Republican governors target public employee unions

[Casino67]

LATimes:

Reporting from San Diego — The main opponent mentioned at the Republican Governors Assn. conference here — described in terms ranging from misguided to downright evil — is the other party, the Democrats.

But running a close second are the public employee unions, particularly the teachers unions.

"Frankly," said Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty, "the public employee unions would stick a shiv in all of us if they could."

The biggest laugh of the Thursday morning session came when New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie made a joke out of a union's opposition to his proposal to require teachers to pay a portion of their health insurance costs.

"You laugh," Christie said. "That's the crap I have to listen to in New Jersey."

And among the lines most quoted and paraphrased among the governors was the comment in September from Scott Walker, now governor-elect of Wisconsin, regarding the need to trim the salaries and benefits of public employees: "We cannot and should not maintain a system where public employees are the haves and the taxpayers footing the bill are the have-nots."

[octex]

Now THAT'S the way to bring down the deficit and the burden on taxpayers!

 

Recent articles have disclosed that unionized government/public employees have experienced tremendous growth in numbers and income in the past few years, as compared to other workers in the private sector. The unionized public workers are bankrupting their cities and states because of automatic pay increases and pensions.

 

It's ridiculous for a city to have fire and police employees belonging to unions. The unions should be told "no deal" at the first opportunity and the employees offered to keep their jobs only if they remain non-union and accept lesser benefits and a freeze on pay until the recession really is over.

 

It has to happen by being a movement across the country, beginning with the cities and then moving up to state level on the way to the federal level. ....Very similar to the TEA Party movement which began at the grassroots.

[Valin]

But running a close second are the public employee unions, particularly the teachers unions.

 

The problem is for too many years too politicians (from both parties) have found that it's just easier to give in to the public union demands...and why not, it's not like it's their money. I can't blame the unions for asking for the sun and the moon. Particularly since they almost always get it.

 

Short story (if I may), I'm being interviewed for a job, the person asks me how much money I'm looking for, how much have you got (says I) I want it all (says I with a smile). I got the job...for considerably less than everything they had.

 

 

 

Something the public unions really have to really understand (and I'm not sure they do...yet) is there is no more money. We have reached the day of reckoning. If it's not here today, it's right around the corner.

 

[Argyle58]

This is one of the reasons that I like Mitch Daniels. One of his first acts as governor was to decertify all state public employee unions. That he now has approval ratings in the 60s shows that its not the political suicide move that its made out to be.

[Valin]

This is one of the reasons that I like Mitch Daniels. One of his first acts as governor was to decertify all state public employee unions. That he now has approval ratings in the 60s shows that its not the political suicide move that its made out to be.

 

Gutsy bold move on his part. The times call for bold moves.