How is it that we have politicians, using taxpayer money, negotiating compensation and working conditions with public employee labor unions? This reciprocal relationship has festered for decades putting both state and federal budgets into financial ruin. Despite recent rulings, unions continue to cement their hold on government through both its contract negotiations and political work. That we would allow politicians the use our money to boost the well-being of a block of voters is ludicrous on its face. Is it no wonder that public employment has mushroomed? The once low paying but secure local, state, and federal jobs are now high paying, “never get laid off or fired” jobs with benefits that can’t be touched in the private sector.
The most recent attempt to thwart any further declines in union membership in Connecticut is from Democratic Legislators, Representative Mike D’Agostino and Robyn Porter, who is a member of the Office of Professional Employees International Union. Their proposed legislation says requests to stop payroll deductions for Union dues must go the Union versus to the payer, the state. Presumably, the Union can then confront the scab and intimidate them into rescinding the request. It also says that the Union must be given time in new employee orientation to present the “benefits” of being a Union member. Mind you, attempts to get time for employers at union meetings were previously legislated out.
These types of laws are typical in the states where Democrats have been in power for decades. The usual suspects are identified by their financial distress due to overly generous pension and health benefits given to public employees. The list includes (but not limited to) the aforementioned Connecticut, Illinois, and New Jersey. These states are perennially the lowest three in debt, poor business climate and a host of other negative financial measures. Why do they continue their slide into ruin? With a large part of the electorate beholden to them, (public employees), politicians need only continue to provide excellent compensation and benefits through its Union contract negotiations. Those votes keep them in office. Of course to pay for the outrageous compensation and benefits, they must raise taxes; but then, it’s not their money! All three states are seeing net out migration but refuse to change their ways.
Is it any wonder why Union members typically vote Democrat? Only recently was it possible for a Union member to not be forced to contribute to the Unions’ political funds. Unions are staunch financers of Democratic candidates and in this “one hand washes the other hand” relationship; the taxpayer gets tossed like a Caesar salad. Much like minorities that count on their subsistence through welfare programs, public workers pin their survival on Democrats who negotiate the very terms of their compensation and working conditions. Is it any wonder that we have these financial crises?
If we are to allow collective bargaining for public employees, we must find a way to eliminate the circular relationship of providing overly generous compensation and working conditions in return for voting booth allegiance. New ways must be put in place to assure negotiations and their outcomes are based on realistic financial measures and not on what will it take to secure a vote. Perhaps a citizen’s review panel that has the power to decline final terms, is necessary to remove the reality or even appearance of impropriety in Union contract negotiations. Another idea may be to compare terms to publically available wage, salary and benefits data for the private sector and automatic adjustments made when there is an unacceptable variance, one way or the other. In any case, the circular relationship public employee Unions have with elected officials is drowning taxpayers and must be addressed.
Current Day Publius 