Collective bargaining rights restricted (public schools, income, income tax)

[Milleka]

Originally Posted by Metlakatla

Private employees with comparable educations are also likely to earn more money.

I don't get it Met. I've said numerous times that I make $34,000 a year after 8 years of experience and a Bachelor's +15. Is that a lot of money by American standards? Really. I want to know. Is $34,000 considered to be a "cushy" salary?

Thank goodness I'm married or I would have to go on welfare. My husband and I are barely making it as it is between a mortgage, car payment, groceries, gas, etc. He makes slightly more than me as a welding supervisor.

[Milleka]

Originally Posted by Milleka

I don't get it Met. I've said numerous times that I make $34,000 a year after 8 years of experience and a Bachelor's +15. Is that a lot of money by American standards? Really. I want to know. Is $34,000 considered to be a "cushy" salary?

Thank goodness I'm married or I would have to go on welfare. My husband and I are barely making it as it is between a mortgage, car payment, groceries, gas, etc. He makes slightly more than me as a welding supervisor.

And before someone can jump all over the "you-only-work-nine-months" bull... averaged out over 12 months, my salary would be $45,000- again after 8 years of experience and 3 hours away from having a Master's degree. I wonder what an MBA's salary is after 8 years of experience?

[tigre79]

Much of the overspending problem is at state and local levels. Federal spending is of course a huge problem as well (and their employees are paid very well), but in order to get spending under control something has to give. Many states increased public employee compensation and pensions to unsustainable long-term levels and need to get it back under control. It isn't the only problem in any of these states, but it is one piece of the puzzle. It's funny how so many people actually realize that government spending is a problem, but aren't willing to accept any real budget cuts or tax hikes that would be meaningful in terms of actually solving the problem. Politicians come up with little bs nickle-and-dime stuff and expect to be praised as heroes, but what they really need to do is make enough cuts to **** people off or we're all going to sink under these ridiculous budgets. If my employer wanted to cut costs, payroll would be one of their major considerations, so why wouldn't that be the case for the public sector?

[tigre79]

Originally Posted by Metlakatla

Private employees with comparable educations are also likely to earn more money.

It depends greatly on what state you're in (and federal employees make considerably more than private employees in comparable positions) and how you're comparing the numbers. Many economists have said exactly the opposite, especially when you factor in retirement benefits. Public employees also often have much higher job security, as evidenced by the difficulty of firing bad teachers, cops, court clerks, DMV agents, etc.

[jmking]

In very simplistic terms, it seems pay and benefits paid out by Federal and state governments is what many workers would have expected to acquire in their working lives both private and public. However, it seems the private sector, by and large, can not compensate employees at a decent level any longer and is falling behind each year. Many see state governments as out of control when in-fact it really is business as usual. It seems those in power want to see a level field, or the dumbing down of state compensation to appear to match those in the private sector who are getting the big squeeze. Tax revenue is dropping because of the greed States also played in the housing bubble. However, it's quite OK for the Fed to now increase its spending on another war with a price tag of $100,000,000 a week and climbing, and thats just for war number 3, not 1 and 2.

[RedJacket]

Originally Posted by Glitch

Good for Rep. Gatto!

As far as I am concerned, the bill does not go nearly far enough. Collective bargaining for all public employees needs to be abolished, and Alaska should be a Right-To-Work state.

There was not one anti in this response of yours, so I refuse to believe the real Glitch wrote it.

There was an imposter using the Glitch account, and I think that imposter is Carl "the meatball king" Gatto.

[RedJacket]

Originally Posted by tigre79

If my employer wanted to cut costs, payroll would be one of their major considerations, so why wouldn't that be the case for the public sector?

The issue isn't giving back, the issue is collective bargaining itself. As an individual, you have zero clout when it comes to bargaining for anything whatsoever.

[Floyd_Davidson]

Originally Posted by Glitch

Collective bargaining for all public employees needs to be abolished, and Alaska should be a Right-To-Work state.

Those are very valid desires. There is no reason at all that Alaskas should stand by and willingly allow Mississippi, Alabama, Arkansas and all those other Right-To-Work states be higher than Alaska on the list states with totally depressed economies. We too could reduce our standard of living, not to mention our education system, to be in virtually every way measurable as close to the bottom of the barrel as possible.

If it doesn't appear to be happening fast enough, I suppose the best course of action for Glitch and other proponents would be to get the f* out of Dodge and move themselves to Mississippi.

[Floyd_Davidson]

Originally Posted by RedJacket

There was not one anti in this response of yours, so I refuse to believe the real Glitch wrote it.

Proposing Alaska pass a Right-To-Work law is anti-social, anti-neighborly and anti-Alaskan. Most people put smilies, or mark it as sarcasm, when they propose something that mean.

[Milleka]

Originally Posted by RedJacket

The issue isn't giving back, the issue is collective bargaining itself. As an individual, you have zero clout when it comes to bargaining for anything whatsoever.

But, as a private sector employee, if you don't like your job or your working conditions, you can go find a comparable job at another business- in theory. I know times are tough, but it is not always the case.

What is a teacher supposed to do? Private schools pay even less, so that's not a viable option. Where is a paramedic or firefighter supposed to go? Public workers NEED collective bargaining rights because they have virtually no other options for employment other than the very narrow field in which they work.