Public Sector Unions In Lee County (sale, lawyers, bankrupt)

[kroeran]

in case anyone else has something to add to this...looking for pro and con views, hopefully for the purpose of informing unions in how they can avoid killing the goose that lays the egg

[rikoshaprl]

Understandably, unions are going to get as much for their members as possible. It is up to the local government to negotiate a contract that will not bankrupt the locality. I think it is prudent for a locality to pay a premium to workers to keep a continuous workforce.You don't want local workers leaving every couple of years. Happy, steady workers will build a more harmonious community.

[hiknapster]

I find it a little strange that an employee of the Canadian government wants to discuss our public sector employees.

[faithfulFrank]

The role of Gov't is to provide essential services........like public safety. Police officers and Firefighters require tons of constant training and incur a high amount of risk. Without them you would have chaos.
I see and do things daily the "normal" person will never deal with. I earn my weeks pay sometimes in 5 minutes. You basically get what you pay for....aren't you worth it? I know I feel safer knowing Professionals are only 2 minutes away if needed, weather I need a fire put out or Paramedic advanced life support.....it is sad that we are always the easy target......oh well.

Frank

[Samiamnh]

I'm definately with you on public safety.....we can't pay police and firefighters enough for risking their lives every day.My rant is about the millions of hacks that ride a desk for 20 years and retire in luxury on my hard earned money.
Here's the difference.......I am in the restaurant business.I order from my suppliers,sell the product,pay my payroll and lots of taxes.If I work hard and stay smart,there is some left for me.Nobody gives medical,dental,a car,retirement sick days or vacation days.
My business is self sustaining...it supports itself.
Government doles out all of the bennies mentioned above but they are paid for by people like me....bigger the government,the bigger my taxes.Pretty soon there will be more people working for the government or on entitlements than we can sustain......
I have nobody representing me demanding more money and bigger benifits.If I raise my prices too much,people can choose not to come to my place.My retirement will come not from a union steward,but from the sale of my business....if I am ever able to sell it.

[hiknapster]

Originally Posted by Samiamnh

I'm definately with you on public safety.....we can't pay police and firefighters enough for risking their lives every day.My rant is about the millions of hacks that ride a desk for 20 years and retire in luxury on my hard earned money.Here's the difference.......I am in the restaurant business.I order from my suppliers,sell the product,pay my payroll and lots of taxes.If I work hard and stay smart,there is some left for me.Nobody gives medical,dental,a car,retirement sick days or vacation days.
My business is self sustaining...it supports itself.
Government doles out all of the bennies mentioned above but they are paid for by people like me....bigger the government,the bigger my taxes.Pretty soon there will be more people working for the government or on entitlements than we can sustain......
I have nobody representing me demanding more money and bigger benifits.If I raise my prices too much,people can choose not to come to my place.My retirement will come not from a union steward,but from the sale of my business....if I am ever able to sell it.

You really believe that the government workers in swFlorida will retire in luxury? That's crazy.

I own two businesses and have the same issues as you. If I don't like what my local government is paying the workers I can show up at the local public meetings. I can organized like-minded individuals. I can start petitions, run for office, get rid of the bums. That's what living in a democracy is all about. Yeah, you have a business to run. So don't a lot of other people. Get involved but quit whining.

[Samiamnh]

http://www.chicagonow.com/blogs/trackitfan/01125107.Par.89380.ImageFile.jpg (broken link)

Federal employees make double the private sector........so who's crazy?

[rikoshaprl]

You can vote the federal pols out on their butts too if you don't like the direction they are taking us.

[mrmarmalade]

Originally Posted by faithfulFrank

The role of Gov't is to provide essential services........like public safety. Police officers and Firefighters require tons of constant training and incur a high amount of risk. Without them you would have chaos.
I see and do things daily the "normal" person will never deal with. I earn my weeks pay sometimes in 5 minutes. You basically get what you pay for....aren't you worth it? I know I feel safer knowing Professionals are only 2 minutes away if needed, weather I need a fire put out or Paramedic advanced life support.....it is sad that we are always the easy target......oh well.

Frank

Frank, as a former middle school teacher in the state of Florida, it would be necessary to include this group on your list... That was the most brutal job that I ever had, requiring a vast array of skills, talents and knowledge... There was not enough training available to make this job endurable...

[Izmack]

Originally Posted by Samiamnh

Federal employees make double the private sector........so who's crazy?

I don't get this graph. What jobs is it comparing? The Federal government has thousands of lawyers, accountants, spies, and other professionals in its mix. 80K base is pretty low for that position level.

As well, the majority of Federal workers live and work in one of the most expensive areas of the country. Compare that to the cost of living in a state position in Alabama or Mississippi, and again that comparison is flawed.

Finally, I would think the variety of the positions in each of the 3 sectors is across the board. Couple that with volume of people represented in both the state and private sector numbers, it would seem that the job diversity (admin assistants all the way up to professionals) would dilute the numbers to make the comparison invalid. It's comparing EVERY private sector employee (restaurant line cooks, cable guys, doctors, waitresses, Walmart employees, etc.) to 2 much smaller pools. And we all know the great benefits that Walmart employees enjoy.

What's that quote about damned statistics and lies? Folks are just gullible.