State workers to get 3 percent pay raise

JEFFERSON CITY — Missouri state workers will get a 3 percent pay raise next year.

House and Senate budget negotiators agreed on the pay hike today, to begin with the new state budget July 1.

The House had supported a flat $1,056 pay raise for all employees. That would have given lower-income workers more money than the 3 percent increase backed by the Senate and Gov. Matt Blunt.

But senators insisted on the percentage pay raise. Senate Appropriations Chairman Gary Nodler said it’s also important to give higher-paid professionals and supervisors an inflationary pay raise to keep them from leaving for private sector jobs.

The state has around 60,000 employees.