Letter: Collective bargaining or collective bullying?

March 29th 2011 · 0 Comments

A letter to the editor posted at HeraldandNews.com describes perfectly the dilemma facing so many states and municipalities.

I learned at an early age that if I wanted something I’d have to work to get it.

For many years, I was employed by companies that had union contracts. I’ve been a laborer, Teamster and an IBEW lineman.

I observed over the years companies nearly always tried to be fair with employees. It was usually the marginal employees who were late for work or often didn’t complete their assignments who needed union assistance to stay employed. All the unions want is more money, vacation time, sick time and more dues.

Public employee unions want the same thing – more money, more benefits and earlier retirement. The problem is our legislators and a trusting public have allowed the public unions to gain such power that the taxpayer is tied to contractual guarantees that could bankrupt the system. This must stop.

The unions and their hand-picked legislators have fixed the fight. The referee is the State Arbitration Board. It’s part of the problem, not the solution.

Oregon law limits the number of public employees based on population.

Public employee unions and liberal legislators now classify thousands of public employees as exempt from the count, yet exempt employees receive the same or nearly the same wages and benefits as if they were public employees.

State arbitration support the unions. Unions and liberal Legislators have a pending bill to include all foster parents as state public employees just to gain union members.

Legally, it’s possible to begin to change things at the county and city level. We can return to honest discussions about what is realistic, and say no to the practice of collective bullying.

Well said.

via Herald and News: Viewpoints.