[JoeFromSidney]

Public employee unions are a racket. They use dues money to campaign for politicians who will raise the pay of public employees. They're not like private sector employee unions, that negotiate with people who have contrary interests. Public employee unions in effect negotiate with people who have an interest in satisfying the demands of the unions. This isn't collective bargaining, it's collusion. Franklin Delano Roosevelt was right. Public employees should be unionized.

[itsahoot]

Franklin Delano Roosevelt was right. Public employees should not be unionized.

[Gene Eric]

>> This isn’t collective bargaining, it’s collusion

The process is a form of extortion given the taxpayer doesn’t have any practical options.

[usurper]

Public employee unions in effect negotiate with people who have an interest in satisfying the demands of the unions.

You nailed it. Federal unions like AFGE can't negotiate over pay or benefits because they are established by congressional statute i.e. law.

But they can and do lobby to the tune of millions every year. It is the equivalent of a privet sector union giving money directly to a company's negotiators to enhance the contract. Where I come from that's called fraud and bribery.