Going after public employees, their unions and pensions is # 1 goal of GOP

[Peregrine Took]

for 2011. Does anyone know of any group that is trying to fight this? I know AFSCME is doing what it can but I'm referring to a grass roots type of organization for regular employees or ex-employees to join in order to combat this attack and try to save our pensions which we worked hard for, were promised to us and, in many states, are constitutionally protected. Thanks.


http://aworldofprogress.com/politics/10-holiday-attacks-on-public-employees/

http://www.familysecuritymatters.org/publications/id.8270/pub_detail.asp

[Drale]

1. Does that mean they will be attacking themselves?

because anyone in congress is a public employee.

[Peregrine Took]

4. Mainly after AFSCME and state employees - many of the latter are them, too.

But AFSCME is their main target.

[valerief]

9. No, they're not. They're future lobbyists. nt

[The Backlash Cometh]

11. It's true that right-wingers have taken over public service jobs.

Which is bad news for everyone because one of the things that those servants are forced to do to earn that paycheck, is allow themselves to be used.

[county worker]

18. How did that happen? Where did that happen? When did that happen?

[The Backlash Cometh]

20. It's really a no brainer.

Here's the formula: Take a Republican county which has been promoting less government for decades. And a citizenry which pushes property rights over the public interest. Get government attorneys who belong to law firms that also represent private interest (and mostly land owner/developers)...

And, wahla, you have the making of a corrupt society where public employees get fired if they don't tow the crooked line.

[county worker]

21. I work for a county. We have about the same mix of political persuasion as the general public.

The attorneys are not in private practice, they work for the county. The rules are made by the Board of Supervisors. The only way to get our county government to turn repub is for the voters to elect a repub Board. I work for Alcohol, Drug and Mental Health Services. Our money comes from Federal Grants, Medicaid, Medicare and state sales and vehicle license taxes.

Your scenario doesn't fit my reality. I think you are pulling a lot of your ideas out of your ass.

[The Backlash Cometh]

22. HAHAHAHAHAHAHA! That was precious.

Was I ever that naive? Yes, yes I was.

You really don't have a clue how bad things are in the red counties around Central Florida. I've been jumping up and down with my hair on fire for these nine years to bring attention to it.

By the way, you just said you were federally funded. I'm talking about County and Local government. As smelly corrupt as shit where I live. And my info is very well researched, btw. Our City Attorneys work for law firms that are involved with private business. Conflicts of interest are common. We even had a City Attorney who was also president of the Chamber of Commerce. Yeah, it was really that bad.

[LWolf]

2. Why do you say "of the GOP?"

It's clear that this is a # 1 goal of neoliberals, many of whom are Democrats.

[Peregrine Took]

3. It seems that the driving forces are gop'ers. See links.

[LWolf]

15. The majority are.

They aren't doing it without help from Democrats, though.

http://socialistworker.org/blog/critical-reading/2010/06/08/republicans-and-democrats-atta

[Reader Rabbit]

16. I hate to tell you this, but a lot of Dems are helping them out.

The current teacher-bashing craze and education "reform," driven by groups like Democrats for Education Reform, is a perfect example.

[OHdem10]

5. Cutting and rewriting the pensions is all the talk at Fox.

[Omaha Steve]

6. Over a dozen states are trying to change their public labor laws

It is mostly R's that are pushing this. I'd post some more info but I'm headed to a basketball tournament. Tomorrow I'll get back on this. K&R!

Newt Gingrich on Public Employees

"… they're not going to be allowed to be the haves, while the taxpayers are the have-nots. They're not going to be allowed to have giant advantages in health plans, in pensions, in retirement age, in workload, and … pay while all the rest of us are working hard."

— Newt Gingrich, Fox News, November 19, 2010

[MindPilot]

13. I'd love to see the public workers be able to strike

Let these smug fuckers like Gingrich who have never gotten their hands dirty deal with piles of uncollected trash, backed up sewers and broken traffic lights.

I want a bumper sticker that says "if you are on a road smooth enough to read this...thank a city worker."

[WCGreen]

19. So he wants us all to be have nots...

[earth mom]

7. Yep-teachers, postal workers, public employees are under the gun-but from thugs AND DINOS.

:grr:

[xchrom]

8. It should be elected dems - without even thinking about it. Nt

[MindPilot]

10. Real common theme

Just got stuck in a conversation between a couple of co-workers. Everything that's wrong with California is directly attributable to the unions. Especially the city workers who get paid a fortune for doing nothing. Unemployment is high because unions have priced workers out of the market, and the guy from Austin says that one of things that makes Texas so wonderful (as opposed to that radical leftist shithole, California) is that not only are you allowed to shoot someone who breaks into your house but the Texas state constitution bans unions.

Then the conversation turned to how the percentage of Californians who are criminals is the highest in the nation and if we were just allowed to shoot more people, it would be a crime-free paradise...like Texas.

At that moment I became profoundly grateful we were pulling into a parking space.

[gratuitous]

12. As Willie Sutton said, because that's where the money is

Well, not so much actual money as perceived money, and it's an easy sell to bash public employees. Nobody likes waiting in line at the DMV, and the perception is that it's all the fault of the clerk behind the counter rather than a shortage of clerks who could be staffing the counter.

The problem Republicans have in fighting against public employees is their unions. When you have a union, you and your co-workers get to bargain collectively with the boss, and you have more clout that way than if each individual employee had to meet with the boss and his attorneys to negotiate pay and benefits. Then, when an agreement is reached, rather than just relying on a handshake and everyone's presumed good will, the agreement is put in writing and you have a contract, whose provisions can be enforced in a court of law.

Even Republicans have trouble just unilaterally breaking written contracts, and they recognize the power of a written contract. The solution? Break the states financially, allow them to declare bankruptcy, and void their contracts, including their contracts with their employees. Especially the contracts with their employees. These hard nubs of organized labor unions must be worn down if we're going to get back to that feudal paradise where the haves can treat the serfs no better than they deserve.

[JustABozoOnThisBus]

14. It's only goal #2. "getting" Obama is #1. nt.

[WinkyDink]

17. My personal experience in a teachers' union: MANY teachers sided with Admin. AKA: Brown-nosers who

wanted eventually to MOVE INTO Administration.
Also, too many lived in the same town, and didn't like it when, and I quote, "I have to face the cashiers at the grocery store."