Another factor is the rapid unemployment of city, county and state employees. Many states are at the edge of the bankruptcy precipice, and they have been slicing off the newer union thugs working for them.
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2389889/posts
The State Worker: Budget forecast shows things could go from bad to worse
SacBee: State Worker ^ | 11/19/9 | Jon Ortiz
Posted on Thursday, November 19, 2009 7:45:19 AM by SmithL
More grim news Wednesday for state workers: California’s general fund faces a $21 billion deficit through the middle of 2011. The red ink could flow for years to come, according to a forecast by the nonpartisan Legislative Analyst’s Office.
The state’s 200,000 or so workers, already taking a 15 percent pay hit from three furlough days per month, knew this was coming. What does the state’s rotten financial picture mean to them?
• Real job cuts. Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger already has ordered 7,000 jobs eliminated from the deficit-ridden general fund. And as this column reported a few months ago, the administration has run scenarios cutting another 5,000.
Schwarzenegger spokeswoman Rachel Arrezola said Wednesday that it’s “likely” that the governor will look at employee compensation expenses as part of a wide range of cuts for the 2010-11 budget.
• Fewer transfer options. In the past, a state worker facing layoff could figure on sliding into an open position safe from budget whacking. But the state’s finances have been so bad for so long that many departments swept out their vacant slots and have tightened hiring.