RALEIGH (AP) ó North Carolina state employees say they deserve the same percentage pay raise as school teachers, along with a $1,000 bonus.
More than 200 members of the State Employees Association of North Carolina rallied Tuesday behind the Legislative Building. They arrived as House and Senate negotiators work through details of a compromise budget for state government.
Both House and Senate spending plans offered average 3 percent raises for teachers. Other state employees would receive either a 2.75 percent pay raise or a $1,100 bonus, whichever is greater.
Association executive director Dana Cope said raising the state employee percentage to 3 percent would show that the General Assembly respects all state workers.
Cope said the price tag to raise the percentage and provide the bonus is about $30 million.