(CNN) -- Sixteen Wisconsin state senators -- 14 of them Democrats -- did not appear at the capitol Thursday for a scheduled vote on a bill that would strip teachers and other public employees of most of their collective bargaining rights and increase their contributions for benefits, lawmakers told CNN. The bill cleared the Joint Finance Committee Wednesday night on a 12-4 vote and was intended move onto the state Senate Thursday for a vote, but the absence of so many senators left that vote schedule in question. Senate Minority Leader Mark Miller said he and fellow Democrats left Madison because they were "trying to allow opportunity for democracy to work." Read full story here:
News New Mexico
Public Unions: Let Everyone Else Tighten Their Belts!
Posts
3 comments:
I think the city of Las Cruces should cut the pay for all city workers including police and fire by 15%. This would help with any budget shortfalls.
At one time unions served a genuine purpose. Heavy handed management and big business had a death grip on labor. Consequently labor needed to organize and they did. Unfortunately labor unions have evolved and grown in strength to the point that they negotiated GM and Chrysler into bankruptcy. The unions are now focused on government jobs because the taxpayers represent an endless stream of financial resources. Furthermore, union leadership routinely makes large campaign contributions to influential politicians who have the power to negotiate the outrageous government worker benefit packages paid for by the taxpayers. The protesters in Wisconsin represent a small percentage of citizens of Wisconsin. An overwhelming majority, who support Scott Walker's efforts are sitting at home watching on TV, just like the rest of us. The outcome in Wisconsin will pave the way more states to ban or significantly curtail the power of the unions. Let them go back to bankrupting corporations instead.
Who wants to move a business to Wisconsin now? These union members might be lovable cheese-heads but it's definitely Swiss cheese. If I were a non-union taxpayer in Wisconsin I'd be nervous. What it has come down to is this; do the taxpayers keep paying for higher negotiated union wages and benefits or do the union members start helping to paying for their own retirement and health care like the rest of us?
Post a Comment