State Employees Rally to Save Jobs

By Colleen Chen, NEWS 9

OKLAHOMA CITY -- State employees are scrambling, trying to save their jobs.

Since 12 p.m. Tuesday, state workers have sent legislators over 1,000 e-mails outlining their concerns about potential budget cuts and layoffs.

A string of automatic calls went out to state workers from the Oklahoma Public Employees Association urging employees to take action.

"State employee services have already been cut to the bare bones," said Mark Beutler of OPEA. "We can't be cut anymore without it starting to affect citizens."

Learn more about the Oklahoma Public Employees Association.

"Your action is needed now to protect your job from potential reductions in force and furloughs," the calls said.

OPEA reported figures show an ‘unprecedented 7 to 9 percent cut.'

The organization recommended dipping into Oklahoma's Rainy Day Fund to save jobs, but State Treasurer Scott Meachem disagreed.

"We want to hold off because things could be worse two years from now when we can't rely on stimulus funds," Meachem said.