Unions only care about their salaries, perks

Sunday, November 16, 2008 12:05 AM EST

Regarding Tuesday's The Citizen headline “Public worker unions oppose concessions; Despite state's fiscal crisis, unions say they won't reopen contracts.”
Who do they care about? Of course we already knew that answer. The leaders, then the members and then the ones who provide the money. It's always the public that gets screwed.

They are like the politicians: Hold up other peoples money, but don't you dare hold up ours. Most of the public knows the unions (CSEA, PEF, etc.) are pretty much guaranteed yearly raises along with a pension twice what factory workers would get (top heads of course get more). Better medical plans. But still they have the nerve to bitch like all the rest of us about taxes, etc.

I believe school teachers are under one of these unions. Want their raise every year as if they have no idea what the economy is doing. The problem is they don't care! “I want mine and I want it now.”

It is pretty much a fact that more money doesn't get our children a better education. With a 65 percent graduation rate, Auburn teachers know that. That point is rather hard for parents because these, uh, highly educated people persuaded our politicians to stop mom and pop from teaching discipline at home. Bus drivers can't teach it on the buses to and from school.

But they can always say, “We got ours.” Good job from all of you.

Ed Mack

Port Byron

The Citizens' Say

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There are 5 comment(s)

brew1234 wrote on Nov 16, 2008 9:35 PM:

" There are two sides to this problem. Why do our government leaders agree to these raises and benefits? At the next contract negotiations take a hard stance or give no new contract. Allow no raises unless they are attached to performance goals. You have to get tough before you blame the unions. "

stevedallas wrote on Nov 16, 2008 9:29 PM:

" DD nice try!!!!! No union in the world would ever ask for a 20 percent increase, crawl back under your rock liar!!!!!!!!!!!!! "

Joe911 wrote on Nov 16, 2008 12:51 PM:

" How about proper cuts?

Does the state Department of Correctional Services really seem fair? The only cuts are those that protect public safety. Shouldn't the Department of Correctional Services be forced to pool resources like administrators and legal services like other agencies are being forced to do? If the state work force is being scaled down, then why not scale down the staff working for the Governor's Office of Employee Relations?

If the population of the inmates is down so dramatically, then why do we not see reductions to the Building 2 population management positions, superintendents, deputy superintendents, inspector general positions and volunteer services?

How about the inmate benefits to free health care, prescriptions for male breast enlargements, flat-screen TVs, cable and direct TV, and congenial visits?

We should see equal cuts to all the above but yet we do not. Now does that seem fair? "

dd wrote on Nov 16, 2008 11:08 AM:

" Unions had a purpose 70 years ago. At this point I cannot think of one industry in the US that abuses their workers. General motors hasn't turned a profit in many years--I can tell you that about 20% of the cost of building an American vehicle goes directly to benefits (not salary) of the union members building the car. Why should some shmo who attaches a bumper to a truck make $75,000.00 per year? Because the union says so, and holds the business hostage. Now, I will tell you a heart warming story------about 6 months ago, the union that represents the truck drivers who deliver the GM vehicles decided that they wanted a 20% pay increase. The trucking company could not afford it. Fuel prices had already ravaged any idea of profitting this year. The union thought they had the company by the short hairs------the company closed their doors, and the union truck drivers were out a job. All they had to do was agree to be incentivised according to what the company could sustain. Greed, my friends. The unions are all about greed, and nothing wlse. Be happy for what you have right now. It is good to aspire to be bigger, and better, but when you rob the system that feeds you, it all catches up. "

rd wrote on Nov 16, 2008 10:49 AM:

" Bravo! "

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