L.A. police union wants San Diego newspaper writers fired

LA Times ^ | May 21, 2009 | Joel Rubin

[ellery]

The union representing Los Angeles police officers is pressuring the owner of San Diego’s main newspaper to change the paper’s editorial stance on labor issues or to fire its editorial writers.

The feud is rooted in the recent purchase of the San Diego Union-Tribune by Platinum Equity, a private Beverly Hills firm.

Platinum relies on a $30-million investment from the pension fund of Los Angeles police officers and fire fighters, along with large sums from other public-employee pension systems around the state, to help fund its acquisitions of companies. As League President Paul M. Weber views it, that makes the League part owner in the flagging Tribune and League officials are none to happy with the paper’s consistent position that San Diego lawmakers should cut back on salaries and benefits for public employees in order to help close gaping budget deficits.

"Since the very public employees they continually criticize are now their owners, we strongly believe that those who currently run the editorial pages should be replaced," Weber wrote in a March 26 letter to Platinum CEO Tom Gores.

Weber, in an interview, emphasized that the League is not demanding changes in the paper’s news coverage of the issue or in its staff of reporters. "It’s just these people on the opinion side. There is not even an attempt to be even-handed. They’re one step away from saying, ‘these public employees are parasites,’ " Weber said.

Bob Kittle, editor of the Union-Tribune’s editorial page, rebuffed Weber’s comments. While his staff has written several editorials critical of the benefit and pension commitments city leaders have made to San Diego’s five public employee unions, he denied Weber’s charge that the paper is out to hurt public employees.

-snip-

[ellery]

This is a must-excerpt.

[ellery]

I don’t know if this is a libertarian ping or not...thought I’d pass it along just in case.

[freebilly]

We have a free press so long as they print what the union wants to hear....

[pointsal]

Say, Blago needs a new gig. He’s had some history dealing with the quick termination of reporters....

[conservatism_IS_compassion]

Nothing wrong with that. Anyone pays the piper, they call the tune. The whole problem is that we-the-people have been propagandized for a half-dozen generations to accept the absurd premise that people who are selling - selling ephemeral news, which will be worthless tomorrow - are objective.

Wake up and smell the coffee!

[South40]

The UT sucks and there’s not much chance Platinum Equity’s taking ownership can change that.

[river rat]

NO public employee should be permitted to have a union..
“Public Service Employee” unions have conducted the largest raid on public funds in history.....
It is in fact exactly the same as a mob shakedown...

It has to end.

[Lurker]

They’re one step away from saying, ‘these public employees are parasites,’ " Weber said.

If the shoe fits, Mr. Weber, wear it.

L

[Ken H]

You can see what many northern CA cities and counties pay their public employees at the following link (scroll down to salaries section). All salaries above $100,000 are listed by department:

http://www.sfgate.com/data/

There were over 38,000 CA state employees who made at least $100,000 in 2007 - many were paid well into six figures. You can view these salaries at the following sfgate link:

http://b2.caspio.com/dp.asp?AppKey=92721000f5a6h1f9a6j5j3d3f5d5

[freedompursuit]

well gee, public employees are parasites, what is the argument?

[E.G.C.]

BTTT

[headsonpikes]

Parasites! That’s an insult!

Although some “public servants” are parasites, most aspire to nature’s nobler calling - predator!

Like the sky-borne eagle, the lion of the Serengeti plain, and the roaring grizzly bear, these creatures enjoy both the kill and the eating.

[PGalt]

Thanks for the ping/post; thread; posts.

Parasites, Predators, Plunderers BUMP!

[bamahead]

Thanks for the ping! It’s interesting and not surprising, considering the CA state gov’t has bent over backards to appease the thuggish state unions for decades now. I expect they will get louder until the FedGov finally bails them out. We’re not very far aware from the FedGov forcing the productive states to subsidize the non-productive ones, most likely through punitive taxes. When that happens, it’s going to get extremely ugly.

[T Lady]

'The whole problem is that we-the-people have been propagandized for a half-dozen generations to accept the absurd premise that people who are selling - selling ephemeral news, which will be worthless tomorrow - are objective.'

*MEGA PING*

All the fake news that's fit to print.