The heavy equipment operators at the Department of Transportation, who cleared the roads after the ice storms in December, turn over at a rate of 30 percent per year. To clean up the damage, many of these workers fought sleep deprivation and didn't go home for days because of lack of staff. These workers must make grave decisions impacting the future of Oklahoma's children and testify in court. The list detailing Oklahoma state government recruitment and retention crisis could fill the pages of your newspaper, but OPEA believes the most accurate depiction of the condition of state employment is reflected in the annual study conducted, according to state law, by the Oklahoma Office of Personnel Management. The pay for state workers must become competitive to the market to continue quality services in road safety and care for our most vulnerable citizens.
Statistical manipulation is great for telling stories and writing fantasy.
However, this method indicates very little about the real world of attracting and retaining staff to provide services to the citizens of Oklahoma. That is a significant increase in the past year. During the past ten months we have grown by over 70 members. I believe we will continue to grow and I encourage everyone to actively seek new members to bring fresh ideas to the chapter. Keep up the good work.