Are proposed state employee raises enough to fix government's staffing crisis?

WUNC Politics

N.C. House and Senate budget writers are negotiating how much state workers will get in raises — at a time when nearly a quarter of positions in state government are vacant. The House has proposed a 4.25% raise starting in July, while the Senate prefers 2.5%. The State Employees Association of North Carolina is lobbying for a larger amount. SEANC executive director Ardis Watkins and Labor Commissioner Josh Dobson join WUNC Capitol Bureau Chief Colin Campbell to talk about raise proposals and the impact of staffing shortages on government services. Dobson also discusses how the shortage at his agency could impact workplace safety, and he explains his decision not to seek a second term next year.