[quote=CA renter]
Yes, public employees would be less effective without these benefits, and turnover rates would be much higher. These jobs value experience, because that’s the ONLY way you’re going to know how to do your job in many of these positions. The costs to recruit, train, and equip many of these employees are extremely high, so turnover is a huge cost to public employers.

Defined benefit plans encourage the most experienced and valuable employees to stay, and this reduces costs for the public employers, while also ensuring that they have the highest-qualified workforce.
[/quote]

It also encourages the worst and most disgruntled to stay as well. Once you get 10-12 years into city employment the benefit to stay on even though you hate doing what you’re doing is too high. Why do we want to lock down the best and the brightest shouldn’t they have freedom to pursue other opportunities like the rest of us. If you have someone that is truly great and want to keep them throw out the silly bucket pay scales and pay them what they are worth on the free market. Seriously where is the 10-15 year teacher making $60K in pay, $15K in medical benefits and probably another $10K in pension benefit going to go in the private sector and make a comparable amount.