By Alabama Public Radio
Montgomery, AL – The head of the state employees association says the Senate's failure to pass a General Fund budget was a slap in the face to state workers. Mac McArthur says workers woke up Tuesday not knowing if they'll get a pay raise or even have a job in October. The $1.5 billion General Fund budget passed the House in March, but it was then stalled for weeks by a filibuster in the Senate. McArthur is now urging Governor Riley to call a special session right away, possibly as early as Monday. The General Fund budget would have provided funds for a four percent pay raise for state employees. Riley vetoed a bill Monday that would have provided for the pay raise, saying it would not be responsible to pass the raise without providing money to fund it.