As most folks in Hawaii know, there has been this war going on between the Governor and the Labor Unions over what is the best way to proceed with how to address the budget shortfall. The Governor proposed a three day furlough but the unions balked and opposed it. Basically it was just a pissing match to see who had the biggest cajones. The unions are upset because they feel the Governor is taking their power, the Governor is upset because she feels the unions are too strong and they are stepping into her authority.
Well the Governor in her infinite wisdom decided that since the courts told her she did not have the authority to unilaterally furlough state workers, she does have the unilateral authority to fire a bunch of state workers. With this I agree with the Governor. She has the responsibility to make sure that the State Budget is in balance and the largest portion of the balance sheet for the State is salaries.
On a side note I think that the union should have took the furloughs. It would have given state workers the opportunity to find other work to make up for the loss in wages from the furloughs. Instead they decided that it would be better to have our salaries reduced by 5%. The sad part is the furloughs had an end in sight, albeit two years, but still an end. With salary cuts, well that usually ends up being permanent.
So here we are now and the Governor is laying people off. I think that is ok, the unfortunate part I got caught in that sting and have been layed off.
Here is my letter:
I know this sounds bad, but it truly isn’t. I am pretty stoked actually. The truth of it is I am pretty happy, because it is awesome how all things work out the way God plans them. I have taken the bar like a million times, ok it was only six, but still a lot of times. I have come so close so many times, but I think that this last time is the one. How convenient that my layoff date coincides so closely to when I get bar results.
The other thing doors open when others get closed. I am applying for jobs in Washington DC and in Texas and this could be really good. I am super stoked about everything. So who knows when this will all work out but I am confident that God has a plan for me and I am excited to be in His grace and glory.
