Evil Republicans limit public union collective bargaining rights again!

[del]

oh, wait. it was evil democrats in massachusetts.

sorry for the misunderstanding

State House votes to limit union bargaining rights - BostonHerald.com

the house is composed of 128 D and 31 R.

i guess the recall effort will start any minute now.

"The Massachusetts House voted Tuesday to dramatically strengthen the power of city and town leaders to change health insurance plans for municipal employees over the objections of unions.

The 111-42 vote late Tuesday came after House leaders agreed to modify their original plan in the hopes of heading off labor opposition."

 

[Dont Taz Me Bro]

House lawmakers voted overwhelmingly last night to strip police officers, teachers, and other municipal employees of most of their rights to bargain over health care, saying the change would save millions of dollars for financially strapped cities and towns.

The 111-to-42 vote followed tougher measures to broadly eliminate collective bargaining rights for public employees in Ohio, Wisconsin, and other states. But unlike those efforts, the push in Massachusetts was led by Democrats who have traditionally stood with labor to oppose any reduction in workers’ rights.

The Boston Globe

I'm curious to see how those of you who were breathing fire over the Republicans doing this in Wisconsin and Ohio will now react to the Democrats doing exactly the same thing in Massachusetts.

 

[Annie]

States can't just 'lift' their debt ceilings. Won't matter which party controls, the wave is coming in and the states need to prepare:

NationalJournal.com - States Face $1.26 Trillion in Retiree Benefit Shortfalls - Tuesday, April 26, 2011

States Face $1.26 Trillion in Retiree Benefit Shortfalls

by Katy O'Donnell
Tuesday, April 26, 2011 | 9:20 a.m.

State funds that pay pension and health care benefits to public workers faced a $1.26 trillion shortfall at the end of the 2009 fiscal year, according to a Tuesday report from the Pew Center on the States. The funding gap increased 26 percent over the previous year, a surge caused by a combination of inadequate state contributions, an aging population and recession-driven market losses.

States faced a $660 billion pension funding gap and a $604 billion health-care liability gap in FY2009, according to the report, which drew from state financial reports. The gap reflects the failure of a number of state policy choices, including a failure to make annual payments for pensions systems at the levels recommended by their own actuaries and the expansion of benefits and cost-of-living payments at an unsustainable level.

Perhaps most troubling is the fact that states’ larger fiscal prospects are dim for the near future; declining property values have shrunken revenues, and the recession has driven up the need for benefits among the poor and unemployed...

 

[Truthmatters]

It aint a done deal yet.

I bet some dems will be losing their next election

 

[thereisnospoon]

It aint a done deal yet.

I bet some dems will be losing their next election

Not in Mass. Dems have controlled that state forever.
The bottom line is this is the end of the road for taxpayer funded gold plated wages and benefits. These things are fiscally unsustainable.
Public workers are just going to have to accept reductions in compensation. Current levels are just too costly. And now these wages and benefits are political liabilities.

 

[DaGoose]

House lawmakers voted overwhelmingly last night to strip police officers, teachers, and other municipal employees of most of their rights to bargain over health care, saying the change would save millions of dollars for financially strapped cities and towns.

The 111-to-42 vote followed tougher measures to broadly eliminate collective bargaining rights for public employees in Ohio, Wisconsin, and other states. But unlike those efforts, the push in Massachusetts was led by Democrats who have traditionally stood with labor to oppose any reduction in workers’ rights.

The Boston Globe

I'm curious to see how those of you who were breathing fire over the Republicans doing this in Wisconsin and Ohio will now react to the Democrats doing exactly the same thing in Massachusetts.

I have no problem saying that it sucks. Shame on ANY politician blaming the the workers for the financial mess their state is in. The workers didn't cause it and budgets shouldn't be balanced on the workers backs. And I don't care if they have a D or R next to their name.
.

 

[Robert]

Union Busting Dems

House votes to restrict unions
Measure would curb bargaining on health care
Robert J. Haynes, president of the Massachusetts AFL-CIO, said the union would fight the legislation “to the bitter end.” Robert J. Haynes, president of the Massachusetts AFL-CIO, said the union would fight the legislation “to the bitter end.” (M. McDonald for The Boston Globe)
By Michael Levenson
Globe Staff / April 27, 2011

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House lawmakers voted overwhelmingly last night to strip police officers, teachers, and other municipal employees of most of their rights to bargain over health care, saying the change would save millions of dollars for financially strapped cities and towns.

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The 111-to-42 vote followed tougher measures to broadly eliminate collective bargaining rights for public employees in Ohio, Wisconsin, and other states. But unlike those efforts, the push in Massachusetts was led by Democrats who have traditionally stood with labor to oppose any reduction in workers’ rights.

Unions fought hard to stop the bill, launching a radio ad that assailed the plan and warning legislators that if they voted for the measure, they could lose their union backing in the next election. After the vote, labor leaders accused House Speaker Robert A. DeLeo and other Democrats of turning their backs on public employees.

“It’s pretty stunning,’’ said Robert J. Haynes, president of the Massachusetts AFL-CIO. “These are the same Democrats that all these labor unions elected. The same Democrats who we contributed to in their campaigns. The same Democrats who tell us over and over again that they’re with us, that they believe in collective bargaining, that they believe in unions. . . . It’s a done deal for our relationship with the people inside that chamber.’’

