Unions Bargain At Table With Governor Whose Re-election They're Helping Fund

IBD Editorials ^ | September 11, 2008 | SONYA D. JONES AND JOHN R. LOTT JR

[Kaslin]

Democrats are expected to make strong gains in state legislatures this fall, but what do these stronger Democratic majorities mean? A look at Washington State may show what is in store for the rest of the country.

Public employee unions are handing over vast amounts of money to the incumbent governor's re-election campaign, while the governor is simultaneously sitting at the bargaining table negotiating contracts with these very unions.

If it seems inappropriate for the governor, Christine Gregoire, who is locked in a very tight re-election, to benefit personally from the parties that her office is negotiating with, that's just your conscience, not the law.

As of Aug. 28, a number of unions — the Washington Federation of State Employees, AFSCME, National Education Association and Washington Education Association, Service Employees International Union, and the AFL-CIO — had already contributed more than $1.5 million to the Evergreen Progress PAC.

The current negotiations are covering everything from general government employees, home health care workers, home child care workers, and nurses in state institutions to staff in the public universities. According to the Seattle Post-Intelligencer, the PAC's ads have unleashed "a drubbing" of her Republican gubernatorial opponent, Dino Rossi.

[scooby321]

Let them have them. As Obama said his new energy jobs can’t be outsoursed . ( Government jobs). So become another State who starts to lose population.

[Paperdoll]

Sadly, our Washington state governor Gregoire bears no resemblence to that grand and capable lady in Alaska!

WASHINGTONIANS, PLEASE SECURE VICTORY TO DINO ROSSI!

[Skywalk]

I’m for right of free association but I think public employee unions should be banned. Either it’s public service or it’s not. There would still be avenues with which to negotiate and air grievances. But forcing taxpayers to provide them money (and NONE of it is taxed, as it’s all from taxes and fees) with their political influence is disgusting.

[Intolerant in NJ]

If it seems inappropriate for the governor, Christine Gregoire, who is locked in a very tight re-election, to benefit personally from the parties that her office is negotiating with, that's just your conscience, not the law..."inappropriate"? - it's downright unethical and a conflict of interest - but any state dumb enough to let the likes of Gregoire steal the election for governor and not raise a fuss is too dumb to understand such simple concepts.......

[4Liberty]

Teachers union members must give a portion of any increases in govt spending they gain through salaries to “political” dues.

Those dues go directly to Dem politicians.

So Dems have a conflict of interest when it comes to the prospect of lowering govt spending.

They (Dems) should NOT be allowed to vote on budgets, taxes, or fiscal measures until this very corrupt relation is ENDED

[Cacique]

btt