In the private sector, you may be able to argue that unions work to make sure that owners are allowing employees to share in the profits. Or that strikes and walkouts (without the threat of being fired) level the playing field and keep “greedy” owners from forcing employees to work in unhealthy environments.
But in the public sector, there is no greedy employer. There is no profit. In the public sector there is only a pool of money (our tax dollars) that gets divided up by elected officials in a way that they decide is best to provide the public services.
The “boss” gets elected every two or four years. The ballot box on election day is the collective bargaining tool for both the public employee and the employer (the taxpayer). Allowing public employees to force their will on elected officials nullifies what we as voters do on election day.
A majority of taxpayers elected John Kasich and the Republican majorities in the Statehouse based on the promises they campaigned on. If you don’t like what the new boss is doing, then work to vote him out next time.
Kyle Koehler
Springfield
Public workers didn’t cause budget crises
Public employees are not the enemy and have never asked for a handout, but are people who have dedicated their lives to serving the public and accepted lower wages to have decent benefits.
Rep. Ross McGregor has the right idea: “Unions should be at the table on talks of labor reform.”
If this is about attacking the budget deficit and not labor unions, then lawmakers should welcome the cost-cutting ideas of unions and public employees who have negotiated and accepted pay cuts, wage freezes, furlough days, increases in premium costs and changes to insurance plans.
Michael Bowshier
Springfield
Public, private sector should be equivalent
Some claim that governors of some states are anti-union. I don’t agree with this claim, but I do believe that employees in civil service should get wages and benefits equal to the private sector.
In the private sector, I received eight holidays per year, worked three years to be vested for three weeks vacation, was able to retire at age 62 with Social Security, purchase Medicare for $193 and gap-filler insurance for my wife and I for $500 per month, with zero drug coverage.
As a taxpayer, I feel government workers — my employees — deserve compensation equal to what I had in the private sector. No more, no less.
This is not anti- or pro-union. It is a fair way to treat taxpayers. We can no longer pay for the deluxe benefits public workers have been given for so long.
Albert H. Kunst
Springfield