It appears that I have “assumed” something that I should not have.
I assumed people were aware of the difference between “public” and “private” unions and that the “Wisconsin ” union battle was all about “public” unions and had nothing to do with “private” unions but here is where the confusion could have occurred…
It appears that all unions (private and public) joined forces to protest what specific state governors were trying to do which is to take control of their state budgets by limiting the expense of public unions in their state; something they cannot do to private unions. Since both types of union workers participated in the protests, people understandably were confused.
Private unions are those unions we are most familiar with such as the UAW (United Auto Workers) here in Michigan
Public unions are unions involved with government(s), federal, state or local. Their members work for organizations that are government owned, supported or regulated.
These types of unions were illegal until, of all states, Wisconsin
They were illegal for a reason and those reasons are even more valid today. These unions amassed members and money which gave them political power that they used to elect politicians that gave them what they wanted which is more money, more members and more clout.
To give the unions what they wanted, politicians would raise taxes. If they could not afford higher salaries, they gave more and more benefits to where the unions now are projected to have 105% more benefits than workers in the private sector. They have extended vacation and sick time, richer and richer pensions, medical insurance and above all, they have job security because it is practically impossible to fire anyone in those unions.
Economists call these unions “economic black holes” because taxpayers keep paying them more and more and getting less and less work out of them. We all have gone to a post office where the workers behind the desk could give a shit about your needs or your schedule; they were on their own time and fuck your time, cannot fire us so there and for many, many years that was the only way to send mail or mail packages so you were at their mercy.
When I was in the service I remember a phrase used often was “good enough for government work” or doing a half-ass job is OK if it is for the government because no one cares since everybody works for the government.
You hardly ever hear anything about public unions because they keep to themselves, negotiating contracts with politicians who are usually in their pocket while no one represents the taxpayers who pay the taxes that go to these unions in the form of wages and benefits.
Also, the unions are in total control of their workers and not the bureaucrats in charge of the departments they are suppose to run; the governor of Wisconsin said enough is enough, if I am responsible to the taxpayers then I must have the freedom to do what needs to be done.
You saw the thousands of unionists converge on Wisconsin
Fiscal reality has set in and now the public MUST be made to see what has been happening with their money all this time. I was shocked to see the facts; I too was naïve about what was really going on with the public unions and if we are to live within our means, those unions need to be controlled or eliminated.
What really boils my blood is the fact that these privileged workers that work ostensibly for us are paid so much more than us or have benefits so much greater than we have and why?
I hope that my feeble attempt at explaining the situation will clarify some things because I firmly believe that once people realize what exactly we are talking about, there is no rational way they would not agree with me unless they are actually members of a public union.
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