Walkingstick to introduce pay raise for Cherokee Nation employees

DAVID WALKINGSTICK TO INTRODUCE LEGISLATIVE ACT TO RAISE SALARIES FOR CHEROKEE NATION EMPLOYEES

(TAHLEQUAH, OK) - Ahead of the July 15th Rules Committee meeting where the Cherokee Nation tribal council will vote upon a measure to block proposed massive pay raises for elected officials, District 3 Tribal Councilor David Walkingstick has announced that he will introduce legislation that would provide for a pay raise of $2,000 to $3,000 for all full- and part-time Cherokee employees.

In a statement, Walkingstick said the following:

"I am excited to announce the "Cherokee Nation Employees Pay Raise Act of 2019", which will raise salaries for Cherokee Nation and Cherokee Nation Businesses employees by $2,000 to $3,000. Our Cherokee employees have gone without a true pay increase for too long, and we have seen the result of this as we continue to lose some of our best workers to better-paying employers. Over the past eight years, the Cherokee Nation has lost over 140 doctors due to pay and poor working conditions, and our health systems have suffered because of this."

"The Cherokee Nation Compensation Committee has proposed massive pay raises for Cherokee Nation politicians, citing the need for better pay to recruit 'top talent'. I've visited with hundreds of Cherokee citizens since this pay hike was proposed, and nearly all of them agree that this was the wrong course of action. I am proposing Act because I believe that we have top talent in the staff of our Cherokee Nation departments and businesses, and we have not been paying them what they are worth. I hope that my fellow tribal councilors feel the same way and that they will support this modest pay increase for our great Cherokee Nation employees."

The Cherokee Nation Rules Committee will meet publicly at 11:00 am on Monday, July 15th at the W. W. Keeler Tribal Complex in Tahlequah to discuss and vote on the proposed pay increases. Walkingstick will move to amend the agenda of this meeting to place "The Cherokee Nation Employee Pay Raise Act" up for consideration and a vote.