Much has been made of the timing of the state employees’ strike, which began Monday – less than three weeks after the terrorist attacks in New York and Washington.

Tuesday, October 02, 2001

Much has been made of the timing of the state employees’ strike, which began Monday – less than three weeks after the terrorist attacks in New York and Washington. But because the strike was imminent even before the attacks, the unions can hardly be blamed for the inconvenient timing.

That doesn’t mean, however, that timing is not important. In fact, this is just about the worst time possible for a state employees’ strike. Thousands are out of a job already because of Northwest Airlines’ layoffs, and as the economy continues to turn downward, the unemployment rate will likely climb. Add 28,000 state employees temporarily out of work, and Minnesota has the makings of an economic problem.

Forget surplus checks in your mailbox next year – you may be looking at a tax hike instead.

The strike would not be solely to blame for such a scenario; forecasters were predicting a possible budget shortfall before. Yet the longer the AFSCME and MAPE unions remain on strike, the more Minnesota’s economy will suffer. On top of that, missing state services will start to become more apparent, as well – from crime evidence piling up untouched at the Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, to 16-year-olds unable to test for their drivers license because the exam stations are closed.

The best remedy is to get both sides back to the negotiating table as soon as possible. It’s unfortunate the strike had to happen, but the best option now is to get it resolved as quickly as possible. The state says it can’t afford a better offer, but the reality is that the state can’t afford not to solve this problem quickly.