If you feel helpless now, either to your boss, the company you work for or in this economy, overall, more generally, just wait until Wisconsin's labor bill passes, if it does, doing away with collective bargaining.
When it's just you vs., again, either the boss or the company, we both know who's going to win that battle (unless he or she does something blatantly illegal and prosecutable, of course).
When people have the power and ability to form a group--yes, a union--so they can negotiate better workplaces and conditions, then things can happen in our favor.
But we all know that.
From the article I read this morning:
States across the nation are struggling with enormous short-term budget gaps. If Walker's effort passes and is judged a success, it could give a boost to state leaders--GOP Gov. Chris Christie of New Jersey is the most prominent example--who are also looking to rein in public employee benefits. A wave of states advancing Wisconsin-style bids to drastically downscale public unions and pensions could reinforce the notion, pushed by many Republicans, that overly generous state employee benefits are at the root of state budget problems. And that consensus, in turn, could embolden some states to mimic Walker's more direct challenge to collective-bargaining rights.
There is even an accusation out now that Wisconsin Governor Walker even shot through the state's budget surplus, just so he could pick this fight with the union, too:
It's important that people understand this: This is a fight Gov. Walker picked for the specific purpose of breaking the unions. Wisconsin had a surplus, and as soon as he was sworn in, Walker gave it away to special interests in order to put the state into deficit. (see 2nd link, below).
If this flies in Wisconsin, I absolutely look for a very similar proposal by some Republican representative across the state line, over in Topeka. I hope I'm wrong but I doubt it. With Kansas' budget problems and the perception of unions, I think it's entirely possible unless there is some legal barrier.
Ironically for Kansas workers, it is Kansas' own Koch brothers, apparently, who are helping the Wisconsin governor with his push to bust their union:
The fact is, Walker is carrying out the wishes of his corporate master, David Koch, who calls the tune these days for Wisconsin Republicans. Walker is just one among many Wisconsin Republicans supported by Koch Industries--run by David Koch and his brother, Charles--and American for Prosperity, the astroturf group founded and funded by David Koch. The Koch brothers are hell-bent on destroying the labor movement once and for all. --Adele M. Stan, Alternet, see link below
If Wisconsin's bill becomes law as seems likely, this will surely and most likely be the furthering of the reduction of the Middle Class in America. Working conditions, pay and all other issues will be decidedly in the employer's, owner's or corporation's favor. It will be everything for the betterment of the company and if our needs go against the perceived needs of the company, you and I--the "working man and woman of America"--will lose.
Every time.
Link: http://news.yahoo.com/s/yblog_thelookout/20110217/ts_yblog_thelookout/why-the-wisconsin-labor-bill-is-a-big-deal
http://crooksandliars.com/susie-madrak/republican-governor-deliberately-spen
http://crooksandliars.com/karoli/ed-schultz-outlines-fox-media-strategy-agai
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/02/18/opinion/18fri1.html?_r=1&nl=todaysheadlines&emc=tha211
http://www.alternet.org/news/149965/wisconsin_is_a_battleground_against_the_billionaire_kochs'_plan_to_break_labor's_back
http://www.workingamerica.org/blog/2011/02/17/wisconsin-democratic-legislators-leave-the-state/
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7 comments:
There's a huge difference between reigning in public sector unions and restricting private ones. There is a limit to the demands a private union can successfully make. If the auto workers pressure GM too much, they can move production to Mexico, or buy components from outside suppliers. If GM gives in to all the union's demands, costs go up drastically, and customers start buying other brands instead.
ON the other hand, the 'customers' of Wisconsin don't have much choice--unless you expect them to move. The 'management' doesn't have much incentive to keep costs in check.
Something to look at is the rate at which public sector workers quit--it is much, much lower than private sector. Hardly a sign that workers are being abused.
Public sector unions don't hold so much sway in any market, in any state, that they dictate what they get or how they get it. They just aren't that strong.
