In the 1990,s most if not all public employees unions did indeed accept per,s promises instead of pay raises.
We knew what was going to be the numbers down the years. Don't make the mistake of blaming the unions for putting the PERS noose around all Oregon taxpayers necks. All unions had to do was collect all the the offers vote it into a contract. 
Despite warnings to Oregon,s mostly liberal elected leaders and their pet judges this bunch treated pers as a pot of gold that was going to solve all budget worries. Your union bashing is misplaced unions didn't do pers to you, Pers put a smile on county contract negotiators faces and a spring in their steps when we told them it's approved.
Some of those smiles disgust me still.
Unfortunately the unions and politicians each side with their pet judges in tow just a few years later are wearing those same smiles usually in a private I love me moment .
Even if someone has a solution there is absolutely no so called leadership in Oregon poloti