Sound Politics: Solidarity Forever

May 04, 2005

Solidarity Forever

State workers in the Department of Retirement Systems have voted against the Washington Public Employees Association, ending the union's role at the agency unless an appeal is made this week.

The 169-person bargaining unit is the first of significant size to remove its union since a wave of anti-union efforts spread across state government over the last six months.

Six months? Interesting time reference. Apparently the captive members of the public sector unions are not as thrilled with the Democratic legislature and the stolen governorship as are the union bosses.

Posted by Stefan Sharkansky at May 04, 2005 11:14 AM | Email This

Comments

1. Govt unions don't serve non union citizens well. Through secretive negotiations out of the public eye, govt unions push for ever increasing benefits for govt. employees to be paid by citizens who don't enjoy those same benefits.

In the past several years in the private sector, increases in contributions for insurance coverage have been common. However, govt. employees have been artifically insulated from market forces with the help of govt. unions.

I was suprised to see that public records show that Clark County, City of Camas, and the local library have benefits that exceed those of many citizen taxpayers. For example, health, dental, vision, and life insurance is offered to local govt. employees who contribute little to nothing for coverage that includes the whole family (partners included).
On top of that, how many private companies offer a retirement system comparable to the state PERS program? If anybody reading has information on the PERS and typical retirement benefits, I'd be interested in seeing that. Another list I'd like to see is a complete list of all the government unions/associations. It would be staggering..

Some govt. agencies even pay the union and association dues for members! The govt. lobbyists far outnumber the citizens in Olympia. I've found good information at www.effwa.org about the unfair practices of govt. unions and associations in WA state, and encourage citizens to get informed about this costly industry whose prime objective seems to be the growth of govt. regardless of what citizens who pay for it want or can afford.

Posted by: Margaret on May 4, 2005 11:59 AM

2. Stefan,

As an intern with a state agency, I happen to know that many state employees are T'd off with the whole union extravaganza. They are sick and tired of the union doing jack, except using their fees to get hacks like Gregoire elected, who don't keep their promises.

Posted by: Patrick E. Bell on May 4, 2005 01:26 PM

3. I am not sure of your six month crack. It has nothing to do with the current administration and everything to do with the Union trying to pull a fast one over employees. I don't know the specifics for the agency in question, but I do know that the FED-UP movement in Ecology has very specific charges of Union bait-and-switch methods with its employees. The Ecology Union stated that union-security was going to be a seperate vote (seperate from whether employees wanted a union or not), but at the last minute pulled a fast one and made the vote for a union also implementing the union-security clause. Many employees were not informed of this change, and many didn't even get a chance to vote due to problems getting ballots out. Then, when the FED-UP organizers put up information flyers about their efforts, which is legal, union supporters pulled their flyers from bulletin boards in an effort to not allow them to get the word out. To top it off, in the Union newsletter, the Union claims it is totally above board and it is the FED-UP people who are twisting the rules.

Posted by: tc on May 4, 2005 04:59 PM

4. You mean the Lacosa Nostra will no longer be allowed?

Posted by: VCRW on May 4, 2005 07:56 PM