David at Blue Mass Group has this post about public employee union concessions negotiated with Governor Patrick that will save the Commonwealth tens of millions over the next few years.
I have to give credit where it is due, the Patrick administration and public employees have shown that they are working hard to be fair to taxpayers at a time of fiscal constraint. It takes co-operation and trust ...
... to get this kind of agreement which will help retain workers and services while helping the Commonwealth get through the current economic downturn.
There is more to do especially in the area of pensions but I see this as a credit to both sides.
What do you think? Tell us in comments.
Wednesday, March 10, 2010
State employee unions approve concessions
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15 comments:
Sorry Bill,
I started digging through your post here about the contract negotiations and was very optimistic until I reached the part about DELAYED wage increases. When will we stop pushing our debts into the future? We cannot afford any public wage increases for at least one and probably two years. Real congrats will go to public employee unions when they realize that they are actually well ahead of the game to be gainfully employed during this economic downturn.
When times were good the town did not give adequate cost of living adjustments. Employees were getting 2.5 - 3% when costs were going up at 5% or more per year.
Now times are bad and the town cries poverty. Joe Michaud said at a selectmen meeting that they NEEDED to spend the 3.2 million dollar surplus before the "unions" got their hands on it!!!! Does that sound like good faith negotiations?
Can you imagine the Chairman of the BOS begging people to come up with ideas to spend money so he can negotiate contracts based on the town being broke!!!!
If you wonder why the unions have no faith in the BOS you can find many examples like the one listed above.
Joe must go!!
Why do working class people fight amongst themselves. Pensions,Health insurance, wages...it seems that if one person has it and you don't...you dont want ANYONE to have it. (pensions)
Why not ask, why does he have it and I don't....fight to get it...fight to get a pension from your boss....rather than trying to take away what others have.
try to get it yourself.
Your Boss receives a healthy retirement, wages and benefits...ask for it yourself.
RACE to BOTTOM benefits NOBODY but the elite. right Lynam,Freidman and many others
Joe is your typical anti union official...ie Sheriff Hodgson.
When will the republicans,like Joe realize...when you fight unions you fight against the middle class. Whether it be in the private sector or public...nobody in the unions are RICH, not one member.
Unions may only make up 12% of the entire nation's population, but the legislation they lobby for, either on Beacon hill or DC...affect everyone, non union and union alike.
The increase the stadard of living nad promote workplace safety.
If unions are donr away with, corporations would lobby to reverse many of the laws that are on the books.
Maybe the town has other priorities for the money than pay raises for people already making more than their private sector friends. The unions NEVER give anything back even in hard times its always more more more.
It will end when we pass legislation pushing unions out of government employ and restoring control to the people.
Where 80-90% of state and local govt employees get paid sick leave, health insurance and 90% recieve guaranteed pensions, that is only true of 59% of workers in the private sector.
According to the Cato Institute average hourly compensation, wages and benefits of state and local government employees in 2009 was $39.66 per hour, 45% higher than the $27.42 package of private sector workers.
So sure lets go ahead with pay raises for the down trodden public sector folks after all the private sector people can earn much more to pay these increases.
According to the Cato Institute average hourly compensation, wages and benefits of state and local government employees in 2009 was $39.66 per hour, 45% higher than the $27.42 package of private sector workers.
I can tell you this, a COP at max pay receives a hourly rate of $22.60 per hour far from the $27..42 that you mention, the person who picks up your trash and maintains the sewer treatment plant, and provides you with quality drink water is far less that that. The employees in this Town wages are far lower than that in the general area, not to mention this Town only pays 50% of the Health insurance cost. The average Municipality is 75% employer 25% employee. The employees in this Town are NOT over paid, and some would like you to believe.
Apologies to the minimum wage jobs that do not provide sick days. Instead of lumping those employess into your weak argument give me the numbers on full time employees that are not counter help and bakers. I am sure the numbers are much closer.
The CATO institute is a very conservative and actually LIBERTARIAN institute. I would quote a better source than that next time.
Bottom line is be glad you have your public sector job. If you don't think your paid enough come on out and join us in the private sector. The waters fine and you'll love the no benefits or pension packages, It'll free you up to take a second job to pay for those benefits.
Light a candle and thank the good lord that your job is protected by both civil service law and the Unions instead of the vagaries of the private sector market.
In short we can't shut down the government and get rid of you and your union thugs so we're stuck....at least until we're bankrupt and then we can toss you overpaid ingrates out.
Excuse me for not kneeling down and kissing your ring 11:05.
The way I look at it is the town is LUCKY to have me as an employee. I earned my job and am a better employee than most in the private sector.
You are also misinformed on just how good the benefits are. The minimum employer contribution to employee healthcare is 50%, which is exactly what our town pays with their "generous" benefit plan.
The health benefit is sooo bad it is cheaper to purchase insurance through my wifes private sector job. SO much for no benefits in the private sector huh?
I'm not sure why you choose to call town employees "thugs". Believe me you haven't seen what a true thug is if you think town unions are thugs!!
Overpaid?? Hardly. Dartmouth employees make less than our surrounding communites with worse benefits. So again you are wrong. I'm not counting but I think that is 3 out of 3 you are wrong about.
Perhaps you should use your own logic. If town jobs are so good come on over from your private sector job. You can enjoy working hard for less money, minimal benefits, working holidays and weekends while all the while listening to ingrates like you saying how good we have it.
The Cato study is fundamentally flawed as it does not consider education level in its equation.
When education is factored in Municipal employees make less than their counterparts in the private sector.
Sorry to burst your bubble.
these people that rail against unions and public sctor jobs are by far the most uniformed people.
They call for public employees and unions to receive lower wages and benefits rather than , ASKING THEIR OWN employer for a raise and BETTER benefits... your logic(or lack there of) is despicable.
BUCK UP and ask your employer for a raise...rather than striking down middle class workers.
This is highly typical of the conservative(republican) mind set.
Don't argue with the grossly ignorant union member/supporter. They are likely to have absolutely no clue about life in the private sector. "Ask your boss for a pension" and "buck up and ask your boss for a raise" demonstrates the complete ignorance and arrogance that plagues the public sector. Put you money where your mouths are clowns and disband your unions and deal with the town one on one. Of course you won't. The only thing that exceeds your ignorance is your lack of guts.
once again! it's called negotiations...AKA democracy...unions create a Democracy in the workplace. Without unions ...a corporation is structured like a hierarchy...CEO(KING) Stockholders (princes) workers are the peasants....unions create a democracy. They negotiate wages and benefits.
IF you dont get a raise from your employer, just because he doesnt want to reduce his profit margin...seems to me your getting the short end of the stick
EMPLOYEES ARE AN ASSET TO A COMPANY...THEY MAKE THE COMPANY A SUCCESS.
YOU ON THE OTHER HAND LOOK AT EMPLOYEES AS LIABILITIES....
THAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN 35 YEARS AGO IN CORPORATE AMERICA AND TODAY...IT'S PEOPLE WITH A MINDSET LIKE YOURS
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