Bill Gives Public Workers Clout

[Guest SUNTZU]

Action Looms on a Bargaining Bill - WSJ.com

The Senate is moving closer to passing legislation that would require states to grant public-safety employees, including police, firefighters and emergency medical workers, the right to collectively bargain over hours and wages.

The bill, known as the Public Safety Employer-Employee Cooperation Act, would mainly affect about 20 states that don't grant collective-bargaining rights statewide for public-safety workers or that prohibit such bargaining. State and municipal associations, as well as business groups, oppose it, saying it will lead to higher labor costs and taxes, at a time of budget deficits.

The bill, backed by at least six Republicans in the Senate, prohibits strikes and leaves to states' discretion whether to engage in collective bargaining in several areas, including health benefits and pensions.

If the legislation passes and states choose not to grant the minimum collective-bargaining rights outlined in the bill, the Federal Labor Relations Authority, which oversees labor-management relations for federal employees, would step in and implement collective-bargaining rights for these workers.

The House passed a version of the bill in 2007. If enacted, the legislation would be a significant victory for unions, which are smarting over the failure of Democrats to pass a separate, broader bill that would have made it easier for unions to organize workers, especially in the private sector, where union membership has been in decline for years.

The public-safety bargaining bill was first introduced in the mid-1990s. Union officials say they now have their best shot to pass it, but that time could run out if Democrats don't act soon and go on to lose several Senate seats in November

More public-sector workers belonged to a union than private-sector workers last year for the first time ever. The Senate bill was originally introduced in the current Congress by Sen. Judd Gregg (R., N.H.) and the late Sen. Edward Kennedy (D., Mass). In May, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D., Nev.) tried to attach the bill to a $59 billion supplemental disaster-relief and war-spending bill that ultimately passed. Jim Manley, a spokesman for Mr. Reid, said that effort failed because of procedural reasons. "It's a possibility…in the next couple of weeks," it could advance as a freestanding bill or an amendment to another bill, he said.

[Guest 6.8 AR]

There's a bit of Andy Stern in the government for you. Another nail in the coffin.

[Guest SUNTZU]

Remember.

Vote.

[Mike.357]

Remember.

Vote.

for who, in what election?

Unless there is someone new running they are all pretty much the same.

Don't know what to do that really matters.

[Guest 6.8 AR]

The last time I checked, there were very few republicans that were pro union, Mike.

Just a few New England types of RINO's and I'm really surprized Judd Gregg would

sponsor this. Disappointing!

[Guest SUNTZU]

for who, in what election?

Unless there is someone new running they are all pretty much the same.

Don't know what to do that really matters.

Yeah, I guess we should just say **** it. Research, in ALL elections, and then vote. No need to follow the crowd, running hither and yon like a frightened school of fish. Soap box, ballot box, jury box.

[Mike.357]

not argueing Daniel, just asking.

Around here, especially in my congressional district the republican wins every time. Not even any question in the matter.

I am gonna vote, but I am not gonna vote for an incumbent.

[Guest 6.8 AR]

What if the incumbent is the better choice in the race? Sometimes it does boil down

to the lesser of two evils, unfortunately.

[Mike.357]

it does boil down

to the lesser of two evils, unfortunately

IMHO that is what causes the public to turn off and tune out.

It's time for a change. ( not meant to steal the annointed one's line.)

[Guest 6.8 AR]

Everything can't be fixed overnight and some things have to be on the back burner for a while. The Tea Party crowd has been doing a little bit of what you and I don't like. It

might be time for some of that in Knoxville to root out some of the old stuff and infuse

some new blood into the system. Don't you think? But it does take time and energy.

Beats a bad choice.

[Guest 70below]

I haven't read much about this bill as I've not researched it and its true expected impact, but I know back home, public safety employees have collective bargaining rights, but it doesn't amount to much. Without the right to strike, it makes a pretty weak union. More than anything it amounts to an open forum for discussions. More often than not, our "representatives" in the union, gave up things we wanted, for things that were irrelevant.

[Guest SUNTZU]

not argueing Daniel, just asking.

Around here, especially in my congressional district the republican wins every time. Not even any question in the matter.

I am gonna vote, but I am not gonna vote for an incumbent.