 

[Too Tall]

I have no problem saying that it sucks. Shame on ANY politician blaming the the workers for the financial mess their state is in. The workers didn't cause it and budgets shouldn't be balanced on the workers backs. And I don't care if they have a D or R next to their name.
.[/QUOTE]

I would grandfather current public worker benefits and then replace all public pensions with a 401K plan and a stipend for health care insurance. That would be a sustainable system and not require increases in property or other taxes.

 

[boedicca]

Oh The Times They Are A CHANGIN'...Even in California!

California voters want government employees to give up some retirement benefits to help ease the state's financial problems, favoring a cap on pensions and a later age for collecting them, according to a new poll.

Voter support for rolling back benefits available to few outside the public sector comes as Gov. Jerry Brown and Republicans in the Legislature haggle over changes to the pension system as part of state budget negotiations. Such benefits have been a flashpoint of national debate this year, and the poll shows that Californians are among those who perceive public retirement plans to be too costly.

Voters appear ready to embrace changes not just for future hires but also for current employees who have been promised the benefits under contract.

Seventy percent of respondents said they supported a cap on pensions for current and future public employees. Nearly as many, 68%, approved of raising the amount of money government workers should be required to contribute to their retirement. Increasing the age at which government employees may collect pensions was favored by 52%....

Times/USC Dornsife Poll: California voters want public employees to shoulder more of the state's financial troubles, according to the Times/USC Dornsife poll - latimes.com

 

[bripat9643]

I have no problem saying that it sucks. Shame on ANY politician blaming the the workers for the financial mess their state is in. The workers didn't cause it and budgets shouldn't be balanced on the workers backs. And I don't care if they have a D or R next to their name.
.

The union thugs (workers) did cause it. Anyone who claims otherwise is an imbecile or a lying scumbag.

I thought liberals believe we all need to sacrifice. How about if these privileged government employees do a little sacrificing?

 

[bripat9643]

I would grandfather current public worker benefits and then replace all public pensions with a 401K plan and a stipend for health care insurance. That would be a sustainable system and not require increases in property or other taxes.

Screw the "grandfathering." Why should a work like a borrowed mule to pay their outrageous pensions because some scumbag politician took their political donations that came out of my pocket?

 

[Robert]

WOW Simply unreal a few day's ago one would have thought the world was coming to an end for the left with WI taking the actions they took.

Today the left says nothing about their party going after Union's and limiting its negotiating power in Congress no less so whats up? Can any of you on the left justify this extreme action by your own people,

 

[Soggy in NOLA]

House lawmakers voted overwhelmingly last night to strip police officers, teachers, and other municipal employees of most of their rights to bargain over health care, saying the change would save millions of dollars for financially strapped cities and towns.

The 111-to-42 vote followed tougher measures to broadly eliminate collective bargaining rights for public employees in Ohio, Wisconsin, and other states. But unlike those efforts, the push in Massachusetts was led by Democrats who have traditionally stood with labor to oppose any reduction in workers’ rights.

The Boston Globe

I'm curious to see how those of you who were breathing fire over the Republicans doing this in Wisconsin and Ohio will now react to the Democrats doing exactly the same thing in Massachusetts.

I have no problem saying that it sucks. Shame on ANY politician blaming the the workers for the financial mess their state is in. The workers didn't cause it and budgets shouldn't be balanced on the workers backs. And I don't care if they have a D or R next to their name.
.

HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA!!!!!!!!!!!!

Sure, can't be because it takes 3 government workers to put a piece of paper in a copy machine at bloated rates and lavish pension benefits and 122 holidays a year.

Go to ANY government office.. if they worked any slower, they be going in reverse.

Fuck 'em all... I'm paying their salaries and enough is enough.

 

[Robert]

Thank you Del

 

[GHook93]

It aint a done deal yet.

I bet some dems will be losing their next election

Sure they will, because Dems stick to morals right. Remember all the Dems screaming against the Iraq War, but are AKO now with the Libya War! They have a level of hypocrisy that is immeasurable!

 

[Soggy in NOLA]

WOW Simply unreal a few day's ago one would have thought the world was coming to an end for the left with WI taking the actions they took.

Today the left says nothing about their party going after Union's and limiting its negotiating power in Congress no less so whats up? Can any of you on the left justify this extreme action by your own people,

I find this all very amusing.



Reality is smacking them in the face... BIG TIME. Their beloved nanny-state is broken and must be trimmed back... with a CHAIN SAW.

 

[Robert]

LOL all we can do is laugh I shake my head everyday with the absolute hypocrisy.

 

[initforme]

The GOP is doing a nice job of villifying the teachers, firefighters, police, etc. They have made these people out to be worse than the taliban. Yet the corporations will walk away laughing. Those that wish for all this to happen are voting themselves right into a bigger plutocracy than already exists. It's fine for them to pay in more, but to take away some seniority for those that have dedicated their lives to their jobs? This is stupid. The snowplow drivers NEED TO REMEMBER THIS NEXT TIME THERE IS A BLIZZARD....take your time boys....tell the business owners to stick it. When wages are cut, so should the motivation be cut.

 

[California Girl]

It aint a done deal yet.

I bet some dems will be losing their next election

Yep, vote out the bastards for trying to get a grip on out of control public sector spending. It's outrageous! Recall the fuckers!

 

[chikenwing]

Sometimes reality is just to powerful,or ya can't get blood from a stone.