Apparently beggars can be choosers…
September 23, 2009
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Posted by Michael S. Langston
With the state of Missouri’s recent fiscal problems and a 9.4% unemployment rate, the state worker’s union has decided now is the time to act.
Questions for the unions: Is it time to cut back? Become more lean? Follow the rest of private industry and cut back as revenue growth loses momentum?
Union’s answer: Surely ye jest! We’re the union & the time is ripe for a pay raise!
That’s correct. As the entire state population spends less money to try to tread water in these tight times, the unions apparently believe they are in prime position to negotiate:
…The union has proposed a 6 percent annual pay raise for the next three years and a “fair share” fee for nonunion members who are covered by union-negotiated contracts. The negations are over a contract for patient care support workers that expired in June and one for craft and maintenance employees that expired in December.
But wait! Ask them nicely and they’ll tell you that they only have the best of intentions:
Curt Ostrander, the union’s chief negotiator, told The Associated Press that the union’s priority is protect state workers, address staff shortages and help people do their jobs better. He described discussions with the state thus far as “cooperative,” and said the two sides are trying to find ways to be more efficient to save money and solve problems.
“Our top priorities are to provide a contract that gives workers the necessary protection in order for them to perform their jobs in a safe, effective manner and to provide state services,” Ostrander said….
For those MBA’s out there – please note the very sound logic incorporated in “address staff shortages and become more efficient to save money” while simultaneously asking for a 6% raise for the next 3 years during a recession.
The audacity it takes to ask the tax payers of this state to pony up 6% annual raises, while many in the state can’t or won’t get a raise at all this year, is pompous and arrogant.
This combined with them selling the money grab as something that will reduce costs, while increasing staff, is completely disingenuous.
To be fair, this is an opening gambit and it’s not likely they’ll get everything (though the governor is pro-union), but if we continue to allow our elected leaders and unelected leaders (read: special interests) to operate within side the quiet world of doublespeak without so much as a whimper of an objection, then we surely are going to get exactly what we deserve.
Read all about government wages versus free market wages in The Great Recession here
Categories: Business, Critical Thinking, Economics, Political Philosophy
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Tags: Arrogance, Business, Corruption, Critical Thinking, Doublespeak, Economics, Government Services, idiocy, Logical Inconsistency, Political Philosophy, Politics, raises, state workers, Statism, taxpayers, Unemployment, Unions
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