Why All The Uproar? Just Follow The Money ...

Let's face it.  With all the laws in place to protect the ordinary joe in the workplace, why are their protests about limiting collective bargaining popping up around the nation?

In Wisconsin, here are the basics.  The new bill would do the following:

• Increase employee contributions to health insurance and pensions.
• Limit collective bargaining to wages only.
• Wage increases can go no higher than the inflationary rate.
• Remove mandatory union membership.
• Stop the state from garnishing employee wages for union membership fees.
• Allow the employees to vote every year to either keep the union or remove the union.

Is that really so bad?  That government employees have to pay 12% towards there health insurance?  5% towards their pensions?  Limit annual pay raises to keep the state budget in line?  Give employees a choice to keep an extra $1000 in union fees or voluntarily give it to the unions?  Let the employees choose whether or not to keep their own union?

Sounds like it's a balance of paying a little more towards very generous benefits and giving working class people a choice.

Why the protesters?  Out of the 300,000 government employees, about 10% showed up to protest.  Not really a huge number.  If the bill was that bad, don't you think there would have been a greater turn out?  And out of those 30,000 protesters, how many were bused in by SEIU and Obama?

Do the protesters even know what they are protesting against?


How about the union leadership?  That ones easy.  Most people don't want to belong to a union.  If they take away mandatory membership and wage garnishing, the union will die very quickly.  They know it.

The 14 'fleebaggers' that fled to Illinois?  20% of their campaign funds came from the unions.  If the unions aren't there, chances are, they won't be reelected.

Why did Obama get involved?

Public Unions & Collective Bargaining

What's the point?  Unions at one time were useful.  But everything that unions fought for have turned into federal and state law.  So really, besides shifting the power from management to the employees, what is the purpose of a union?

Higher Wages?  From a government entity?  Why?  Your 'workers rights'?

It's easy.  Here's the company, the position, your responsibilities.  They tell you what they are willing to pay you, your benefits, vacation time, etc.  Your workers rights are simple - accept the job or decline the job.

So what happens when your financial situation changes and you need more money?  Is it fair to break your contract with the organization that hired you through collective bargaining?  Is that what you call your 'workers rights'?

Here are your rights as a citizen.  You can talk to your boss and ask for a raise, or even some overtime to help you out.  If you don't get what you want, you can either keep your job at your previously agreed to compensation, or quit and find another job that meets your new financial obligations.

Disagree?