The Senate passed its budget proposal this week that includes a pay raise and bonus for most employees, but no cost-of-living adjustment or bonus for retirees.

The proposal includes:

• 3% over two years for most state employees, teachers, UNC and Community College staff
• 7% average increase for corrections officers and a new salary schedule
• Noncertified public-school employees and Community College employees will get a minimum wage of $13 an hour
• Employees earning less than $75,000 annually as well as all law enforcement, correctional officers and staff, and employees of 24hour residential and treatment facilities would receive a $1,500 bonus.
• Employees earning more than $75,000 annually would receive a $1,000 bonus
• No increase or bonus for retirees
• The creation of a Department of Adult Correction to separate prison operations into its own cabinet-level agency

It's important to note that this is just one more step in the budget process. The House will release its own proposal in the coming weeks, then the two chambers will negotiate a compromise through a conference committee.

The state is drowning in cash, with more than $6 billion in one-time funding available. Now is not the time to be stingy. Some state employees haven't received a raise in two years, and retirees have waited even longer for a true COLA.

We need you to reach out to your House member to ask them to provide better, more meaningful raises and bonuses for all state employees and COLAs for retirees. Click here to let them know!