Public-Employee Unions: Facts, Figures, History

uncoverage.net ^ | 25 Feb 2011 | Antonio Branco

[smokingfrog]

Richard Falknor of the Blue Ridge Forum has pulled together useful facts about government employee unions, their benefits and how Wisconsin is important to all of us. (scroll down for updates and links)

Public-Employee Unions: Facts, Figures, Some History

[W]hile less than 8 percent of private workers are covered by union contracts, union penetration in the public sector is 40 percent (and about 50 percent in Wisconsin). Government employees are now more than half of all remaining union members, and government unions increasingly dominate what is left of the organized labor movement–along with the politics of states that have granted them the widest array of rights and privileges. – - E.J. McMahon (Underscoring or bolding within quotations throughout this post are Forum’s.)

Here are several sources for facts, figures, and historical background which we believe will be immediately useful for conservative activists as they engage in discussions on talk shows, with elected officials, and with union voices.

Activists will be best prepared if they read the entire posts from which we have extracted only a sample of useful text.

What Bargaining Rights Do Federal Employees Have?
How Much Do They Pay for Health Insurance?

Christian Schneider (NRO) in his “Why Haven’t Public-Sector Unions Swarmed the White House?” writes:
“But, as it happens, Walker is merely asking for the same type of fiscal flexibility Obama enjoys. Federal employees do not have collective-bargaining rights with regard to benefits and wages. They pay into their own retirement plans and contribute much more to their health-insurance premiums. Earlier this year, Obama tried to unilaterally implement a two-year federal wage freeze — without any say from public sector unions.

[Valpal1]

Great link, thanks.

[JLAGRAYFOX]

The above statement, policy and law is exactly why dummy POTUS Obama has shut his incorrect mouth about the Wisconsin labor union dispute. This ruling passed into law by a Democrat POTUS (Truman) and Democrat Congress was passed because unionizing any public service workers into bargining units is a conflict of interest, big time. That is, why, at the end of the day Governor Scott Walker and other Pubbie & Democrat Governors will put these greedy union goons in their place. This issue is not going to end positive for either the Democrats or the labor unions.

[JoeProBono]

[4Speed]

union Ping

[Publius6961]

Union busting is not only a good thing, it's a necessary fiscal survival tool and an overdue correction of a major costly blunder by clueless or corrupt past legislators.
Or a major potential RICO case.

A conspiracy between unions electing legislators, who approve sweetheart deals they will never be around to account for, who in turn extort dues from the union membership to elect the next batch of corrupt legislators.

The only losers --- the non-public employee taxpayers.