Born and raised in California and now work for county government...in a {gasp} union. I see it from the inside and the attacks on the union workers are pure bullshit.
I retired from the military and sought a local government job. I knew I could get a job making more money with a private company and in California it would be easy to find companies that offered generous partner benefits, but I chose local government. My reasons were twofold. I wanted a solid retirement plan and the job stability that government work provides, but my military time also taught me that I like to serve my community.
What I found when I got in that most people felt as I do, that it is service to community that is first and foremost. We get people in every now and then that just need a job...they don't last long.
I've been working in the same office for just over six years now. I've not seen a pay raise in that time, have had to take furlough days, have had to increase my cost share of benefits and have seen my workload almost double. When I started there six years ago, there were four people doing the same job I am. Now there is only one.
That affects (or is it effects?) services. You wanna know why there are dead people on voting rolls? That's why. You wanna know why you keep hitting that same ******* pot hole? That's why. You wanna know why it takes 20 more minutes to get a cop to come to your house? That's why.
It's not the union's fault that cities are going bankrupt. We had a recession and a housing bubble burst. Are the people responsible being asked to pay for it? No, the people who were promised benefits in exchange for low pay are being asked to pay for it.
Unbelievable.
