Is it time to restore collective bargaining rights for federal employees?

[Incorruptible]

NO, No unions or strikes for these guys, what we need is LESS of them

 

[a777pilot]

Unions should not be tax exempt AND be allowed to be active in politics.

I did not know that. Unions are tax exempt?

 

[dabuddha]

Government workers work for the taxpayers, i.e., the people. The people elect these workers "bosses" so if the workers have unions and those unions are involved in politics it gives way too much power to those unions with regard to wages and benefits. So I opine that there ought be no unions with collective bargaining and political activities for government workers. The taxpayers only have the vote, so that ought be sufficient for the workers.

Private sector unions are just fine. Want to be in a union? Work in the private sector.

That's an extremely over simplified way to look at it. The "bosses" that are elected don't have anything to do with the actual hiring of any of the workers.

 

[Lithium381]

any employment the government offers should be ESSENTIAL. therefore if someone chooses to walk out on their job, it must be replaced immediately. that and the unions make political contributions to the same people that have to sit across from them at the bargaining table . ..

 

[Throckmorton]

Government workers work for the taxpayers, i.e., the people. The people elect these workers "bosses" so if the workers have unions and those unions are involved in politics it gives way too much power to those unions with regard to wages and benefits. So I opine that there ought be no unions with collective bargaining and political activities for government workers. The taxpayers only have the vote, so that ought be sufficient for the workers.

Private sector unions are just fine. Want to be in a union? Work in the private sector.

Huh? Why do you think the "bosses" (actually the legislature and executive branch) have government workers' best interest at heart? That makes no sense. Like any employer, they want to get the most work for the least money from its workers.

What do you think happens during union negotiations with local governments? We already saw pay freezes and furloughs, and some even had pay cuts. That's WITH unions.

 

[JimKiler]

Huh? Why do you think the "bosses" (actually the legislature and executive branch) have government workers' best interest at heart? That makes no sense. Like any employer, they want to get the most work for the least money from its workers.

What do you think happens during union negotiations with local governments? We already saw pay freezes and furloughs, and some even had pay cuts. That's WITH unions.

Because no one in the private sector took pay cuts, it is only public sector employees. I am being sarcastic.

 

[Smoblikat]

No its not time. That means that they can just stop working and demand as much money as they want. While the rest of us get screwed over due to lack of necessary services.

 

[1prophet]

Because it's working out so well for the Postal Service?

Actually it's the management that is a problem in the Post Office, when you have managers who get their positions by the buddy system and are actually incompetent,

they then try to hide their incompetence through threats and intimidation by telling the postal workers things like you can get fired if you trip and fall during mail delivery, hiding mail during mandatory counts, telling employees they are required to use their own cars when shorthanded and providing minimal reimbursement, etc.

Unions still have their place because the lone individual with few exceptions has a snowballs chance in hell when going against management regardless if they are right about a grievance.

 

[Fern]

Huh? Why do you think the "bosses" (actually the legislature and executive branch) have government workers' best interest at heart? That makes no sense. Like any employer, they want to get the most work for the least money from its workers.

What do you think happens during union negotiations with local governments? We already saw pay freezes and furloughs, and some even had pay cuts. That's WITH unions.

Because govt employees vote.

In my experience it's pretty rare to see a politician run on reducing govt employees' salary or benefit. When one does it's rarer still that they get elected.

Fern

 

[Caminetto]

Unlike most of us government workers can’t go to their boss and ask for a raise. They are at the mercy and whim of politicians. Federal State and Local governments are run by politicians, their political appointees and the appointee’s cronies.
If any employment situation ever called for unionization, it is indeed the public sector!

 

[Throckmorton]

Because no one in the private sector took pay cuts, it is only public sector employees. I am being sarcastic.

I don't know anyone in the private sector who has taken a pay cut... What's more, government salaries are much lower. Do you know any private sector tech professionals taking home $2000/month, and then having that cut down to $1900/month?

 

[Infohawk]

Huh? Why do you think the "bosses" (actually the legislature and executive branch) have government workers' best interest at heart?

Because ultimately the bosses are the people. Just look at it in practice. Government workers almost always have cushier jobs. I'm not aware of any exodus from the public to the private sector.

 

[ussfletcher]

Collective bargaining rights are a fundamental right, no one is a slave. That said, however, you should not be legally protected from termination when you are participating in a strike.

 

[Throckmorton]

Because ultimately the bosses are the people. Just look at it in practice. Government workers almost always have cushier jobs. I'm not aware of any exodus from the public to the private sector.

Your bosses are always people, and they will pay you as little as possible. Cushy? Having to take a second job in addition to your full time government job is cushy?

 

[ussfletcher]

Because no one in the private sector took pay cuts, it is only public sector employees. I am being sarcastic.

Government wages are not higher than private sector wages for engineers. I can assure you this. Also, the benefits are not as good as they are cracked up to be.

 

[Infohawk]

Your bosses are always people, and they will pay you as little as possible.

Most pay rates aren't even directly set by supervisors... It's not like they make more profit if they pay you less. It's not a for-profit enterprise.