Democrats Join the Attacks On Union Bargaining Rights

Democrats Join the Raid On Union Bargaining Rights
By Howard Ryan
May 23, 2011

Politicians of both parties have been tough on public employees in this recession, balancing state and city budgets through layoffs, wage freezes, furloughs, and benefit cuts. But rarely have labor-backed Democrats targeted the very right of public employees to collectively bargain.

That’s now changing. In Massachusetts, New Jersey, Illinois, and Connecticut, Democratic legislators, eager to save money, are betting they can cut into public employee bargaining rights and still win union backing at election time.

In Massachusetts, a Democratic stronghold, lawmakers are pressing to strip 175,000 municipal employees of health care bargaining rights. House members passed a measure April 26 that would prevent teachers, police officers, and others from bargaining over deductibles and co-pays.

Two-thirds of House Democrats supported the measure, ignoring protests and a radio ad campaign coordinated by the state AFL-CIO. The Democrats’ action has led to “tremendous outrage and feeling of betrayal” in the labor movement, observes Dan Clawson, a board member of the Massachusetts Teachers Association (MTA). “It’s definitely a break from the past.”

Read the full article at:

http://labornotes.org/2011/05/democrats-join-raid-union-bargaining-rights

K&R

I mean it.

With 'friends' like these who needs enemies?

I mean, what are the unions going to do... support Republicans? They're sort of stuck with the Democrats, even if they get mistreated.

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:toast:

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the unions have the ability to phone bank,door to door ,and other organizing tools.

my wife is the political chairperson of her local union

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we voted the bastards in and they turn on us.

we need to get new blood in the democratic party here in illinois.

National Democrats.

Maybe we will one day have a Labor Party.

momentum generated in Wisconsin and called a strike other states may have reconsidered their budget alternatives. By not calling a general strike Labor essentially green lighted future takeaways. Reminiscent of the PATCO firing by Reagan. We didn't respond then and we've had 30 years of Union busting.

I don't think it's ours.

it'll be a doozy!!!

That should enable him to get the union officials to shovel an extra 100 million bucks or so his way for the campaign.