MDJ columnist Laura Armstrong pushes the Fox News canard in describing the union upheaval in Wisconsin as a “temper tantrum.” Gov. Scott Walker is attempting to use the budget problems there as an excuse to gut the collective bargaining rights of public sector union workers — teachers, paramedics and firemen who have already agreed to contribute more for their benefits. The current contracts under which these men and women perform important jobs have no bearing on the state’s budget issues.
What Armstrong ignores is that local, state and federal governments must offer pay and benefits commensurate with what these dedicated public servants might earn in the private sector. If governments don’t compete for good people, schools, fire houses and ambulances will be manned unqualified personnel. So characterizing the benefits Wisconsin’s union workers earn as “entitlements” is completely false, but falsehoods are what we have come to expect from the far right in lieu of real dialogue and real ideas.
Kevin Foley
Kennesaw
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Mr. Foley, I am pretty sure you can be a hero and still throw a spoiled government worker temper tantrum. Whats your point?
Tax treasury is correct. I am old enough to see the difference in the need for and the actions of unions today versus many years ago. Are you suggesting that teachers or firemen etal are being asked to go down in unsafe mines to work?? Are you suggesting that public unions are saving the teacher from long hours in the hot sun without breaks and carrying heavy loads?
Come off it--grow up. Unions today are groups that practice throwing their weight around and pressuring business skill lacking politicians to give in to their demands.
Why don't you all join the SEIU in their efforts and bring professional thuggery to play??(Including representing many illegal entrants to our country.)
Joining them will also get you many visits to the White House.
You liberals are such hypocrits. You say it's ok to raise taxes and you're willing to pay your fair share, but when push comes to shove and you really do have to fork it over, you call on the communists, the unions and the crazies to march in the streets. What a joke you are.
Keep it up and their will be no taxpayers/turnips from which to suck anymore money. If the taxpayer/government goes broke, then the union workers' treasure chest will be empty. Then the union members might be like the rest of the public.
As with most gov't teachers & other union members of other professions, hardly any other worker can put in 30 yrs after graduating from college at the age of 22 and reture with a good pension and guaranteed, subsidized health ins. at the age of 52.
If the gov't workers want to compete with the private sector workers, then accept the terms and conditions under which private sector workers are employeed. Having ALL your benefits paid by the governemnt/TAXPAYER is not under those terms.
Before you kick the unions remember who gave us child labor laws, hour and wage laws, safer working conditions, paid holidays and vacation for some - not the electrical union. So next time you gripe abut unions think about giving up your paid vacation and paid holidays.
Unionized public sector workers who benefit from fat healthcare and pension packages they don't contribute fairly to get no sympathy from most Americans. And by seeking to intimidate the Wisconsin legislature into backing down on reform they have only caused the rest of us to take a closer look at the cozy relationship between public sector unions and the Democrat Party.
The teachers' union causing all the problem, by the way, is a sister to our Georgia Association of Educators (GAE), the smaller of the two main teachers' groups in Georgia.
As for your statement that "governments must offer pay and benefits commensurate with what these dedicated public servants might earn in the private sector"...you must be pleased that these public servants are indeed being paid what the private sector is paid...AND WAY MORE. Plus, they are near impossible to fire for poor work performance.
Reality is clearly not a part of your thought process. This is common to most all government (particularly school) employees.