Think This would Help Government Worker Productivity?

From the Minot Daily News: A $16 million record profit at North Dakota's state Mill and Elevator also meant hefty bonus checks for its workers.

The state-owned flour mill has a profit-sharing program that kicks in if the mill meets specified goals for profits, productivity and worker safety.

Mill general manager Vance Taylor says $1.4 million in profit-sharing checks were handed out at a company picnic for the mill's 134 employees. The payments came after the mill's budget year ended July 31.

Taylor says the payments averaged $11,600 per employee. They equaled almost 22 percent of each worker's pay during the previous year.

Taylor says during the last decade, profit-sharing payments have averaged about 9 percent of a worker's wages.

Taylor says the profit-sharing program helps the mill's productivity.

http://www.minotdailynews.com/page/content.detail/id/557874/ND-mill--16M-profit-means-big-checks-for-workers.html?nav=5583

There are two schools of thought: First thought, the profit is state money and it should be turned over to the State of North Dakota coffers.

On the other hand, they may not have had as much productivity if there was no profit sharing program and $1.4 million won't affect the budget that much, especially in North Dakota where they are rolling in the dough from the oil companies.



I think, if there can be an incentive for government employees to work harder and do more work, then I have no problem with employees get some extra money if they can make a profit for the State. (all bets are off if the state agency is a monopoly or overcharges)

But it is not for every department. Teachers, police, firefighters, DPW etc probably would not qualify for profit sharing and they have to realize this. But if there is a way make money for a government agency and for that agency to make a large enough profit for the state while not acting as a monopoly or overcharges, then let them pay some profit sharing pay.