Wisconsin public-sector workers are undercompensated

Across the nation, the fiscal fallout from the Great Recession will make the coming budget year among the worst on record for state governments. Elected officials will weigh painful budget cuts against unpopular increases in revenue. A common theme that has emerged is to scapegoat public-sector workers, targeting them for concessions and painting them as the fortunate beneficiaries of “Cadillac” wages and benefits. A new report released by the Economic Policy Institute addresses head-on the question of whether public sector employees in Wisconsin are over-compensated, and concludes instead that they are actually under-compensated.