Quote:
Originally Posted by Charles
I don't see how Walker has broken the unions.
What he has broken is the direct transfer of dues from the members paychecks into the union coffers.
If you notice, the unions had already conceded a reduction in their members benefits, what they were contesting was the money taken from their members paychecks. And recertification on a yearly basis.
If anything, he has empowered the rank and file members at the expense of the union officials. In other words, if you expect to be a representative of the rank and file, you must represent their wishes and not yours.
What's wrong with that?
Chas
|
Your initial sentence is in direct contradiction to the rest of your post.
Perhaps some clarification of what a union is and what a contract entails is in order.
Dues are paid by members to negotiate contracts. In this state public workers are members of unions that were certified by democratic vote decades ago. Individuals who don't want to belong to the union can opt out and are covered by the 'fair share' agreement. They are not members but continue to pay their fair share of dues as they continue to acquire the benefits negotiated by the union.
As with any organization, if you remove funding you remove the organization. In concert with annual certification votes these provisions were an unveiled direct assault on the validity of bargaining units across the state. Certainly not an empowerment of the rank and file.
If you'll notice, the Governor consistently stated (up until a couple days ago) that this repair bill was not about worker's rights (a "modest adjustment"), it was about fixing a stated deficit. The state workers union conceded the financial asks yet the push continued.
My contract consists of 77 pages, 10 of which are related to wages and benefits. The rest are what's called 'conditions of employment'. All of which has little of no financial impact.
As Tracy Fuller, the president of the Wisconsin Law Enforcement Association, put it, "What does what time I come to work have to do with the budget? What does my my vacation selection have to do with the deficit?"
That, and other like items, is what the other 67 pages of our contract deals with, as is the case with other public sector contracts.