the things that I would tell a new employee."
Funk argued public workers owe the strength of their retirement benefits to unions, so she was excited to see the defeat last week of House Bill 251, which would have made Montana into a "right-to-work" state.
Funk added unions mobilized about 500 people, who showed up at the state Capitol to push back on the bill at a public hearing.
"With a few hours notice, some of them drove across the state to be there," Funk observed. "And that's the power of the organizing of our unions; that they can get that kind of turnout."
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A bipartisan nonprofit group in Michigan is opposing pending legislation which would reverse a Michigan Supreme Court ruling, stripping paid sick leave and minimum wage protections, slated to take effect this month.
In 2018, Michigan voters approved initiatives to raise the minimum wage and provide paid sick leave but the GOP-led Legislature amended them in the same session, which the court ruled was unconstitutional.
Michigan's minimum wage is currently slated to rise to $12.48 on Feb. 21 and reach $14.97 by 2028.
Monique Stanton, president and CEO of the Michigan League for Public Policy, stressed how the proposed laws would affect Michiganders, especially low-income residents.
"If you get sick, your child breaks their leg, and you need to take a day or two off from work, you're not able to do so," Stanton pointed out. "That means you're making a choice between taking care of your child or being able to pay your utility bills, or being able to make your rent."
The new proposed legislation sets the minimum wage at $12 an hour this year, with tipped wages at 38% of the regular wage. If it becomes law, some Michigan workers' yearly pay will be reduced by $1,000 to $2,400 in the coming years.
Stanton noted polling data revealed keeping the paid sick leave and minimum wage increase has support from both Republicans and Democrats. She added her group is engaging with Michigan residents, businesses and other organizations to raise awareness and gain support.
"This is an issue that really will help people make ends meet, especially as we're worried about the economy and the costs of prices going up," Stanton stressed. "Both the boost to the minimum wage as well that protection for earned sick time are really essential."
The new bills have passed in the House and are now headed to the Senate. If they become law, the change will take effect on Feb 21.
Disclosure: The Michigan League for Public Policy/Kids Count contributes to our fund for reporting on Budget Policy and Priorities, Children's Issues, Livable Wages/Working Families, and Poverty Issues. If you would like to help support news in the public interest,
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Pennsylvania lawmakers return to Harrisburg on Monday, facing renewed pressure to address long-standing issues, including improving the economy and education.
Advocates said it is a crucial opportunity to make meaningful progress on many policies.
Gillian Kratzer, deputy director of the advocacy group Better Pennsylvania, said one key priority Democrats are focused on is improving school funding.
"Making sure that we are equipping schools to do the best that they can for every child in every school district," Kratzer emphasized. "Obviously last year, we had the court case that laid out, finally, that Pennsylvania does not have fair funding for schools, which is part of our state constitution."
Kratzer noted her group anticipates Gov. Josh Shapiro's third budget address on Feb. 4. In the last budget, Shapiro made the largest investment in Commonwealth history for K-12 public education, at just over $1 billion.
Medical marijuana is legal in Pennsylvania but not for recreational use. In the face of a budget shortfall, Kratzer acknowledged it will take bipartisan support, especially from the Republican-controlled state Senate, to secure new revenue sources, which could include legalizing recreational marijuana use.
"Something that we will hopefully see get done this year is doing something on recreational marijuana," Kratzer observed. "As a state, we have to find new sources of revenue, because we are either going to have to dip into our rainy day fund or raise taxes."
She added the state minimum wage remains stagnant at $7.25 an hour. A bill to raise it will be reintroduced. And she stressed the need for lawmakers to consider paid family leave, as the U.S. falls behind globally on the family-friendly policy.
Disclosure: Better PA contributes to our fund for reporting on Civic Engagement, Health Issues, and Livable Wages/Working Families. If you would like to help support news in the public interest,
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Kentucky's unemployment rate is higher than the national average and workers who are employed said they are unsatisfied with their pay, according to new data from the Kentucky Center for Statistics and the Pew Research Center.
Paychecks have not kept up with the cost of living and are too low for the quality or amount of work they do, the survey revealed.
Dustin Pugel, policy director at the Kentucky Center for Economic Policy, said the Commonwealth has relatively low wages compared to other states, with an average household income of about $60,000 a year.
"The bottom 10% of workers had been stagnant for years and years, particularly following the Great Recession," Pugel pointed out. "After the COVID downturn, low-income wages have actually outpaced inflation."
Child care continues to be a major financial burden for households. According to the latest federal data, families spend between 9% and 16% of their income on full-day care for just one child, with costs ranging from around $6,500 to more than $15,000 a year.
Workers are now much more likely than in 2022 to say it would be difficult for them to get the kind of job they would want if they were to look for a new one, especially low-income workers. And more than 60% said they are unlikely to look for a new job in the next six months.
Pugel noted the wage gap and lack of options are driving increased labor organizing in the Commonwealth.
"I think what we've seen is a lot of response to that frustration through increased unionization," Pugel observed. "Especially in low-wage service sectors like baristas and bookstores."
According to the Kentucky Center for Statistics, the state's seasonally adjusted unemployment rate was 5.2% as of December 2024, slightly higher than the national rate. However, Kentucky continues to add new jobs in nonfarm sectors and manufacturing. More than 2 million people contribute to the state's civilian workforce.
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