Sorry Mike, I typed up a long response. Then edited it. Then retyped, then edited it. So I finally came across as an asshat. Sorry man. I just really, really, really ****ing. HATE. UNIONS. All governments already spend all of their money so that they can request more for the next year. Now they want to plug an IV into that bloated tick because its not god damn big enough for them. And we got DOUCHELORDS on both sides going, "BIGGER GOVERNMENT?! **** YEAH!!! :rock:"

I don't know about you but there are days I feel like going Clockwork Orange on some of these stupid sumbitches.

[Mike.357]

Daniel this is the best I can come up with, it will be familar to you.

Pain or damage don't end the world. Or despair or ****ing beatings. The world ends when you're dead. Until then, you got more punishment in store. Stand it like a man... and give some back.

and there is this to cheer you up

[Guest 70below]

That's the big toilet flushing sound that goes along with this bill. Personally I don't give a if the public safety workers have the right to unionize or not, for me, its more of an issue of the federal gov't trampling on states rights, and more control the federal gov't has over states affairs.

[Guest 6.8 AR]

Sorry Mike, I typed up a long response. Then edited it. Then retyped, then edited it. So I finally came across as an asshat. Sorry man. I just really, really, really ****ing. HATE. UNIONS. All governments already spend all of their money so that they can request more for the next year. Now they want to plug an IV into that bloated tick because its not god damn big enough for them. And we got DOUCHELORDS on both sides going, "BIGGER GOVERNMENT?! **** YEAH!!! :rock:"

I don't know about you but there are days I feel like going Clockwork Orange on some of these stupid sumbitches.

Although I've been criticized about my views concerning unions, you hit the nail on the head, SUNTZU. My sentiments, exactly.

[mikegideon]

What if the incumbent is the better choice in the race? Sometimes it does boil down

to the lesser of two evils, unfortunately.

Almost always

[Guest 70below]

Clockwork Orange on some of these stupid sumbitches.

[Guest 6.8 AR]

Almost always

Unfortunate, isn't it. There does need to be some new conservative blood

flowing. Well, both sides could stand a transfusion.

[mikegideon]

Unfortunate, isn't it. There does need to be some new conservative blood

flowing. Well, both sides could stand a transfusion.

Conservative blood is good, if it doesn't get corrupted the minute it walks in the door. I watched a few minutes of the BP hearings, and just felt like beating the crap out of all of them (repubs and dem). They were way to busy with their own self serving or party BS to spend much time on the issues. Worthless pieces of

[Mark@Sea]

What are you saying, the issue wasn't how big a slush fund they could extort? Or ignoring the fact that there are plenty of easier/safer places to drill, if there weren't a political party standing in the way?

Bread and circuses. Needs to meet tar and feathers.

Thanks for the music, Mike.

[Guest 6.8 AR]

I watched some of the hearings, enough of it to wish Tony Hayward would have done what I suggested in an earlier post. They were grilling him for no productive reason,

except their own political expediency. He should have gotten up and excused himself,

like the big three car CEOs should have done during their inquisition.

All they did was remind me more of characters in a book written 53 years ago, warning

of this tripe and stupidity.

[mikegideon]

What are you saying, the issue wasn't how big a slush fund they could extort? Or ignoring the fact that there are plenty of easier/safer places to drill, if there weren't a political party standing in the way?

Bread and circuses. Needs to meet tar and feathers.

Thanks for the music, Mike.

Believe what you want, Mark. Without an escrow acount, the people of the Gulf would have been screwed again. No wait... WE would have been screwed again, because the money would have come out of our pockets.

[Garufa]

What does government sanctioned unions have do with the BP destruction of the Gulf debacle?

[mikegideon]

I watched some of the hearings, enough of it to wish Tony Hayward would have done what I suggested in an earlier post. They were grilling him for no productive reason,

except their own political expediency. He should have gotten up and excused himself,

like the big three car CEOs should have done during their inquisition.

All they did was remind me more of characters in a book written 53 years ago, warning

of this tripe and stupidity.

Yes, they were. It was a bigass dog and pony show.

[mikegideon]

What does government sanctioned unions have do with the BP destruction of the Gulf debacle?

My bad. I'm out.