Time To End Collective Bargaining For Government Employees

While lawmakers in Indiana and Wisconsin continue to violate their oaths of office, senators in Ohio passed a bill to curtail collective bargaining for government employees. Naturally, not a single Democrat voted for the bill because that party has long been a puppet of the unions, bought and paid for decades ago.

In Wisconsin, Democratic “lawmakers” remained outside the state in a stalemate that could last for months. Republican Gov. Scott Walker is trying to curb collective bargaining for things such as pension plans and health insurance.

And in Indiana, House Democrats were cowering in Illinois, also avoiding their sworn duty. They fled the state because of some GOP-sponsored labor and education bills, things like allowing children to escape failing government schools with a voucher program. Democrats want to limit parental choice or government schools, and their union workers, might suffer. It’s better to hurt the children than the school system.

They also do not like a bill that will reduce the ability of unions to force governments to pay more for construction projects.

Protests continued in all three states from misguided and uninformed union supporters.

Some of these protesters are simply confused, believing these states are attacking unions in general when, in reality, the issue is public-sector unions only. This is an important distinction because the two are not the same.

In the private sector, unions negotiate with management for a share of a limited pot of money. There are also other constraints, such as competition. Governments, on the other hand, have neither a bottom line, so to speak, nor competition. There are very few restraints on what government unions can and do demand.

Also, when government workers strike, essential government services, such as educating children, are denied until union demands are met.

I suspect these union folks now raising hell in assorted state capitols are poised to get very, very nasty. And why not? They’ve been told it’s OK.

I can’t cite the case but most Americans have no idea how rough the labor movement can get when it wants to — with approval of the judicial system.

Back in the 50s (as best I recall), a union in the Gulf Coast area was attempting to “organize” several industries down there and faced stiff resistance from many of their prospective new members (who were OK with their current non-union status).

Early one morning, the thugs drove a bulldozer through the home of one of the leaders of the resistance. He and his family were sleeping inside but, as best I recall, escaped unhurt. He and the local cops gathered substantial evidence that the union people were responsible and charges were filed. The union thugs were convicted at trial. They appealed.

On appeal, the appellate court reversed the convictions, stating that (and I paraphrase here), VIOLENCE IN PURSUIT OF COLLECTIVE BARGAINING GOALS IS NOT CRIMINAL BEHAVIOR.

Something to think about as we watch outfits like SEIU, AFL-CIO, etc. gain influence with Obozo, et al.

And I have a personal story concerning the insanity of many unions.

In the late 60’s I was District Sales Manager for a national equipment firm. We were involved in a large job for a major firm in Freeport, Texas. If you live down that way, you can probably guess which one it is. They were adding a large new building to double their capacity. The job was delayed for a most peculiar reason. It seems the very powerful local electrical union demanded that THEIR people be allowed to erect the steel structure. Their reasoning? The building steel supports the conduits and lights. Using that insane “logic,” they COULD have demanded to pour the footers but didn’t. After lengthy meetings between the owner and the union, the union backed off but only after causing a significant delay in the project (which cost the owner several million in lost business) and getting some serious monetary concessions from the owner.

It’s absolutely insane to permit PUBLIC SECTOR UNIONS. Even that icon of progressive politics, FDR, declared them to be a dangerous error. Their overpaid “progressive” bosses use their often involuntarily extracted member dues to essentially “BUY” the politicians and office holders who then determine their pay and benefits. It rather reminds me of the new DADT inspired US military maneuver where troops all march in a circle — so no one is left out.

There is an epidemic of Public employees looting the taxpayer.

I am still looking for the latest statistics on what teachers are paid here in the Bay Area but the Average is $97,000 before benefits, 3 months off, Med/Dent and their retirement plans, which are paid IN FULL by the taxpaying citizens.

Nationwide we are paying fealty and bowing in adoration to our public employees as they demand, each year, a larger share of the taxpayer wallet!

For instance, here in San Jose, CA our public employees have the most generous pay and benefits package, probably compared to anywhere.

At least that is the way it feels after looking at the numbers:

We employ approximately 945 people in the Fire Department

Of those employees there are 675 Firemen, that’s firemen, who earn in excess of $100,000 per year.

The city and that should really read “The Taxpayer” pays for their Medical / Dental to the tune of about $14,287 Dollarino’s!
The taxpayer further kicks in another $30,000 to $60,000 for their retirement package.

So let’s take a fire fighter who earns only $125,000(approx) and add in the Medical/Dental of about $14,287(which comes out of the tax payers wallet) and add in the taxpayer contribution to their retirement of say $37,000.

That fire fighter actually makes:

$125,000 (Salary approx)
$14,287 (Medical/Dental)
$37,000 (retirement)
$176,287 per year! Total compensation

Oh! And he gets something called “Other Cash Compensation” of around $14,000 bringing his real wage to $190,287! Per Year!

So let’s take a fire fighter who earns only $150,000(approx) and add in the Medical/Dental of about $14,287(which comes out of the tax payers wallet) and add in the taxpayer contribution to their retirement of say $37,000.

