What Arnold's Executive Order Means to Student Employees

Boohoo... many people have overcome worse things then not having a state job with regular hours. As someone who managed to graduate with a UC degree in 4 years and worked the entire time 2 to 3 jobs I don't have a ton of sympathy for you. If I can make pizzas at Dominos, telemarket for Alumni fund and work the register at a sporting goods store I can't get all worked up over the loss of a student job for the state.

Man, you give student assistants a bad name with your complete ignorance to the facts. He is not cutting our jobs because "we don't really need the money" (and I mean "our" jobs because I am a student assistant as well), he's doing it because the state is broke. It has been for a long time. Year in and year out we've spent more than we've had. We've borrowed money against the future of our children and their children, and yet we still can't get out of this hole. Do you know why?

Well let's start with the fact that few people in the state industry have any idea of how a budget works. They think it's this magical number that they HAVE to spend by the end of the year. State workers, in a large generalization, wouldn't make it 6 months in the private industry.

Secondly, in the 6+ years I have worked with the state I see an over abundance of useless hiring/promotions. In many units in the departments I have worked for there are generally 3-5 SA's doing the work of a single OA. The rest of the time they're being paid while they work on homework, roam the halls, or talk with co-workers. The major reason why this occurs is because the micro-politics of hiring SA's in that by open 5 SA's instead of 1 OA you can get in good with your bosses/co-workers by hiring their children to do little to nothing. A few SA's are hired on merit, but not many.

The other side of this is the constant promotion of incompetence. In the last year at my current SA job, out of about 5, I have seen at least 3 people who have gotten promoted because their co-workers and supervisors didn't like them and they were horrible workers. "How?" you might ask, through shameless false recommendations. The supervisors will make you sound like the hardest worker with a brilliant mind in order to get you out of their hair. But like everything else in life, they don't see the bigger picture, the fact that an idiot is now going to make more money simply by being an idiot. In any other job market these people would be fired, but the union has it's fingers gripped so tightly around the state's balls, supervisors have little if any option of firing someone unless they have a serious outburst during their 6 month "probationary" period.

Finally, to the point of what our governor is trying to do, I have never been much of a supporter of Arnold, especially after his SUV refund, and the complete idiocy of a recall that cost us millions of dollars to replace someone who was gone in less than a year. But I digress, I can actually look at what he's doing here and see it for what it could be. It could very well be the catalyst for change in this state. We need people to be afraid of a late budget pass. Not afraid in that they have to hold back on spending at work for a little while, afraid that their pay will be withheld while it happens. I don't know if people know this but on July 1st, the governor and the state senate haven't been paid a dime. Law mandates that they cannot be paid after July 1st until a budget is passed. I think this sort of incentive should roll down the hill as it were. Because it is just as much the employees who try to spend every penny's fault as it is the legislator's fault that we are growing a huge deficit. State workers have grown too accustomed to their simple lives, where they work the way they want to and no matter what they do and how much it costs the state, they never have to worry about it. We need change, and one of the best ways to start change is to get people mad.

I commend Arnold for this attempt to catalyze change, and I truly hope it works.

P.S. Chiang is an idiot. He's just being a push-over/tool for the state workers because he's planning an end run for higher office next time around. I will not be shocked if he tries to run for a D-Senate seat, or even for governor. "I stood by state workers and defended their right to be paid" will be his battle cry. He's so transparent it hurts.

I cannot believe a place that merits itself on reporting important political news would publish this self-serving, cry for me, BS of a story. The people concerned about the state of affairs in our capital don't care about your boyfriend, RYAN, or you, or your rent, etc. We're more worried about the deficit we're in. You're young, you have your whole life ahead of you. You can go work piddly little jobs through college to pay your insignificant bills. The rest of us have mortgages, car payments, and children to take care of. I fell no sympathy for your ignorance and whiny attitude. Go cry yourself a river, build a bridge, and get over it.

I am a student assistant and YOU are rather pathetic getting on your soap box only to whine about the fact that YOU and YOUR BOYFRIEND will not be able to pay bills. Get over yourself. I don't know if you realize but the fact that this is happening is not to deprive students of their much needed money, but to help the state out... Because if you take a minute to pull your head out of your butt, I think you would notice that our entire state is in debt. It sucks that we are losing our jobs, but whining about it really doesn't help. Go out and get another one. People do it all the time. You should tyr it sometime.

I'm not asking for anyone's sympathy.

I know the state is in a deficit--but my story is about the impact, on a personal level. No. my story is not the harshest out there--and there are students with mortgages too, and childcare, car payments. But they aren't speaking out. And no--I don't do homework at work. So the diversity of expectations of students in departments is just as diverse as the positions themselves.

I didn't write a good article? Fine. Write a better one.

I'm not trying to complain--but I don't know all of the variety of situations out there. My effort to enjoy my schooling and not worry about time spent, or number of semesters has taught me one thing: there are as many situations as students, as many needs, and not all bills are so "pidley" for students who wrack up to 50,000 in loans or more, on top of paying for apertments/houses/cars/etc.

Yes, the state is broke. The politicians are doing their best to come up with a budget--but aren't they in recess till August 4th? When this is happening, I just don't want those of us who depend on these jobs to be overlooked by the news

There's been a lot of talk about state workers. They make up the mass majority of people standing to be affected. But when looking through the newspaper for some information on which departments might lose SAs and which not--that is not present. That is not even discussed.

Seriously? You think you're the only person who has to work a retail job for money? Of the rest of your fellow students, I would wager that MOST of them have worked some sort of lowly cash register, retail, fast food joint, or construction job that had completely horrible hours. It's called college girl. You work hard now, you suffer now, you make the right choices and suck it up now, so that later you can have a regular job and a good life.

