Wisconsin Senate to vote on Bill that will change Union Benefits

N

newsjunky

Driving Instructor
I think this may happen in more states. Chris Christi said the union workers in New Jersey are covered 100% for medical. With states going bankrupt some appear to be looking at cutting these benefits. Do the unions have enough power to keep this from happening?

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20110217/ap_on_re_us/us_wisconsin_budget_unions
In addition to eliminating collective bargaining rights, the legislation also would make public workers pay half the costs of their pensions and at least 12.6 percent of their health care coverage — increases Walker calls "modest" compared with those in the private sector.

http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2011/02/gov_christie_union_leaders_cla.html
TRENTON — Gov. Chris Christie Tuesday called a public employee health benefit reform plan unveiled by Senate President Stephen Sweeney a "good start"
 
In most private sector jobs, employees pay towards their retirement and medical benefits. Why shouldn't government employees working for a municipality, state, or the feds be any different? Quite often we see news stories where private sector employees had to take pay cuts, pay increases in health care premiums, etc in order to keep their jobs in these difficult economic times. Shouldn't we expect the governments to do the same with their employees when money is so tight? Wouldn't doing so be better than being laid off?
 
If I am not mistaken, Federal workers pay a substantial portion of their retirement and medical. Don't ask me how I know this. It is amazing how many folks think it is covered 100%.
 
newsjunky said:
If I am not mistaken, Federal workers pay a substantial portion of their retirement and medical. Don't ask me how I know this. It is amazing how many folks think it is covered 100%.
Click to expand...
They do, but our members of Congress do not.
 
I pay hundreds per month into my pension plan, in addition to contributing to deferred comp. But I'm all about what this governor is trying to do. He does not want to take their pay or lay anyone off, just increase what the employee contributes to their plan and adjust benefits. Like Rush said earlier, there comes a point when you run out of other people's money.

I thank God in Heaven that I'm not involved in a union.
 
What these state employees don't understand is, WI is running into deficit problems. To help prevent state employees from being laid off or their jobs eliminate it, their governor is looking for a way to keep them employed while reducing their deficit. It's simple math to me; either make some concessions by having to pay a percentage of retirement and health benefits; or collect unemployment because the state can't afford you any longer.

I will be willing to bet the government employees who are screaming and hollering the most and organizing the protests are those with seniority. I have seen this many times where those in a union who have seniority are more than willing to sacrifice those hired within the last few years just so they don't lose anything.
 
I have been watching the protest on Fox and also noticed that the Senate Dems failed to report to work today which is preventing a vote on the bill. I'm a little late to the game on this issue and therefore not fully up to speed. I'll do the research if needed but I thought maybe some of you could save me some time. My main question is did the Governor attempt to negotiate with the union or did he immediately seek to change the law? I'm just curious if reaching an agreement was attempted which would have prevented all the drama.
 
I'll just post what I posted in the other thread about this.

I think the governor should stand strong, I seriously doubt the legislature will vote against the unions. I have a feeling this will set the stage for other states to back down from the unions. Hope Governor Christie is helping Scott Walker. ???

There should be no public sector unions at all.
 
1.100 teachers in WI called in "sick" today. I'd be looking at the pictures taken at the demonstration and see if I could identify any of them. If so, I'd fire them.
 
The Democratic Senators left the state so the issue could not be voted on. :eek: They should be fined and go to jail.
http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2011/02/17/teachers-march-wisconsin-capitol-senate-moves-curtail-union-rights/
 
Every single teacher that can be proven to have called in sick and then went to the protest should be fired and every single senator that ran away from their job should be removed from office. Absolutely ridiculous. They will not win. They are being ridiculous and are wasting even m ore of their state's money in their immature tantrum.
 
With the DNC now getting involved in their support for these protests, they are only showing they don't give a darn about fiscal responsibility. They're only showing their true colors that they want to bankrupt the entire nation. They don't give a darn about you, me, or anyone else. It's all about power.
 
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