That fire fighter actually makes:
$150,000 (Salary approx)
$14,287 (Medical/Dental)
$40,000 (retirement)
$204,287 per year! Total compensation

Oh! And he gets something called “Other Cash Compensation” of around $14,000 bringing his real wage to $249,287! Per Year!

Look at those figures again.

There are approximately 945 employees in the Fire Department and of those 675 have a total compensation of at least $176,287 per year! That’s at least 2/3rds of their department making easily more than 3 times what the average citizen makes here in San Jose.

Firefighters, on average, earn more than twice the median income of a typical San Jose resident ($66,000 approx.)

By the way, those 675 firefighters earn more than our Mayor!

Now let’s look at the San Jose Police Department

We employ approximately 2,010 people in the Police Department

Of those employees there are 1,215 Policemen, that’s Policemen, who earn in excess of $100,000 per year.

The city and that should really read “The Taxpayer” pays for their Medical / Dental to the tune of about $14,287 Dollarino’s!
The taxpayer further kicks in another $30,000 to $40,000 for their retirement package.

So let’s take a Police Officer who earns only $125,000(approx) and add in the Medical/Dental of about $14,287(which comes out of the tax payers wallet) and add in the taxpayer contribution to their retirement of say $37,000.

That Police Officer actually makes:
$125,000 (Salary approx)
$14,287 (Medical/Dental)
$37,000 (retirement)
$176,287 per year! Total compensation

Oh! And he gets something called “Other Cash Compensation” of around $14,000 bringing his real wage to $190,287! Per Year!

So let’s take a Police Officer who earns only $150,000(approx) and add in the Medical/Dental of about $14,287(which comes out of the tax payers wallet) and add in the taxpayer contribution to their retirement of say $37,000.

That Police Officer actually makes:
$150,000 (Salary approx)
$14,287 (Medical/Dental)
$40,000 (retirement)
$204,287 per year! Total compensation

Oh! And he gets something called “Other Cash Compensation” of around $14,000 bringing his real wage to $249,287! Per Year!

Look at those figures again.

There are approximately 2,010 employees in the Police Department and of those 1,215 have a total compensation of at least $176,287 per year! That’s at least 2/3rds of their department making easily more than 3 times what the average citizen makes here in San Jose.(That number holds true if you factor in 225 jobs are most likely part time and earn less than $10,000 per year such as “Cross Guards, radio dispatch, etc. even they get some sort of “Other Cash Compensation”.

Police Officers, on average, earn more than twice the median income of a typical San Jose resident($66,000 approx.)

Oh! And did I mention that 1,215 Police Officers earn more than our Mayor!

So for Public Safety we have some 1,890 employees earning at least 3 times more than the average citizen of San Jose and even more than our terrific Mayor, Chuck Reed!

Heck, we even have Librarians earning more than $100k per year with one who makes a fabulous $223K!

And check this out. We kick in the following for her grand salary:

Sick and Vacation Payouts *** Other Cash Compensation Deferred Compensation City Paid City Paid Medical / Dental City Paid Retirement Contribution
$12,420 $4,200 $0 $6,246 $52,681 $75,547

That means she actually made some $298,000(approx) Last Year!

A Fr ic kin Librarian? Really?

If I look at jobs such as Air Conditioning Mechanic or Network Engineer their wages are typical of a private sector job except for their benefits package, which they would never earn in a private job.

And dang if a Street Sweeper doesn’t earn some $85,000 in total compensation.

How in the heck is this fair?

Don’t forget, if you retire from the Police/Fire Department you are paid 90% of your 3 highest earning years.

All you do is put in a tremendous amount of overtime your last three years, bringing your total earnings to about $200,000 and you can retire with $180,000 per year for the rest of your life! Oh and you get to keep your Gold Plated Mecical/Dental plan Grati and you can buy good and services all around the country for less than your private sector neighbors can.

Ain’t it great!

Makes me think I should have gone on to become a LEO and I could retire in just a couple of years, print some business cards and hand them out at parties when people ask me what I do for a living.

Who in the private sector can retire at 50 years old with a $180k a year guaranteed check and then pretend to be in business or have that for a safety net if you actually do something?

Think about this:

If an Officer or Fireman retires at the age of 50 he can be expected to live til at least 70 if not 80 years old and beyond. At that rate for 20 years of retirement the taxpayer will hand the retiree some $2,000,000 for 20 years of retirement and over $3.5 million for 30 years of retirement!

Doesn't that strike anyone as just plain unfair and outrageous!?

And get this, due to collective bargaining all other departments have similar retirement packages.

Now multiply those numbers time the current amount of retirees and then start adding more retirees every year and the numbers are astounding!

We simply cannot continue to pay government workers, at all levels, these lucrative retirement packages and nearly free Medical services.

And don’t any of you get cute about the whole thing. I personally know off the top of my head 10 former LEO who have some weird business, supposedly and they are only a few years older than me.

Wanna confirm my numbers above? Well then click thee to this website, the City of San Jose 2010 Employees Salaries:
http://www.sanjoseca.gov/salary/Default.aspx

At some point it comes down to this:

How much more will the taxpayer continue to put up with the evergrowing pressure on their finances to support an over compensated public employee and still be expected to finance their lavish retirement packages?

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