Washington Votes Forum

I hope the bill fails, quickly and resoundingly.  I view this as a breach of faith, an abandonment of obligation.  The state is the voice of the people and when the people bargain in good faith, reach an agreement, and give their word, they should honor their word, their promise, and their contracts.  To do otherwise is to dishonor each of us, and all of us.  It is an abandonment of the principles of capitalism in favor of despotism, the loss of virtue in the name of expedience; it is unAmerican.

Everyone should be ashamed--Republican, Democrat, conservative, liberal, Christian, and atheist alike.

I agree with fulfillment of contract obligation, but when the term of the contract is up and we re-enter negotiation, all bets are off.  What we previously agreed to is no more.  The negotiation for a new contract should not be predicated on meeting a negotiated  agreement at all.  If we don’t reach agreement with those doing the collective bargaining, it’s time to end the negotiation and start hiring employees on an non represented basis.  Take the example of “PATCO” and how it was determined that a union may not strike against the government.  Ronald Reagan, a past president of the movie industry union, ordered the workers back to work!

 

It seems to me that the circumstances today with nearly all the states in desperate economic condition are demanding of an “adjustment” if you will of our economic cost of doing government business.  Unions are the bargaining agent groups of employees need to gain a united voice at the bargaining table.  However, they have no business exercising political lobbying, (that’s not bargaining), nor directing the dues of employees to further a political agenda nor to support elected candidates or officials.  After all, they are paid to sit at a bargaining table for one purpose.  Not to influence legislatures nor the congress.