Posted on 12/17/2010 9:33:26 AM PST by MichCapCon
Recently, the incoming Republican governors in Wisconsin and Ohio have discussed the possibility of eliminating public sector unions (see MichCapCon.com/14188).
One Michigan labor leader shares his thoughts:
Phillip Thompson
Executive Vice President
Michigan Public Employees, SEIU Local 517M
These types of news articles—in Wisconsin as well as the recent WSJ guest editorial from Gov Tim Pawlenty (Minn) which labeled public workers’ Unions as “exploiters”, do little to foster meaningful and productive conversations between elected officials and public workers. It is SEIU’s sincere desire that Governor-elect Snyder takes a much more constructive approach to solving the state’s financial challenges by widening his discussions to include the front line workers—who often know best how to develop efficiencies and cost savings in the delivery of public services to Michigan’s hard-working citizens.
Saying that public workers should not be allowed to have a meaningful voice in their workplace—often through their Unions—is basically telling these workers that their opinions and suggestions have no merit...
(Excerpt) Read more at michigancapitolconfidential.com ...
We need to close our primaries.
Now yer talkin! That's how you put a stake in the heart of the dems power base.
public workers, using tax money to lobby for more government funds... what could go wrong?
Pretty much how Washington DC views the electorate.
I saw today where Gov McDonnell R(VA) is going for having state employees pay into their own retirement fund.
Remember, the States and Fed used to pay a much lower pay scale than the Private Sector but the benefits were paid vacation, retirement, health care etc which were all part of their salary.
Oh, once one received some sort of tenure etc, the State/Fed employee was virtually untouchable when it came to firings etc.
Now that the Fed and State salaries are up there, and in a lot of cases, above the private sector there is no reason for the non State and non Fed employees to be paying for the ‘guaranteed’ workers retirement etc.
Oh, I don’t see anything wrong with folks in the public sector joining and creating unions...as long as it is against the law to engage in collective bargaining and strike-type activities. They can get together off duty hours and discuss politics, parties, fundraisers and charities...or whatever. They just can’t be allowed to hold the public hostage or make any demands. Then again, their membership would probably be very small.
“is basically telling these workers that their opinions and suggestions have no merit”
In the first place they are not “workers”. They are “paycheck consumers” or “time servers”. Most do no useful function. And so, yes, their opinions and suggestions have no merit.
I know that a small minority of govt employees DO do useful work. The problem is that the worst ones, the biggest brownnosers, get into management. When budgets are reduced the few good workers are let go while the criminal managers keep their buddies on board and still pay themselves their bonuses. Heck, you have govt offices where everyone is a manager with no one to manage but they still get bonuses for “managing”.
Take the USPS. For everyone person delivering mail or working a counter there are 6 people pushing papers and “managing”.
A pension is something someone earns through years of productive activity. Govt employees deserve no pensions.
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