Walker suspends state workers' merit pay raises

MADISON — Gov. Scott Walker's administration has suspended merit raises and retention pay increases to help deal with a budget gap that must be plugged by the end of June.

Walker sent a memo to state agency human resources directors on Feb. 5 announcing the freeze, the Wisconsin State Journal reported Friday.

It's unclear how many employees will be affected. University of Wisconsin faculty, academic staff and appointees will not be affected, but UW System spokesman Alex Hummel said the freeze will apply to classified employees, including custodians, administrative assistants, information technology workers, accountants and food service workers.

Hummel said there are about 10,100 UW System employees considered classified staff, but not all will be affected because the types of pay raises put on hold are not automatic.

The freeze affects merit pay raises and increases aimed at retaining workers. Other raises are not affected.

Marty Beil, executive director of the state employees' union, called the suspension of raises "another slap in the face of workers by the Walker administration."

Cullen Werwie, spokesman for the state Department of Administration, said the freeze was designed to help balance the budget, which is projected to be between $233 million and $283 million short by the end of June. He said no specific estimates were available of how many people would be affected or how much money would be saved.

Werwie said agencies will have the ability to offer merit and retention raises under the two-year budget that begins in July and that the Legislature is debating.