STATE employees working the trades make less than privet sector trades workers. Even if you say the "package" is 100k+, In reality they take home pay is half that. Out of the "package" comes the employees contributions to, union dues, health care, retirement, sbs (like ssi), unemployment, medicare, ect...State employees have slowly been getting cut backs for years.  When Barrow wanted a new "Aquatic park", who took cuts? State employees did. New hire employees now start at a wage way below what can be found elsewhere. Most privet sector businesses offer the same benefits.  State employee retirement packages were gutted YEARS ago. Cuts were also made to allowable hours worked in a week. (37.5 no OT)