quote:
Originally posted by seeweed:
The real problem is that the AEA is a Union and we have a Republican led state now.
It is the stated agenda of the Republican party nation wide to bust the unions.
As we speak, (or write on this forum) , the governor and state congress in the state of Wisconsin has a union-busting bill . The people are rallieing in the streets and Democratic senators have left the state so that a quarm cannon exist for the vote. *BTW, where is the news paper or TV news not reporting on this, last report I heard was that there were 35999 citizens protesting in the streets of Madison, and our right-wing newspaper says not a word.
The gov of Ohio is waiting in the wings to do the same in Ohio, as he has stated, and even went so far as to show his distain for state workers by referring to a police officer as an idiot, 3 times in one meeting, for which he later apologized.
The gov of NJ is also waging war on Unions , as is the gov of Tn, and now it is apparently coming to Al.
You folks wanted Republican rule, well now you got it- in the words of John Bohener-"so be it".
Respectfully seeweed,
here is the problem with this argument. All of these Unions, particularly those with defined pension plans, which most of these state unions have, are not properly funded and driving the states to bankruptcy. In California we have state employees drawing 6 figure salaries, while the state coffers are running on empty. Alabama's is no different. In the Wisconsin fiasco, the governor when elected told the Union that they had a choice, they could either lose some of their benefits or lose some of the teachers. They chose to pay more for insurance and have to support some of their retirement, while there was no lose in the workforce. Now that those rules are in place, they are complaining and calling in sick. If the governor would pull a ATC-Reagan move, fire the teachers who are causing the work stoppage, and give those jobs to freshly graduated teachers, it would serve them right.
The problem in Alabama is that Paul Hubbert has kept his claws in the legislators for too long. He pushed his weight around, and told them what they could and could not do. There is no such thing as a free lunch, and now the rooster has come home. Many of these legislators are finding that they have plenty of people on their side who are tired of hearing the call for more taxes and more money for the AEA. The teachers are paid well when you consider the retirement plans and health insurance benfits which they have, as well as the work schedule. I am sure there are many who will happily take those jobs if they are willing to give them up.
I for one do not think that we should be paying someone in Montgomery to collect and then forward the dues collected for the AEA, or any other union. If we want fiscal responsibility from our government it should be fairly distributed and implemented.