destruction of unions

[pilotyip]

A cautionary tale regarding unions particularly in Wisconsin. Many may not like the messenger (Rachel Maddow of MSNBC), but worth listening to as Wisconsin will be the model for the continuing destruction of our jobs nationally that began in earnest in the '80s.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/26315908/

Regarding the economy it has been said, "as goes California so goes the country." However regarding labor, "as goes Wisconsin so goes the country." In just one year the teachers' union membership fell by 45%, and the second largest union fell by 55%.

Loss of good paying jobs and loss of political clout in a downward spiral.

No teachers lost their jobs, which would have happened as a cost savings under the union plan, taxes are going to drop in Wisc. BO won't even go near Wisc, because he knows Walker has a very good chance of winning the election and he could not stand the association with a union failure. The unions have spent so much money fighting this change throughout the US that they will be close to $70M less to support the presidential election in the fall. The tax paying public is tried of seeing a public emplyee retire at age 45 on 3/4 of their pay with lifetime COLA and unlimited medical. Almost no one in the private sector has that.

 

[pilotyip]

I couldn't disagree more. Public sector unions are absolutely necessary. The problem has been executive pay increasing 400% in a decade while private sector labor rates have remained flat while enduring standard inflation rates. So comparing public sector unions with the private sector is a bad comparison. Failure of leadership. It is insane. Read: insane to think teachers are OVER-paid in this country. It's the wrong ethic and no wonder we have so many bad teachers. Any good teacher can do a lot of other things-
So the bumper sticker rings true still.
Think education is expensive: try living in an ignorant society.
Money isn't everything in education- it will not substitute for drive and discipline. But it is necessary.

Reform the system. Sure. Take away collective bargaining? That's UNCONSTITUTIONAL. It's legal for a reason.

Kick Walker to the curb- corporations are not our overlords. If you don't like people having the power in america- go move someplace not called a democratic republic.

Two of the greatest supports of the union movement, FDR and LaGuardia, said public employee unions would bankrupt the country because of their ability to shut the country down and the inability of public officals to say no. We are reaping the results of promises made on a wish and whim 30 years ago, when the guy who voted for it did not have to pay of it.

BTW. Where is the growth?, Right to Work states

 

[inline]

I couldn't disagree more. Public sector unions are absolutely necessary. The problem has been executive pay increasing 400% in a decade while private sector labor rates have remained flat while enduring standard inflation rates. So comparing public sector unions with the private sector is a bad comparison. Failure of leadership. It is insane. Read: insane to think teachers are OVER-paid in this country. It's the wrong ethic and no wonder we have so many bad teachers. Any good teacher can do a lot of other things-
So the bumper sticker rings true still.
Think education is expensive: try living in an ignorant society.
Money isn't everything in education- it will not substitute for drive and discipline. But it is necessary.

Reform the system. Sure. Take away collective bargaining? That's UNCONSTITUTIONAL. It's legal for a reason.

Kick Walker to the curb- corporations are not our overlords. If you don't like people having the power in america- go move someplace not called a democratic republic.

Walker for VP!

 

[GoPats]

There're a lot of myths out there regarding unions and unionized public servants. The vast majority of public employees DO NOT earn more than their private sector counterparts. If anyone believes so, please share your sources (please, no Fox News). The max. salary for a high school teacher in my wife's district (we're talking about eastern MA here) is just over $70K/yr. That's max. after 15 years on the job.
Also, with respect to this early retirement with full benefits, etc. it is only for a few professions, police, fire (and that's after 25 yrs of service in most states). Teachers get a small pension but it is just that folks, small and it is something they've been contributing in during their tenure. It's not a gift.
This is really disappointing. There're so many people in this industry who owe a lot to unions (past and present) but are so quick to jump on the anti-union, corporate bandwagon when it comes to another profession's struggle.
Don't be naive. "Your" turn is coming. Do you really believe that it's just public service unions who are the targets here? Think again. Corporatism is alive and well in this country.
Let's see what APA will look like after the bankruptcy judge gets through with them.

 

[flythere]

(please, no Fox News)

Then Please, no MSNBC, then we wouldn't have anything to talk about! The original story came from MSNBC and Rachal Madcow! You dont think that network isn't pulling for the unions?

 

[GoPats]

I don't need MSNBC (or any other network for that matter) to tell me what's going on around me. Situations such as the one in Wisconsin have been happening at different scales all around the country. My town (~17K) is now looking at teachers' salaries and the "huge" cost-of-living raise that's coming up. The only industry that can come close to matching the joke that is known as a "salary" in the teaching profession is the regionals. Wisconsin got the national spotlight but alarm about union destruction was hardly the creation of Rachel Maddow. Aren't you in the airline business? You really and truly don't see this?

 

[JT12345]

How can you blame unions and not CEO pay. There are so many jokes out there for both; blame both. My parents were teachers and you can add 40k per year onto the 70k average for benefits and pensions. My Dad topped out at 45k. My bro in NY Long Island makes over 100k plus benefits. Top out at 120k. That is about Captains pay at many of our companies. His county is a fiscal nightmare. Oh and that does not include his summer jobs and night jobs.

What the CEOs do is a bigger joke in this country. I am lmao when you guys mouth off how they deserve it at 25x the world average and Doctors at 4x the world average. Yeah this economy and health industry is top rate right now.

Don't be a fool. Blame them all. They deserve it. Greedy mofos. Fek'em. Let's take it all away I say. Let the counties go bankrupt and renegotiate like in Cali. Fire the CEOs that are jokes in public and private sector. It is our human history. "We the people of the United States, in order to..."

 

[flythere]

Ms Madcow is just like Sean Hannity, both are political pundents with a strong opinion! Unfortunately journalism in this country is dead! You now have entire news networks that are funded and staffed by folks with political agenda's(MSNBC). That whole network is in the democratic camp. So it's hard to watch that network and get any truth to a story.

What ever happened to a reporter reporting the story and letting us, the viewer/reader decide?

Unions are a necessary evil! And without greedy fat-cat CEO's there would be no business, we just need to strike a fair balance!

 

[JT12345]

How can you mention MSNBC and not FOX News in the same breath you jaded liar. Too many Hannityss on there. Fair and balanced was the biggest joke for the majority of people in the United States watching Fox News. But I doubt the majority watches it. Let's just say they both have different perspectives of hate. Atleast MSNBC doesn't deny it, but many on here are still in denial or just out right lieing what Fox News is. I can't stand either of them. They both are full of crap.

The majority would rather watch Dancing with the Stars than horsesh!t news and I can't blame them. Too much fighting and arguing and negativity.

 

[Carl S.]

If you want radical left views, go to CURRENT TV.... They make MSNBC look like a`RUSH DITTO HEAD convention. SEA airport DoubleTree has this channel, it is radical!!!!