Happy Birthday for Fire Department Union Members - Tax dollars paying for day off plus $110 bonus

Capitol Confidential ^ | 8/30/2012 | Tom Gantert

[MichCapCon]

It took nearly 200 years after Thomas Jefferson died before the former President of the United States had his birthday officially recognized as a holiday.

But for every city of Saginaw Fire Department government union member, it comes with the job — as well as a $110 bonus.

According to the Saginaw Fire Fighters Association contract that ran from July 1, 2006, through June 30, 2012, a government union employee's birthday is recognized as one of 12 holidays that triggers a $110 a day premium.

The other 11 holidays include, New Year's Day, Martin Luther King Jr. day, Good Friday, Memorial Day, July 4th, Labor Day, Veterans Day, Thanksgiving Day, Friday after Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day and Christmas Eve.

Saginaw Fire Department and city of Saginaw officials weren’t available for comment or didn’t return phone messages. Once contracts expire, the union rules still apply until a new contract is ratified.

Amanda Fisher, assistant state director for the National Federation of Independent Business, said she has never heard of a birthday being designated as a holiday with a bonus.

"I wish we would have a deal like that," Fisher said. "I have never heard of that except for President’s Day. But they are the fathers of our country."

[Elsiejay]

Supporting those essential unionized services of local governments would be an entirely appropriate use of Obama Stimulus Funds. Eh?

[Hokestuk]

I’m afraid the public unions are bleeding us dry. Fire, police, education, whatelsenot. We could probably figure a way to do fire suppression at 1/10th the cost.
A sidenote to any that agree, a libertarian tangent. Police could be cut by near as much probably. Police should work to protect us and prevent real violent crime. But, maybe half their budget is spent with makework related to enforcing the drug laws. At some point we say: can we afford this idiocy, paying the union officers 100k+ to run around trying to bust people for pot? I don’t think it’s right to do that in the first place, but when we add the expense in the face of city bankruptcies...