More than 13% of DWP workers are paid $100,000 and up

[2rth2pwr]

L.A.'s best jobs: Average utility employee earns $76,949 per year

http://www.dailynews.com/ci_7040820
DWP salaries are on average higher than city and far higher than private-sector workers' even as the utility has come under fire for recent power outages and another round of rate hikes: A 9percent, three-year electric-rate hike and a 6 percent, two-year water-rate hike.
IBEW was a major contributor to Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa during his mayoral campaign, and he signed off on its last contract despite the controversy shortly after taking office.

"To the average person, they're going to go, `Wow, that's a great salary and they're charging me more,"' said City Councilwoman Jan Perry, who is among council members who have asked the utility to justify its rate-hike request."People who are regular folks will say, `Gosh darn it, where is all the money being spent? I lost power for five days, and I had to throw out my groceries...

And General Manager Ron Deaton, who is on medical leave, rakes in $344,624 a year - making him the city's highest- paid worker...
Meanwhile, even though a city report concluded nearly four years ago that the pay disparity between DWP workers and civilians in some jobs was as much as 55 percent, the Daily News review of current DWP salaries shows the issue has remained unaddressed.

Nice work if you can get it.

[rwenos]

1. And they got no sense of humor, either

I attended a deposition once in the DWP building in downtown LA. At the end of the depo, just to yank the DWP lawyer's chain, I asked her, "So where is Hollis Mulwray's office?" (Think Roman Polanski's 1974 masterpiece, "Chinatown".)

She said, "I don't know what you mean." I said, "You know, like the movie, Chinatown?"

She said, with a straight face, "I've never seen that movie. I don't know anyone in this building who's ever seen that movie."

One of the other lawyers turned to me, conspiratorially, and said, "That movie was a DOCUMENTARY!"

It's Chinatown, Jake. :-)

[glowing]

2. I would have to say that perhaps its the private sector that really

needs an increase in sallary... I don't think that $77,000 goes very far in California... Take out the taxes, insurance costs, and the costs of living... Its not that much... Then again cut the salary of the little people, and let Enron get away with paying out CEO's mega-bucks and screwing everyone else.

[sandnsea]

3. About average for the country

About 10% of the population earns more than $100,000. I would think LA would be a bit above average. Seems right to me. The $344,624 I don't know about, but I'm sure somebody will be along to remind us of the high cost of living and how the 2% struggles too.

[rwenos]

4. Cost of Living Report

Even with the real estate bust, the 3-bedroom 2-bath house suburban tract house I live in (rent), 2 miles from the beach, in an LA suburb, built in 1954, was most recently listed for sale at $695,000. The lady rented it instead of selling it, since it had just gone down $50,000 in value.

One guy in the neighborhood has lived here since the houses were built. He paid $8,000 for his.

[2rth2pwr]

8. So 10% of the people working at your local Walmart make

100k?

The statistics are for the population as a whole not for each individual work place.

[Clovis Sangrail]

10. people in the local walmart aren't working with high voltage lines

DWP pays good... but not insanely good.
It's a fair wage for skilled labor.

You want overpaid/underworked?
Go look at the IWLU.

[sandnsea]

12. I don't have a local Walmart

But I would imagine 10% of their employees, nationally, make $100,000. Locally, high end industries offset retail on average wages, so wouldn't be unusual to have 10% making a high end wage. Who do people think are making these wages??

[mike_c]

5. it's actually pretty tough making ends meet on $344,624 a year....

:rofl:

And just in case it's really necessary: :sarcasm:

[DBoon]

6. and we are supposed to be happy when everyone is paid badly?

I would assume at least 10% of the employees in a water and electric utility are performing work that is critical to their customers. Are these folks not worth it?

It's like the joke about paying airline pilots. How much are they worth? When your plane loses an engine at 35,000 feet, you start emptying your bank accoutn.

[TahitiNut]

7. I wonder how many of the lower-tier jobs were out-sourced.

When a government agency/department is 'privateered' and the hogs gather at the trough, it's usually the entry-level and lower-tier jobs that are cut ... more and more as 'supervisors' and 'managers' remain to cut purchase orders, do project management, and act as oversight to contractors, The false bill-of-goods that the privateers try to sell us is 'efficiency' but the costs go up (gotta make room for them 'profits') and the working people face lower wages and more lay-offs.

Word to the wise: When a newspaper (with an agenda) says "Average utility employee earns $76,949 per year" then it's pretty clear they're going for emotional impact. The median earnings (where half earn more and half earn less) are almost certainly far lower than $76,949 per year. I'd guesstimate about $50-55K/year. That's not very high in Los Angeles for a skilled trade.

Most interesting to me is the lament that "similar" workers in the private sector earn less. Well, of course they do! They have to 'share' with profiteers. One of the more constant laments from the private sector is how public employees earn more. Despite the simultaneous claim that private enterprise is more 'efficient' (and productive?), their real ire is aimed at competition for wages ... and that makes it more difficult to get really, really stinking wealthy off the labor of others.

[hedgehog]

9. Is that salaries or wages?

If they're paid by the hour, how much overtime is included? If those are salaries, are we talking about engineers? Somehow, I doubt the general manager had his salary negotiated by a union.

[catchnrelease]

11. DWP is LA city employee dream

I work for City of LA in another department, making WAY less than that $76K amount I might add. The joke has always been that every city employee wants to die and go to DWP. Wages, benefits and retirement are all much better than other departments in the city.

This past summer the union I belong to has been negotiating for a raise. One of the arguments that they used to justify the need was, that because of better salaries etc, employees in other areas are constantly transferring to DWP. People are hired and trained in one department and as soon as they can, put in to move to Water and Power. So there ends up being a constant drain of talent from the lower paying but often comparable jobs. These are not just engineers and exec's. This includes the crafts-people such as plumbers, painters, carpenters, etc.

A friend who was a secretary in my dept years ago, transferred to DWP and has since moved her way up the clerical ladder. I know that as soon as she was in her new position, she made much more than prior to her transfer.

It will be interesting to see if the disparity in salaries argument will help some of the rest of us get a raise.