The war on public-sector unions

State and local governments are making deep spending cuts wherever they can, and taking aim at the power of public-sector unions. Lee Sustar documents this latest turn in the long war on labor--and talks to activists who are putting forward an opposition.

THE LONG war on unions is escalating in the public sector as the recession wipes out tax revenue and triggers deep budget cuts in states, large and small.

The biggest headlines have come out of California, where 193,000 state workers have suffered pay cuts of at least 14 percent because of "furlough" days, while thousands more have endured layoffs.

But the picture is similar everywhere. To take two examples from recent days: In Iowa, Gov. Chet Culver will cut $520 million in state spending by ordering furloughs for 3,258 employees and layoffs for 180, while leaving 230 positions vacant. In Pennsylvania, Gov. Ed Rendell anticipates laying off hundreds of state employees just in time for the holiday season, in addition to the 300 Pennsylvania government workers who have already lost their jobs.

This list could go on.

In some cases, the attacks on unions go beyond layoffs and furloughs to target union organization itself.

In Detroit, Mayor Dave Bing has tried to claim that the city's fiscal crisis allows him to unilaterally "terminate" union contacts covering about 4,500 workers--and he's already ended the practice of deducting dues from workers' paychecks. He seems to be taking his cue from Puerto Rico Gov. Luis Fortuño, who's using new laws to sweep aside union contracts--in order to lay off 25,000 public employees and privatize big chunks of government services.

http://socialistworker.org/2009/11/06/war-on-public-sector-unions