While the state's private sector struggles to return to its pre-recession peak of 2000, New York's public sector has more employees than ever, according to a report from the Empire Center for New York State Policy. Among the findings:
- In 51 of New York's 62 counties, the average salary for state and local government jobs is higher than the private-sector average.
- When comparisons are narrowed to hourly wages for similar occupations, government workers earn more than employees of private firms in most job categories in the state's largest regions.
- Public employee union membership in New York has reached an all-time high of more than 1 million. One out of every eight New York workers is a unionized government employee; the ratio averages one out of 19 in the rest of the country.

The full Empire Center Research Bulletin can be found here.