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How government unions rip off the taxpayer.

Discussion in 'Political Debate & Discussion' started by carpro, Sep 22, 2011.

  1. carpro

    carpro Well-Known Member
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    http://online.wsj.com/article/SB100...2113572.html?mod=WSJ_Opinion_MIDDLETopOpinion

    The Five Million Dollar Man

    How government unions rip off the taxpayer.

    By JAMES TARANTO
    In his Labor Day speech in Detroit, Barack Obama issued a ringing endorsement of government employee unions:

    From the president's hometown comes an example of what he is actually supporting. The Chicago Tribune reports that an investigation it conducted with WGN-TV found "23 retired union officials from Chicago stand to collect about $56 million from two ailing city pension funds."
     
  2. Bob Alkire

    Bob Alkire New Member

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    Good read, an eye opener for some. So no one wants to take credit for getting this put into law? It is a sad deal.
     
  3. billwald

    billwald New Member

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    In the bad old days all government jobs were political appointments. For example, when a different party one the presidency all the local postmasters were fired and new people from the new party were appointed. But this went right down to the police, fire fighters, and the guy who cleaned the bathrooms in city hall.

    Civil service was devised to replace this political situation. In the beginning, civil service jobs paid less than the going wage for the equivalent job on the outside. The job security was worth the trade off in wages. I suspect this is still true in scab states.

    If you control for (ignore) top grade administration benefits, this is still true in most federal jobs. The lower pay grades are lower than prevailing wages. For example, when my kid went from the Washington State Patrol to the US Secret Service he took a big cut in wages and retirement benefits. (The job is much more interesting)

    Some union states have passed ordinances which makes union scale the minimum government wage. If you are not making union scale, the obvious solution is to organize or join a union.

    Some jobs such as police officer in large cities seem out of line but job requirements shrink the available labor pool. I would not want any of my kids or grandkids to sign on with the Seattle PD if First Grade Patrolman paid $100K.
     
  4. carpro

    carpro Well-Known Member
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    We have now heard the feckless and totally ridiculous explanation from our chief defender of union corruption.

    Who woulda thought it?:laugh:
     
  5. billwald

    billwald New Member

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    Your intelligent explanation is?
     
  6. Robert Snow

    Robert Snow New Member

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    Carpro knows nothing about intelligent responses. He gets his from Limbaugh. Just listen to Rush and then watch what Carpro posts. He is a good little dittohead!
     
  7. carpro

    carpro Well-Known Member
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    For union corruption?

    Greed and power, both of which you defend and excuse.
     
  8. carpro

    carpro Well-Known Member
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    Simply not worth a response.
     
  9. righteousdude2

    righteousdude2 Well-Known Member
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    Great Post, Trouble is....

    ....we don't have enough room (memory) on this board to list the ways we are being ripped off!
     
  10. Robert Snow

    Robert Snow New Member

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    Yet you responded.
     
  11. billwald

    billwald New Member

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    I was always happy to pay my union dues and so was most everyone else. When I was working I think 2 people out of 1000 opted out of union membership
     
  12. carpro

    carpro Well-Known Member
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    Never in history have 2 out of a thousand people opted for union membership.

    It would be much closer to the truth to say the reverse.
     
  13. carpro

    carpro Well-Known Member
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    Never in history have only 2 out of a thousand people opted out of union membership.

    It would be much closer to the truth to say the reverse.
     
  14. targus

    targus New Member

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    My wife tried for two years to exercise the option to not have the portion of the dues that goes for political contributions deducted from her paycheck.

    She submitted the required forms four times - and what do you know - each time they got lost at the union office !!!

    Imagine the odds of something like that happening four times. :laugh:
     
  15. Robert Snow

    Robert Snow New Member

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    I guess your wife just wants to get the benefits without paying. Is this how you are too?
     
  16. targus

    targus New Member

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    You really should read with some minimal degree of care. :rolleyes:

    She was attempting to exercise her right under the contract to not have deducted from her check the portion of the dues which the union uses for political purposes.

    Her particular union uses the money to support Democrats only.

    BTW - as a union guy, why did you buy a motorcycle made in Japan and not one made in the U.S.?

    I guess the rest of us are supposed to make financial decisions that keep unions working but union workers don't need to be bothered with the inconvenience of it.
     
  17. billwald

    billwald New Member

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    >Never in history have 2 out of a thousand people opted for union membership.

    I was referring to people working in union shops. People who are as learned in every subject as you are should understand the very basics of union law.
     
  18. Robert Snow

    Robert Snow New Member

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    You are correct, I misread. I see nothing wrong with what you wife is attempting to do, I apologize.

    As far as motorcycles are concerned. I wish that Harley Davidson made a bike that was a sport bike. It's not the American motorcycle industry that I avoid, I wouldn't buy a Japanese cruiser. I want a motorcycle that is not only fast, but more importantly, one that handles and stops well. It may be nice to rocket to 60 mph, but it's only fun. If you can't stop quickly enough, it could be game over!
     
  19. righteousdude2

    righteousdude2 Well-Known Member
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    Promotion Ended My Mandatory Union Dues....

    ....That's right! Mandatory Union dues. Everyone who worked for the State of California Department of Social Services had to contribute around thirty dollars a month to the union, or a charity of their choice. Either way, the money came out as automatically as tax and SSI/FICA.

    Is this any way to run a democracy?

    Once I was promoted to middle management, I had the option to join the management union, or keep my money.

    Duh? What should I do?? After a very short thought process, I elected to keep the money for myself, and never once regretted the decision.

    The union did nothing for me, including the one time (as a rank-and-file employee) I needed their help. My first supervisor had written me up and wanted to demote me one step.

    The union head told me to write a letter on the letter head they provided, send it to them to sign, and give it to my boss. Huh? Is this help??

    They didn't even show up at my case review. I wasn't demoted, and the discipline letter was removed from my file, but not because of the union. I fought the charges, represented myself at the review, and won.

    That was when I decided to transfer over my monthly union fees to the Boy Scouts (my chosen charity).

    In a nut shell! Unions are ripping off the union represented employee, and I don't believe they are relevant any longer.
     
  20. billwald

    billwald New Member

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    >Her particular union uses the money to support Democrats only.

    NOT true. The regular dues may not be used for political contributions. Unions have a separate voluntary taxable fund for political actions.

    Would your wife be willing to work for Wal-Mart wages and benefits if she didn't have to pay union dues? I suspect she is a person that Wal-Mart would be pleased to hire her.
     
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