George Rebane
The Republican instigated, public service union sponsored imbroglio in Wisconsin continues to roil. The left spreads itself as the protector of workers’ rights and defender of America’s middle class, the right attempts the logic of ‘this can’t go on’ and sides with the country’s taxpayers. I think the left is getting the better of it, again because their message is simpler and it takes the attention off the issue at hand.
A good example of this is the above cartoon by RL ‘Bob’ Crabb that appeared in the 26feb11 Union. (Bob is a friend and RR reader who lets me use his work to make various points.) Here we see an obviously overworked and underpaid teacher, hopelessly harried in her classroom of unappreciative brats while on her desk sits another little darlin’ delivering a scorching accusation that is clearly over the top. The strong message is that the unionized teacher is the misunderstood victim of an unjust attack by the right.
The country’s lamestream media are not showing videos of the union thuggery that is taking place in Madison and other demonstration venues. It seems that only Fox News has the guts to show how public service unions are responding to the compensation cutbacks and attempts to roll back their collective bargaining rights under current laws. The workings and impact of such collective bargaining rights have been covered here and elsewhere. They have been the bane of bulging the public purse beyond any capacity to replenish it.
From the 1mar11 WSJ we are again reminded that collective bargaining for public service unions was opposed not only by the conservatives, but also by liberal leaders from FDR through Fiorello LaGuardia to private sector union chiefs like George Meany. Why was that?
Because unlike in the private economy, a public union has a natural monopoly over government services. An industrial union will fight for a greater share of corporate profits, but it also knows that a business must make profits or it will move or shut down. The union chief for teachers, transit workers or firemen knows that the city is not going to close the schools, buses or firehouses.
This monopoly power, in turn, gives public unions inordinate sway over elected officials. The money they collect from member dues helps to elect politicians who are then supposed to represent the taxpayers during the next round of collective bargaining. In effect union representatives sit on both sides of the bargaining table, with no one sitting in for taxpayers. (more here)
If you want to verify any of this for yourself, go talk to your local politician about who and how they represent you as the taxpayer in these negotiations.
rebanesruminations.com 
Leave a comment