Let everyone fend for themselves!

Let everyone fend for themselves.

The biggest issue in Wisconsin and some other states is how to fix the state's budgetary crisis. The new governor in Wisconsin has decided that the state employees' unions are to blame. Many state employees don't contribute to their own pensions or to their health insurance premiums. So to balance the budget, he has proposed and has the backing of his party's (Republican) assembly and senate majorities to pass a bill to eliminate collective bargaining and turn the Wisconsin into a right to work state, which for unions is much more ominous than the title suggests.

Are unions obsolete? Are they not just money grubbers, who in the public sector, only feed on the taxpaying public? Who needs them? Some workers in the public arena, teachers, police, fire fighters, nurses, emergency medical technicians, social workers, clerks, secretaries, and a whole host of positions agree with this. Some are forced to pay a certain amount in dues to a union they don't want. When asked about this a couple of years ago by a new teacher, who did not like paying for union dues, I reminded him that the job he walked into with a pension, health insurance, optional life insurance, dental insurance, optional savings plans, sick days, relatively controlled working conditions, and protection from overbearing administrators was the result of years of sacrifice and hard work by the union and its members. We paid little of our health insurance because, in negotiations, we took less in salary (for many years, in fact). The benefit and salary package that he walked into was not the result of the school district being nice. They would love to pay less, not provide insurance or sick days or pension benefits, but by collective bargaining, this is there for all teachers, new or old.

Today

Most workers have benefited from unions whether they ever belonged to one or not. While I'm not going into the history of unions, take a look at one issue and debate that. We currently have a minimum wage law. This came about by the work of unions along with legislators. Should we keep that law? Why not let the market decide wages? If someone will only work for at least $10 an hour, they will have to compete with someone willing to work for $5 an hour. Let employers/companies put out a wage and see if anyone wants to work for that amount. If companies advertised that without that law (it could easily be repealed in today's climate), they are paying $5/hour would anyone come in and apply? If not, and they offered $6/hour, would anyone apply? At some point, the job market would define what salaries should be and it may be less than today's minimum wage. If a hired worker wanted more, they could be replaced with a lower salaried person, firings could be at the company's whim. Actually this could lead us back to the good old days--the late 1800's and early 1900's when companies had all the power, union organizers could be fired and violently removed from the company's gates. Seeking even cheaper workers, we could lower the working age. We have too many slackers wasting taxpayers' dollars in schools now. Let's put those little buggers to work!

No one is really suggesting that we go back to the days of child labor, crushing poverty, and lax labor laws. But, the elimination of collective bargaining is a start.

Do we really want everyone to fend for themselves? Ask someone who wants a union and is stopped at every turn by their company. Check out what Wal-mart has done where employees have attempted to start a union. They aren't the only ones.

Finally

Today in Madison, WI thousands of people are marching to stop the bill that would eliminate collective bargaining for public employees. Sadly, they are probably not going to succeed. This is the second day of marches to the capitol. Following yesterday's march and protest, Republican leaders announced that they had enough votes (from Republicans only) to pass this new legislation. This bill has caused enough concern, that enough teachers in Madison, did not go to work so they could join with thousands of others in protest, that the Madison school district closed for the day!

How to succeed:

The action by Madison teachers needs to be followed by ALL public employees. As has happened in other countries, the system needs to be shut down. The system is everything. ALL public employees need to demonstrate how needed they really are. What happens if many school districts close, if the employees that take care of government business stop doing that business. In France, buses, trains, airports, government offices and lots more got shut down. That made a difference.

Repercussions

Yes, there could be repercussions. Some will be docked pay for missing work. Some will call in sick (and be challenged). Some may lose their jobs or a promotion. But, look at what power the people have. In Egypt, the people showed power, in the early union movements in this country, the people showed power, in today's society, we are not powerless. We just need to act.

INDIVIDUAL ACTION CAUSES CHANGE

It is the only thing that does cause change.

Let's not all fend for ourselves.