Unions sue Schwarzenegger over mandatory days off

http://www.latimes.com ^ | December 22, 2008 | By Jordan Rau

[Maelstorm]

He should just fire 1/4 of them. That would be a better long term solution.

[anniegetyourgun]

You just knew this was coming....

[RKV]

Very predictable. And they’ll probably win, btw. Strict law of contracts.

[My hearts in London - Everett]

Of course they are! Unions had their time and purpose in history, but no more, IMO.

[who_would_fardels_bear]

"Very predictable. And they’ll probably win, btw. Strict law of contracts."

Or California could declare bankruptcy which would abrogate most, if not all, of the existing contracts.

If the car companies need to declare bankrupty because they are making cars that are not quite good enough to compete with Toyota, then California definitely needs to declare bankruptcy since they are no where near approximating a real government.

[MovementConservative]

He should just fire 1/4 of them.

They would sue him over that too, and win. He should declare bankruptcy and have all existing contracts declared null and void. Then fire everyone and rehire all the essential ones.

[dbacks]

“Of course they are! Unions had their time and purpose in history, but no more, IMO.”

Unions are creating their own irrelevance.

[I_Like_Spam]

He should just fire 1/4 of them. That would be a better long term solution.
_____________________

Of course reducing the number and size of state agencies is the only real solution. Firing 1/4 of the state workers really doesn’t mean much of anything if the work is just contracted out and is still paid for by the taxpayers.

The real cutting has to be to determine if an “Office of Community Empowerment” or a “Gay Civil Rights Bureau” is really needed at all much less have employees, office space or a budget.

I suspect that the next step will be to close bridges and state parks and layoff those who treat the roads during winter storms. Those who the taxpayers might actually miss, so that public pressure will come upon the recalcitrant legislators to raise taxes.

[clintonh8r]

Public employees should not be allowed to unionize. They work for the people. If they don’t like it they should get a union shop job in the private sector. Ronaldus Maximus showed the way with the air traffic controllers.

[Maelstorm]

Yes he should. What is it with state and federal workers thinking they are indispensable.

[Maelstorm]

I agree. I’ve never figured out why civil service and state workers need unions.

[MovementConservative]

Unions had their time and purpose in history, but no more, IMO.

It's not the unions who are the problems, its the union and state negotiators. The union negotiators don't see their jobs as one of making good decisions for the company or government, but rather getting all they can for their members. The government negotiators just want to please everyone and avoid lawsuits. No backbone, and it's not hard to see why given the way these unions spend on campaigns.

[Seruzawa]

I wouldn’t allow govt employees to vote at all.

[My hearts in London - Everett]

There are plenty of employees and businesses who survive and thrive without these antiquated organizations and their bloodsucking ways.

[Coachm]

wouldn’t notice a statewide loss in productivity either.

[Maelstorm]

Not one bit. :-)

[ajay_kumar]

If the car companies need to declare bankruptcy because they are making cars that are not quite good enough to compete with Toyota

Every American car I ever purchased has proven itself very good. But it is harder for domestics to put in the same quality with much higher labor costs.

[austinaero]

Unions are the new ‘black’ - again. Not a chance Arnie. Sorry. I hate it as much as anyone.

[Don Corleone]

REPORTING FROM SACRAMENTO -- Two public employee unions today sued Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger to block his effort to furlough state workers to cut costs as California's treasury runs out of money.

Un freekin' believable!

[goldstategop]

Send every one of them pink slips and dare them to do something about it. Like President Reagan did with the PATCO air traffic controllers. Government isn't the personal cash cow of the unions.

"Show me just what Mohammed brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached." - Manuel II Palelologus