MN Chamber says state workers' pay out of line

The unions representing state workers are blasting a new business-backed study that questions the current compensation of public employees.

The Minnesota Chamber of Commerce says the wages and benefits of public employees are far out of sync with the private sector and must be reined in. The group plans to push for changes during next year's budget debate.

But Jim Monroe of the Minnesota Association of Professional Employees accuses the chamber of pushing a broader anti-labor agenda with the goal of privatizing government.

"Some of these issues need to be discussed. The people of this state need to understand that there are two sides to the issues," Monroe said. "And I think this gives us as we start through this process the opportunity to point out the factual inaccuracies of both the chamber and some of the things that are being pushed by this agenda."

Eliot Seide of AFSCME Council 5 says the chamber shouldn't be trying to blame public employees for the state budget deficit.