Help Me Out: Collective Bargaining and Walker

[SamSpade]

I can't find a subjective explanation of exactly what it is he wants - only the accusations of his detractors, which frankly, isn't very helpful and is ripe with speculation and insults.

I can see the concern over the financial end of the disagreement - public union workers want to keep benefits that are better than everyone else's that everyone else PAYS for in a time of budget deficits and a bad economy.

Even the unions at some point, concede that it is over the top and that it is really Walker's attempts to quash collective bargaining rights they principally object to.

When thus phrased, a USA Today poll finds that most Americans support the union's right to their collective bargaining rights, although I suspect almost none of them really know what the disagreement is over. Thus, the poll is suspect, because it posits the rights of one group against some person wanting to take them away.

What does he want? Can someone explain this part to me?

 

[Lenny]

I can't find a subjective explanation of exactly what it is he wants - only the accusations of his detractors, which frankly, isn't very helpful and is ripe with speculation and insults.

I can see the concern over the financial end of the disagreement - public union workers want to keep benefits that are better than everyone else's that everyone else PAYS for in a time of budget deficits and a bad economy.

Even the unions at some point, concede that it is over the top and that it is really Walker's attempts to quash collective bargaining rights they principally object to.

When thus phrased, a USA Today poll finds that most Americans support the union's right to their collective bargaining rights, although I suspect almost none of them really know what the disagreement is over. Thus, the poll is suspect, because it posits the rights of one group against some person wanting to take them away.

What does he want? Can someone explain this part to me?

In every interview Walker has said that he expects the state employees to pay toward their individual retirement plans and their health benefit plans. Unions and democrats state they have already agreed to those parts of the plan. Walker also mentions the inability at the local level to maintain a budget when the public employees can strike and use other collective bargaining tools. He wants to remove the ability for unions to collectively bargain for benefits but not for wages. Unions retain their bargaining leverage for wages.

In addition to all this, Walker wants to (1) not have the state collect union dues from members and (2) require the unions to re-certify annually by allowing members to vote on whether to retain that union or totally ununionize (is that a word?).

 

[Ken King]

Here is a link to the bill.

 

[itsbob]

How much do they take every month for Union Dues from every employee?

And how much does the state want them to contribute to their benefits?

 

[Ken King]

How much do they take every month for Union Dues from every employee?

And how much does the state want them to contribute to their benefits?

Don't know about the dues, but the increase in benefit payment is 12.4% (5.8% for retirement and an additional 6.6% for health insurance).