"I could not, at any age, be content to take my place by the fireside and simply look on. Life was meant to be lived. Curiosity must be kept alive. One must never, for whatever reason, turn his back on life." --Eleanor Roosevelt
Friday, February 18, 2011
Go Wisconsin!
If it can happen in Wisconsin, it can happen anywhere. This Union member in California is with you ALL THE WAY!
I'm all for bargaining rights, but where is the money coming from to pay for all the perks?
Something has to give.
How about some of these six-figure school superintendents cutting back. Three of them in NY state just voted themselves a 7% pay raise, but are asking teachers to freeze teaching salaries.
I've reached a point where I'd rather go to jail than to pay any more taxes. Bah humbug!
I haven’t been a union member since 1979, but I'll happily pay my taxes to employ quality union public servants to teach our children, rebuild our infrastructure, and protect our streets. Not until we roll back the tax cuts for the filthy rich would I even consider balancing the budget on the backs of the middle class. If those Wall Street hedge fund managers, bankers, and corporate CEO's (many who make in excess of a million dollars a week) would just do their share maybe we could right this ship. After all, they’re the ones who keep tipping the damn boat over!
As far as the governor and all the house and senate memebers are concerned: They could do away with more than half of them thus eliminating half of the salaries, then cut back income on the rest of them.
I currently belong to and am a Bargaining Unit Steward for the California State University Employees Union. I don't make (and never will) a six-fugure income. I pay into Social Security and my own retirement. I've had a 403b account that I've been putting part of my monthly paycheck into since 1994. I lost 11% of my salary last year to 24 furlough days. And for all my sacrifice I will be lucky to bring in $30,000 a month in my retirement. That may seem like a lot to some but try living on that here in Sunny California.
Demonizing public workers as living the good life while sucking the taxpayers dry is a story line aimed only at tearing down governments at every level by tearing down the people who work for them.
When a nation turns against its educators and reviles scientists as "elitists," it's headed downhill. Not to mention when it attacks the working people who guard our borders, drive ambulances, inspect bridges and natural gas wells, maintain sewers and water lines, put out fires, and respond to 911 calls when the sound of breaking glass is heard at 3 a.m.
I kinda like what former Georgia Republican Gov. Sonny Perdue, who succeeded in creating a more responsive public work force, told Time magazine: "Government is like a co-op . We are all owners and users, and we are all better off when it works." Too bad most Republicans today have forgotten that.
lemming, Good question. Scott Walker fabricated this whole budget crisis thing specifically to bust the unions and most every other Republican Governor is trying to follow suit.
Republicans say "Do as I say, not as I do" so I guess therein lies your answer.
everytime this subject comes up, another layer of a system in trouble is exposed. I have no problem with collective bargaining in either the public or private sector. it's as american as mother pie and applehood my wise dutch boss use to say.
i do have a problem with funds from public unions being used to pay for the campaigns of the very politicians they negotiate with. I would like to see public union funding of political campaigns stopped as part of the deal to collective bargain.
it just seems like the right thing to do.
i'd also like to see corporate campaign funds done away with too while i'm at it.
Good point bob. My Union will actually allow you to "opt out" of contributing to political campaigns, since only a small percent goes there. I have checked the "opt out" box on my Union application just as I do when I file my taxes every year.
Good comments from all! I like that we can disagree and still be friends too.
I admit I lean a bit to the left - but I have been in both positions (labor/management)and definitely see the need to retain collective bargaining rights where ever earned. Sure, unions need to give when times are tough but to loose the right to bargain is a right lost forever. That's the way the PRESENT Republican party would like to see it - a total corporate takeover.... It's that "military/Industrial Complex" thing Ike warned us about (he had absolutely no idea his party would decline to it's present depths...).
10 comments:
Finally a governor who has grown a set of balls!
I'm all for bargaining rights, but where is the money coming from to pay for all the perks?
Something has to give.
How about some of these six-figure school superintendents cutting back. Three of them in NY state just voted themselves a 7% pay raise, but are asking teachers to freeze teaching salaries.
I've reached a point where I'd rather go to jail than to pay any more taxes. Bah humbug!
I haven’t been a union member since 1979, but I'll happily pay my taxes to employ quality union public servants to teach our children, rebuild our infrastructure, and protect our streets. Not until we roll back the tax cuts for the filthy rich would I even consider balancing the budget on the backs of the middle class. If those Wall Street hedge fund managers, bankers, and corporate CEO's (many who make in excess of a million dollars a week) would just do their share maybe we could right this ship. After all, they’re the ones who keep tipping the damn boat over!
Any chance the governor would take a pay cut to help balance the budget?
-lemming
As far as the governor and all the house and senate memebers are concerned: They could do away with more than half of them thus eliminating half of the salaries, then cut back income on the rest of them.
I currently belong to and am a Bargaining Unit Steward for the California State University Employees Union. I don't make (and never will) a six-fugure income. I pay into Social Security and my own retirement. I've had a 403b account that I've been putting part of my monthly paycheck into since 1994. I lost 11% of my salary last year to 24 furlough days. And for all my sacrifice I will be lucky to bring in $30,000 a month in my retirement. That may seem like a lot to some but try living on that here in Sunny California.
Demonizing public workers as living the good life while sucking the taxpayers dry is a story line aimed only at tearing down governments at every level by tearing down the people who work for them.
When a nation turns against its educators and reviles scientists as "elitists," it's headed downhill. Not to mention when it attacks the working people who guard our borders, drive ambulances, inspect bridges and natural gas wells, maintain sewers and water lines, put out fires, and respond to 911 calls when the sound of breaking glass is heard at 3 a.m.
I kinda like what former Georgia Republican Gov. Sonny Perdue, who succeeded in creating a more responsive public work force, told Time magazine: "Government is like a co-op . We are all owners and users, and we are all better off when it works." Too bad most Republicans today have forgotten that.
lemming,
Good question. Scott Walker fabricated this whole budget crisis thing specifically to bust the unions and most every other Republican Governor is trying to follow suit.
Republicans say "Do as I say, not as I do" so I guess therein lies your answer.
everytime this subject comes up, another layer of a system in trouble is exposed. I have no problem with collective bargaining in either the public or private sector. it's as american as mother pie and applehood my wise dutch boss use to say.
i do have a problem with funds from public unions being used to pay for the campaigns of the very politicians they negotiate with. I would like to see public union funding of political campaigns stopped as part of the deal to collective bargain.
it just seems like the right thing to do.
i'd also like to see corporate campaign funds done away with too while i'm at it.
other than that, it's a pretty good day.
Good point bob. My Union will actually allow you to "opt out" of contributing to political campaigns, since only a small percent goes there. I have checked the "opt out" box on my Union application just as I do when I file my taxes every year.
Good comments from all! I like that we can disagree and still be friends too.
I admit I lean a bit to the left - but I have been in both positions (labor/management)and definitely see the need to retain collective bargaining rights where ever earned. Sure, unions need to give when times are tough but to loose the right to bargain is a right lost forever. That's the way the PRESENT Republican party would like to see it - a total corporate takeover.... It's that "military/Industrial Complex" thing Ike warned us about (he had absolutely no idea his party would decline to it's present depths...).
Hey, nice to see you Ron. You haven't been blogging much lately.
Unions do need to give when times are tough and I think most realize that these days.
As my husband says, the Republicans want to create a Corporatocracy (sp) and that's exactly where we're headed (if we aren't already there).
Glad you were kidding about being a Repub :D
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