Source:
CNN(CNN) -- The growing push to restrict the collective bargaining rights of government employees has reached the far-flung state of Alaska.
There, a Republican state lawmaker has introduced legislation that would strip many public employees of the right to collectively bargain for hours, benefits and working conditions. State employees could still collectively bargain for wages under the legislation.
The bill exempts firefighters, police officers and emergency medical technicians, who, according to Title 40 of the Alaska Statutes, are prohibited from going on strike.
The bill's sponsor, state Rep. Carl Gatto, R-Palmer, could not be reached for comment. Neither could members of the Republican House leadership. A woman who answered the phone listed for Gatto's Wasilla office said the lawmaker would be unavailable for comment Monday.
Gatto has told various news outlets that his bill mimics legislation that was passed by the Wisconsin Legislature earlier this month, signed into law and is now the subject of a lawsuit in that state. Gatto has said, like the Wisconsin measure, his proposal aims to curb state costs.
Read more:
http://www.cnn.com/2011/POLITICS/03/22/alaska.collective.bargaining/index.html?hpt=T2
Again, firefighters and police officers are exempt, just like Wisconsin. This is all by design. Someone has to protect these republican sleazebags when the people have had enough.