I wrote today about how extraordinary it is to have a reformist Republican governor taking on public-sector unions in Wisconsin, the intellectual breadbasket of American progressivism. A couple of points made by friends via e-mail:
1)“What Walker is doing isn’t unprecedented—18 states deny collective bargaining rights to some classes of public workers, or allow municipalities to do so. Virginia and North Carolina have outright bans on public sector collective bargaining. And nearly every state has some sort of restrictions on the scope of collective bargaining– for example, in New York, pension benefits are an excluded subject from collective bargaining.”
2) “Boosting pensions is an especially attractive way for unions to increase members’ overall compensation because pensions are commitments that come home to roost far in the future, when the politicians negotiating them will no longer be in office. Getting wage raises is harder because the must be factored into budgets immediately. So, reducing collective bargaining to wages only is a big deal.”
Remember those heady days before the 2010 elections when President Obama traveled freely around the midwest stumping for candidates, touting his economic perforance, and getting voters fired up for more of his left-wing agenda? Yeah, me neither.
But I do remember that one of the very, very few places in the Midwest where he was not "persona non grata" was...Madison! Specifically, UW. The idea at the time was to give the POTUS a very friendly crowd, fawning media attention, and in-market television coverage... without actually having him go to battleground states to humiliate local candidates.
His reward? Loss of the Governorship, the State House, a US Senate Seat and 2 House seats in WI.
We are winning big in WI. Just look at the resources the Left is deploying against the new Governor. Their firewall has been breeched. This is the rear guard action of an ideology in full retreat.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseI'm wondering whether the Wisconsin Governor has the legal right to fire those teachers identified in the protest crowds who booked in sick. Clearly they weren't ill so isn't what they did a violation of their contractual responsibility?
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseThe Governor should wait the Unions out. Time is on HIS side. If this thing drags out, parents will blame the teachers not the Governor. Not to mention how foolish the Democrats look hiding in Illinois.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseSaw some of the governor's news conference today. I like the way he framed the issues and the tone he struck. Came off as thoroughly realistic and reasonable. I keep thinking this brouhaha will turn out to be a good thing.
Reply to this commentLinkReport Abuse"18 states deny collective bargaining rights to some classes of public workers..."
Yeah, and so did HITLER! AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseRun out of ideas there Max?
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseI don't know, I'm in a union, and we are not allowed to strike, not ever, under contract or not. And none of us are considered full-time employees, not ever, and our jobs are not protected. A group can be unionized and not be particularly able to hold the public, and the public good, in jeopardy for it's own ends.
Seems reasonable, as does not allowing extreme benefits at the expense of the private sector- some sort of compromise can be made.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseY'know, if we admit the truth--that these teachers and other govt. workers who are telling a LIE by claiming illness as a reason for not showing up for work--and therefore admit that they are in breach of contract, are collecting whatever pay and benefits they currently are collecting in a fraudulent manner, and thus are doing so in the furtherance of a conspiracy since they are organized to do so by their union....
...well, heck: Isn't that what RICO laws are all about? And since we see from headlines on Drudge and elsewhere today that the DNC is "assisting" in the protests in Madison, that various ex-Clinton and current-Obama aides and political ops are taking part, are't all of them involved in an illegal conspiracy to defraud the government of the State of Wisconsin too, and subject to the RICO law's confiscation of assets as ill-gotten gains provisions?
Not only is this a golden (literally) opportunity to strike a blow for the rule of law and the honoring of contracts, it's a dandy way to balance the state budget too! SO somebody in WI. please tell a Californian who doesn't know about your state this: When Walker was elected, was a Republican elected Attorney General too? IF so, somebody should put this bug in his ear, ask him to do HIS or HER duty, and help solve the state's budget crisis by adding the coffers of the public employee unions and private political firms engaging in this conspiracy to the state treasury's balance...and in the process treat these thugs and bullies the way RICO intended similar mobsters to be treated--as people who have NO honor and use intimidation and threats and physical violence to achieve their evil aims.
Reply to this commentLinkReport Abusein New York, pension benefits are an excluded subject from collective bargaining?
Not true. The amount of employee contribution, the length of service for vestment, and the pension calculation have all been negotiated away for 40 years. Each successive "Tier" (new class of employees yet to be hired) has fewer benefits than the last.
BTW: many civil service positions flagrantly violate existing law ("every person in the same Title or pay Line must receive equal compensation").
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseMy employment required a 10% health care contribution, with the other 90% paid by the State. This is true for everyone in that Title.
However, those with the most dependents receive higher compensation as follows.
The employee's health care contribution for a spouse is 25% (State pays 75%).
That 75% State payment is a benefit that the other employees do not get.
Perhaps the issue hasn't been properly identified?
In this case, the author of this violation is the of New York's State Court system.
My union, of course, is bribed/coerced into going along, and I'm precluded by the bargaining certificate (my Union is the sole representative) from making a separate argument.
In short, someone in my grade with children makes quite a few thousand more annually (forever - it's part of the pension as well) for the same work.
What would be legal?
A. pay the 75% State contribution to the single employee, pre-tax (as are the premiums)
B. remove the state contribution for family members
No one is listening.