I'm a student assistant at Cal Trans, and you're whole point of view is BS! You know what really gets me though? Do you even realize how much of a boost having worked at a state department puts on your resume? Consider that when you talk about being behind your fellow students. You should potentially be able to get a pretty steady, well-paying position. Esspecially in SAC

....oh yeah, and if you can't support RYAN and yourself...consider just supporting yourself

good luck

thanks--your point is the very one I was trying to make. No, I never said I was the only one in this position, the point is that this is typical--the retail job, the SA position, whatever. We've all done it. It's difficult.
That's the point.
Please, share your trials somewhere and inspire change; I want students in every position to be taken seriously. As serious workers, and not expendable ones without voices. What's happening is necessary, but that doesn't mean the implications are not to be discussed.

I'm with you Drea. In fact I wrote the Governator with something similar. I am a disabled Part-time State Employee. The State Dept. of Rehabilitation helped me get this position ten years ago. I live alone and am barely making it on $1300 a month, in Los Angeles. Now, I may be laid off. I am also a student and if I get laid off along with many other disabled State workers, we will all have to go on SSDI/SSI which means, that all you people who think Drea, here, is whining; will be paying me monthly from your taxes! And guess what else? Through the State: You're paying for my tuition too! I cannot work at Domino's--physically impossible and telemarketing? Unless you know how to sell you get let go...tried it--lasted 2 weeks. Which is why I took a position with the State--I do NOT want to be dependent on the government, but will have to if I get laid off. Thank you Drea, I appreciate that you put it out there. All you mightier than thou, people, think about all of your taxes going to these laid off workers through your Social Security! Exactly--this is not good for anyone!

I feel for you Drea, I'm a SA too and its going to be tough. Don't listen to the negative comments. People suck. I know there are plenty of people in offices all across the state who know how much of a struggle it was/is to go to school and they're all rooting for us. Best wishes in this time of hardship.

I support you Drea. I cannot believe how cruel most of you respondents are. This article should inspire discussion, not a bashing of the author. Just because others have it harder does not mean she should not describe her situation. You don't know what kind of bills they are paying. Not everyone is able to work three jobs and go to college for many reasons. If you are one of those who can, that is great for you, but you should not look down on others misfortune. And thank you for those of you who did post civil comments.

Hi Drea. The immaturity and cruelty of some of these responses is ridiculous. You have the right to discuss your misfortune with others and should receive compassion instead of unreasonable viciousness. A lot of other people are going through exactly what you are going through including me. It is not my position to determine whether Arnold was correct in his decision, but what is pertinent is the fact that he has caused extreme hardship for hundreds of thousands of people. The comments about how you should be working "2-3 jobs" or "piddly little jobs" are from people who have been through or are going through school the hard way and are just jealous that you went out and found something better for yourself. You had the tenacity and intelligence to find a job that suited your needs and paid well instead of taking the easiest available option in a retail store. For those of you who are working at 2 - 3 jobs or have horrible hours at a retail store, I commend your hard work, but don't insult someone who has gone out and found an opportunity that makes her life easier. Work smarter, not harder.

It is unfortunate that you and thousands of others have lost their jobs, and you could always go back to a crappy retail job or even 2 jobs for that matter, but there is one other alternative. As we all know, financial aid doesn't provide nearly enough for living expenses, and you need a job to make up the difference. For the time being, and I guarantee you many other people will do the same, you can go out and get a private loan to prevent yourself from bending over backwards in this time of hardship. If your parents have good credit and are willing to cosign you could get a reasonable interest rate and that can keep you afloat until this budget crisis subsides. Arnold himself has suggested people go out and get loans for the time being. So before you rush into crappy jobs, when this executive order might not even last through the month if a budget gets proposed, consider a private loan to prevent yourself from living a miserable life from over work. Sure its more to pay back when you leave school, but assuming you get a degree and a decent job upon graduation, it will be worth it.

Also, in response to those who are saying you should be working difficult, low paying jobs to pay your way through, in certain especially difficult majors such as engineering, medical, and law, the horrible hours make it nearly impossible to maintain a credible gpa and why would you put yourself through that when you can get a private loan which you can pay off when you graduate through your new high paying job because you were able to focus on only school and received great opportunities and job offers upon graduation because of your exceptional work.

Finally as to my opinion on the executive order, it seems as if state workers are being unfairly utilized as pawns in this immense political battle. The cost of all the paperwork and lawsuits that could arise from this order might cancel out the intended savings of this order. On the other hand, it could result in a faster budget proposal and spark a move for change which will hopefully result in future on time budget decisions. I believe only time will tell whether this was the correct decision.

However, for the time being, this decision has caused an enormous, possibly unnecessary hardship for thousands of people. No one deserves to be persecuted and ridiculed as Drea has suffered in her time of hardship. Sure she is not the only one in this position, but she was one of the few who had the courage to speak out and explain the misfortune she has to endure as a result of this order. Whether her misfortune is a lot or next to nothing compared to someone else is irrelevant. We should be helping Drea and the thousands of others who are now unemployed with compassion, support, and advice on how to move on with her life.

Drea, I hope for your sake, my sake, thousands of others, and all of Calfornia for that matter that this budget crisis does not last long. But for the mean time, instead of killing yourself in an unwanted job(s) you can consider a private loan. If anybody else has suggestions as to what Drea and numerous other now unemployed students can do to make ends meet please speak out. And killing yourself from overwork isn't the only option.

ANY CLUE HAS TO WHEN THE BUDGET MIGHT BE SIGNED, AND WE CAN GO BACK TO WORK?

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