Gov. Rick Snyder has ordered the state to conduct a study examining whether the state has too many bosses.

Snyder sent a letter Thursday to the state's personnel director. His move followed a pitch from unions representing more than 36,000 state employees who argued that changing the ratio of managers to staff could save millions of dollars as an alternative to major union contract concessions the state wants to balance the budget.

The state has about one manager or supervisor for every six employees, according to a Civil Service Commission work force report for the third quarter of fiscal 2011. That ratio, the unions argue, should be between seven and 11 employees for every boss.

If the ratio were 7:1, it would save $75 million a year, union officials said, possibly taking the sting out of $145 million in concessions the state wants from employees. The big push from the state is to get employees to pay 20% of their health care costs. Since April 1, new state employees pay 20% of their health insurance premium; all others pay 10%.

Filed Under : Public Employment Levels, Union Issues & Employee Benefits