The "customers" of Wisconsin can, in fact, move and people in states frequently will move for work or taxes or whatever though I admit there are plenty of us out here who cannot or will not move, at least in part due to the cost of moving.
Public sector workers don't make anyone's life so miserable in any state, for any reason that the citizens of whatever state you're analyzing would consider moving and that includes either because they're paid too much or given too good a set of benefits or because their service is overall lousy. It just isn't a consideration. You either like where you live and you want to be there or not but public sector employees don't make or break a place for anyone in any real measure.
The fact is, public sector workers are paid lower than private sector workers virtually guaranteed, across the board. One of the few benefits they get are the opportunity to participate in pensions, a good vacation schedule usually and the likelihood you won't be fired.
Your claim that "management doesn't have much incentive to keep costs in check" is specious at least. Elected officials always have a huge and ongoing obligation to their constituents to keep costs down so taxes are lower. That's, as I said, always been true and was true long before any Tea Party came along.
and unions have a stake in keeping costs reasonable within private corporations, too, and they know it and very well. If the products prices are too high and no one buys them, the union employees know they lose, too.
It's too bad the perception is "union vs. management" when what it should always be is "we're all in this together".
waIf you think that public sector workers are paid less than private, you are either decades out of date, or a public sector worker.
definitely not a public sector worker and I challenge you on that point. git yer statistics. :)
Okay, after some research:
Yes, apparently Federal employment can and does outdo private sector pay according to USA Today (http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2010-03-04-federal-pay_N.htm) but in this case, I was specifically speaking of state pay since this has to do with Wisconsin.
Ohio, as an example, does, in fact, pay lower than the private sector, I found (http://www.publicnewsservice.org/index.php?/content/article/18513-1).
According to "my" New York Times (tongue firmly planted in cheek), public sector employees do get higher pay than private ( http://economix.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/12/21/private-vs-public-sector-pay/?scp=1&sq=public+sector+vs+private+sector+pay&st=nyt) so I stand corrected and I have to say, that's ignorant.
My explanation? The legislators are "in it" with their staff. The staff says "we need more money", the legislators say "we agree" and pony up. Not smart.
But wait. Check this out:
"But do typical government workers really make that much less? It depends on the occupation. The following list compares average salaries in the public sector with nationwide averages, based on 2005 data from the Department of Labor's Bureau of Labor Statistics."
Attorney
Government average: $105,577Nationwide average: $110,520
Financial Manager
Government average: $95,257 Nationwide average: $96,620
Economist
Government average: $89,441Nationwide average: $80,900
Microbiologist:
Government average: $80,798 Nationwide average: $63,360
Architect
Government average: $80,777 Nationwide average: $68,560
Accountant
Government average: $74,907 Nationwide average: $58,020
Librarian
Governent average: $74,630 Nationwide average: $49,110
Human Resources Manager
Government average: $71,232 Nationwide average: $89,950
Nurse
Government average: $60,935 Nationwide average: $56,880
Tax examiner
Government average: $36,963 Nationwide average: $49,460
Medical Technician
Government average: $35,526 Nationwide average: $33,170
Source: http://articles.cnn.com/2006-10-11/us/cb.government_1_government-salaries-government-workers-government-employees?_s=PM:US
I agree with one part of what Wisconsin's governor is doing, anyway: "Governor Walker is proposing: state workers pay more at least 12% of their health insurance premiums, and contribute 5.8% to their pension."
I don't agree with doing away with collective bargaining, as I said in this post and as I've always maintained. Once we give that up, we have no control over the biggest part of our lives--our working day and week.
Wait.
May 20, 2010
Another Wage Gap: Public Sector vs. Private Sector
A report released in April 2010 reveals a continuing gap between the wages paid to employees in the public sector compared to those working for private companies. That's not news. But interestingly, the report found that, even when benefits are factored in, public sector employees still earn less than their private sector counterparts.
Source: http://compensation.blr.com/Compensation-news/Compensation/Administrative-Exemption/Another-Wage-Gap-Public-Sector-vs.-Private-Sector/
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