Senate: Let first responders unionize

AP via SFGate ^ | 5/13/8

[rellimpank]

-—yep—remember the prison guards input to the legislative process?

[Arguendo]

Probably a good time to be away from the Senate campaigning, then.

[DainBramage]

Uhm just how does this dump on volounteers?

[pilipo]

Deaf ears, Uncle Miltie. And blind eyes.

[this is my name not yours]

The union goons are going to run the volunteers out of the departments because they're taking away "valuable union jobs" (i.e. taking jobs that could be filled by dues paying union firefighters). I've seen it happen before. The union takes over then imposes rules relegating volunteer firefighters and EMTs to menial tasks like racking hose and cleaning ambulances. The tax consequences of this are going to be monumental - especially on small and medium-sized towns that rely on volunteers.

I've been a paramedic for 10 years and I was forced out of my home town because this very thing happened to me. In order to keep my advanced life support certs I had to have a minimum amount of patient contact time and I just couldn't do it polishing trucks and stocking supplies.

[bill1952]

Probably forever..

you are nuts.

[TheBlueMax]

“There is no right to strike against the public safety, anytime, anywhere.” - Calvin Coolidge

I’ve spent over 30 years of my life in law enforcement...both local and federal, and I cannot tell you how cheesed off this makes me! No law enforcement officer, anywhere, should be allowed to have collective bargaining rights, since they knew this coming in, and salaries are determined by tax rates.