In fairness I must disclose that along with being a brilliant conservative with sharp opinions I was a member of the same Wisconsin Union (AFSCME) that is making a mess of things with their Nazi caricature signs and awful lefty folk music--which by the way should not be a reflection of all union members or demonstrators, right liberals? Now apply that reasoning with it comes to the tea party movement. See what I mean by brilliant.
Here’s the problem with collective bargaining. Public Unions have no particular advantage at the negotiation table since they can‘t strike. On top of this state and local negotiators are tie guys with college degrees. The union guy is literally out of a truck with a minimum of a high school diploma --that’s right “guy” not “guy or gal” we’re talking trucks here.
What public unions do have over management is they are instrumental in keeping an individual or party in power. Private unions have no say on the make up of management, but public unions not only have votes but a healthy bankroll.
Public Unions are closed shops. The “right” to join a union is valid but when it comes to working for state and local governments a person doesn’t have the right not to join. The reason being is…actually I don’t know the answer, but they might as well join since the unions get great contracts.
It doesn’t happen always but a lot of the times Democrats bosses will tell the unions to ease off on demands just so their cozy relationship isn’t so obvious. Republicans--non-conservative bad ones that is--will try to garner favors and votes and will give away the store. In my experience one Republican sought a giveback that was $1 in exchange for thousands by having us give away sick days in exchange for an increase in our pensions. What did he care his budget was balanced and any short fall was much later on when some other person was mayor.
Collective bargaining works--if that’s the right word--where both sides have different interests. One which demands fair wages and the other making a profit. In the public sphere the dynamic is different where one side is negotiating a fair wage and the other making sure they get it so they could be around for the next contract to do it all over again. When things get bad the remedy is give-backs or concessions and it is almost never layoffs as it is in non-union world. Layoffs mean less members paying dues which goes to union bosses then to the politician.
What needs to be done? Fire all of them and let the market take care of itself…just kidding, relax. Governors and Mayors have to be managers and look at each organization in government to see if it is manned properly or if the organization is even necessary. There should be no liberal or conservative way to fixing pot holes, waste removal or bridge fixing. Government needs better managers not smarter ideologues. The problem is we elect politicians who become government people not the Peter Drucker’s of the world.
Connecticut governor Dan Malloy in his first month in office hardly had any time to see if various state organizations were manned properly or had any necessity. His quick reaction to the budget short fall was to raise taxes sight unseen. He’s “looking” for unions concessions and if he doesn’t get them he’s threatening to lay off a bunch of them. But could he really lay them off? Suppose they all served a necessary function and without them services would be hurt. Would Malloy raise taxes and then provide lower quality service at the same time? But if he could let workers go without it affecting services, shouldn’t that be the option immediately since those workers are not essential to good service?
The public union formula is not a good situation. Barring taking away their collective bargaining rights or raising taxes politicians must go through the organization and manage it properly. Since we aren’t seeing this, quick solutions based on political considerations are the remedy of the day. Wisconsin may be on the right track with collective bargaining but in the long run if their citizens want services it ought to be of the best quality. Malloy is looking for concessions he may never get but Connecticut government is growing and he may be raising taxes to fund inefficiency.
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