tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3957366923512814537.post8430483660986372123..comments2023-10-26T02:05:15.270-07:00Comments on Offcenter with Ehkzu: Public employee unions--challenging issue for centristsUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3957366923512814537.post-34375323573832477182011-03-09T11:16:54.096-08:002011-03-09T11:16:54.096-08:00These are valid considerations, A. It's unfair...These are valid considerations, A. It's unfair to tar all public sector unions with the same brush.<br /><br />And you're invoking the traditional set of tradeoffs between public and private sector work: more money for less security in the private sector.<br /><br />OTOH I'm sure you'll agree that there are abuses--especially with cops and firefighters and prison guards.But few public sector employees have their opportunities to game the system.<br /><br />At the same time, it's equally unfair to conflate public and private sector unions, since taxpayers are the employers in the former case.<br /><br />Yet when you want to talk about such nuances it tends to get lost in the yelling from both sides.<br /><br />Democrats reflexively defend all unions under all circumstances; Republicans do the converse. <br /><br />Here again we see the triumph of tribe over principle.Ehkzuhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17090000685352164879noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3957366923512814537.post-88686243583012280162011-03-09T09:53:44.260-08:002011-03-09T09:53:44.260-08:00Hi Ehkzu, I've been wanting to comment on your...Hi Ehkzu, I've been wanting to comment on your posts for some time, but was unable to because I didn't know what my Google Account info was. Now I see there are more options.<br /><br />I am a retired Florida state employee. Scott, the new governor and tea party darling, is going after state pensions and insurance benefits as part of his plan to balance the budget.<br /><br />State employee pensions and benefits appear quite generous to those outside state government and are easy targets. However, I can tell you that without those benefits, the salaries paid by the State would not attract educated persons such as myself (who has a graduate degree). <br /><br />Some salary comparisons are made that make state salaries appear high compared to selected private organizations. Those are apples to oranges comparisons. For one thing, when I started with the State there were many low level clerical positions. With the advent of PCs, however, mid-level employees now do most of their own word processing. Secondly, many of the menial duties have been contracted out.<br /><br />There is one legitimate issue, namely right to work vs. mandatory union dues. Florida employees, who haven' gotten raises in six years, have not always been well represented by AFSCME (the government union). One year the legislature chose to raise employees' annual salary rate six months into the fiscal year. For some reason, AFSCME fought this and got the legislature to give a lump sum raise at the beginning of the year. That was misguided, because increases in salary rates become part of your salary base in ensuing years.<br /><br />I would, however, have concerns about shifts in the balance of power in politics if unions lose a major funding source.<br /><br />RJSAnonymousnoreply@blogger.com