Union money is pouring into Wisconsin to aid the recall of Governor Walker, who had the nerve to reform the state’s treatment of public-sector unions. The unions hate losing member dues. They also want to continue suing employers, to prevent changes in wages and other employment conditions.
Public-sector unions initiate thousands of grievances, all subject to negotiation, mediation, and arbitration. In 2010, the Wisconsin Employment Relations Commission issued 129 decisions just on cases that went to full hearings – a huge amount of litigation.
Last year, resisted by a union, a Wisconsin teacher was fired for viewing and sharing pornography on his school computer. An arbitrator reinstated the employee and awarded more than $200,000 in back pay. In a failed attempt to fire the man, the school district spent over $300,000 in legal fees.
The real class warfare in the U.S. is not rich vs. poor. It’s government employees vs. taxpayers who pay their salaries.
Formerly, government employees faced a trade-off: They didn’t have to kill themselves on the job, and they wouldn’t be fired. But their compensation was low. Now, government jobs are safe, secure, and twice as lucrative as the pay and benefits of those who come up with the money.
The unions are fighting, all right, but they’re going to lose.
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