I was asked whether I would attend Tuesday's labor rally. No, this Governor is doing exactly what he said he would do. For people who voted for him to be opposed to this is a little surprising. These Republicans have made no secret in the desire to break the public employee unions and to balance the budget on the backs of the employees. Now they are doing it. That being said the other shoe drops on March 13 when the contract extension is canceled at which point without the protections afforded by the unions the Governor will be able to cut staff and salary at will.
The Governor always talks about a private sector equivalence. In the private sector the workers are currently paying more for benefits if they still have them as well as significant salary cuts to keep jobs. State employees should consider themselves fortunate for now. The Governor could do what many businesses do as they are going bankrupt and raid the pension fund. This would affect workers who are currently retired as well as those retiring in the future. Those who think that these benefits will be restored in the future are dreaming. The chance to stop this was the last election.
The rally makes for great theater but in the end is a wasted effort.
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