Show One-Fifth One of All Employees Are on Government Payroll One out of every five employed employed employed em em- people works for the government according to a study just issued by the Tax Foundation Inc Average annual earnings of government employees the Tax Foundation reports has risen from in 1961 to in 1970 This 64 per ier percent percent cent increase compares with witha a 53 per cent increase in private private private vate industry during the same period The private industry employee average pay in 1961 was and in 1971 it was The title of the new Tax Foundation study is Unions and Government Employ Employ- ment It found that federal federal federal fed fed- eral civilian employees are in inthe inthe inthe the best position of all Their average annual earnings rose from in 1961 to in 1971 Strikes Increase The Th study also found that there were ten times as many strikes by government workers workers workers work work- ers in 1970 as there were ten years earlier The number of strikes by unionized workers in Federal state and local governments rose from 36 in 1960 to in 1970 Less than a third of government gov gov- workers are organized organized organized organ organ- into unions or employee associations but the Tax Foundation says the number is gr growing growing w rapidly The mili mili- tancy of these unions is a factor in the sharp rise of government payrolls to billion according to Alfred Parker executive director of the Foundation The Public Pays Government employers have tended to be inexperienced inexperienced inexperienced and therefore somewhat somewhat somewhat some some- what inept the study said and this was one reason for high wage settlements It said that strike anti-strike laws have had about as much effectiveness as a paper fence Instead the Foundation suggested t that at government should make its own demands and take a careful look at work rules to improve effi effi- effi- effi When salary increases and benefits are warranted by by legitimate services and skills the Foundation said they should be granted cheerfully and with good grace But to throw public money away through ineptitude ineptitude ineptitude tude or indifference makes no sense at all |