Just think what the taxpayers feel like...
But Fretwell didn't mince words: "We feel like pawns."Just think what the taxpayers feel like...
You got that right. When I started work in 1982, my employer had over 65,000 employees in town. We are now down to less than 9,000. In the last ten years, we have had at least one layoff per year, often two. We already know that there will be more next year. It has been difficult for those who left. It has also been terribly difficult and depressing for those who remain. Who do people think generate the revenue to pay severance packages? The mantras in our workplace are "do more with less" and "take cost out of the system."
As we taxpayers experience this environment, expenditures at the federal, state, and municipal have risen steadily. Our co-pays and premiums for health insurance have risen at double digit rates while the unionized public workers have been immune to this. It's time for public employees to face the fact that the perfect storm of globalization and economic difficulties have changed the revenue stream that pays their salaries. Change is coming whether they like it or not. They can get on board and offer some concessions and know they got the best outcome possible given the circumstances. Or, they can dig in their heels and someone else will force the situation and I guarantee they won't like the outcome. One can say the same thing to the UAW too...