Collective bargaining laws up for discussion

Hey start talking Unions and the loony Union guys come out of the woodwork.  Hey I have no problem honoring the current contract.  I say just start laying off police and fire as was men toned elsewhere on here.  Stop picking on the little guy to support the Public Safety unions.

Irisner- I have a question for you. I'm not trying to be argumentative. Just trying to learn something from a union person as I have never worked in a union environment before.

Question: (please don't answer if this gets too personal- I understand)

You obviously have health, dental, probably vision and some type of retirement package, do you not? If so, what is your contribution to these programs out of your wages in percentage? If your answer is that I don't contribute anything, it is all paid for by my employer, you are already light years ahead of most of us. We are asked to contribute more as time goes by to our dental, health, vision premiums and some employers have cut way back on the amount of money they are plowing into ones retirement. That means, if we are going to have a decent 401K at the end of our working days, we will need to have more and more deducted from our pay to make up for what the employer use to put in...if we can afford to do so. Most can't as the wages aren't that terrific to dedicate a large portion to one's retirement.

Question: Have you ever had a year when you got no raise? How about a .5% raise? 1% anytime? I have on several occasions during my 40+ years of working. Just the way it is in a non-union environment and there's no one to go to to "air a grievance" or bargain. You take it and go on because there is no one to listen to your dissatisfaction. OR, do the union folks usually....always get a 3 percenter every year like clockwork that is based on contract negotiations BEFORE the work is actually done rather than on contributions or merit for the year based on work that has BEEN DONE?

Thanks, in advance, for your input if you choose to participate.

Good points Vet.  Don't forget the de facto age discrimination in the private sector.  Let's say your hope was to save a max amount in your 401k for your final 10 working years.  Then how about getting laid off at 55 or 60 and trying to find the same work at similar pay.  Good luck!  So not only lose a job and end up taking one at lower pay, but now you can't catch up on your retirement savings.  All while people like Irisner, the pot bellied cops getting Twinkies at Speedway, or the cop at the library who is half-asleep all day don't have to worry about age discrimination or the ravages of the economy.  No no.  Heck, they can't wait to get older because that's when the gravy train really starts!  Maxing out the overtime so that their final pension figures get boosted.  Happily counting down the weeks and months to retirement with no fear of downsizing....let alone no fear of working hard.  Hell, that's for the young bucks on the force.  Don't you see, a job is an ENTITLEMENT and a RIGHT according to people like AJ.  He's learned well in the 4 years he's had a driver's license that once hired, never fired.  Heads, union guy wins, tails we all lose.

I am glad that council is taking up this resolution (even if it has no real impact).  The unions have expressed their opinion, now the city government can express its opinion.  I applaud Laubach for taking this up and being willing to make a public point about the issue.   

I really get upset when I hear some of the retired GM employees upset they now pay insurance premiums.  They were supposed to have free insurance.  They also get a Christmas bonus every year - but then I see another family member that did not make it to retirement with GM because they closed down.  Now they work a part - time job barely making it.  I work harder now and make 10k a year less - no bonus.  Unions have really hurt alot of people.  Reality is the economy can not afford to pay increases. 

It appears Smith has removed his little union Diatribe on Facebook, either than or I am over looking it.

VietVet wrote: Irisner- I have a question for you. I'm not trying to be argumentative. Just trying to learn something from a union person as I have never worked in a union environment before. Question: (please don't answer if this gets too personal- I understand) You obviously have health, dental, probably vision and some type of retirement package, do you not? If so, what is your contribution to these programs out of your wages in percentage? If your answer is that I don't contribute anything, it is all paid for by my employer, you are already light years ahead of most of us. We are asked to contribute more as time goes by to our dental, health, vision premiums and some employers have cut way back on the amount of money they are plowing into ones retirement. That means, if we are going to have a decent 401K at the end of our working days, we will need to have more and more deducted from our pay to make up for what the employer use to put in...if we can afford to do so. Most can't as the wages aren't that terrific to dedicate a large portion to one's retirement. Question: Have you ever had a year when you got no raise? How about a .5% raise? 1% anytime? I have on several occasions during my 40+ years of working. Just the way it is in a non-union environment and there's no one to go to to "air a grievance" or bargain. You take it and go on because there is no one to listen to your dissatisfaction. OR, do the union folks usually....always get a 3 percenter every year like clockwork that is based on contract negotiations BEFORE the work is actually done rather than on contributions or merit for the year based on work that has BEEN DONE? Thanks, in advance, for your input if you choose to participate.

Mr. Hoffa States,

After listening to the threats by these Union Thugs I say just start the layoffs.  The unions understand one thing layoffs. Personally I found the innuendos and talking down to Mr. Laubach, the name calling and threats despicable by those, all of whom were Union members, most who do not live in Middletown, don't pay the taxes in Middletown, can't vote in Middletown, don't support Middletown in anyway and are only in this for the support of unions.

Can't wait for the movie on TV Middletown wasteful, Who did the namecalling, what did they say and how was it answered? Threats? As in personal threats at a public meeting? Need to watch one's mouth when it's public.

Did the union boys win or is it "to be continued"?

VietVet wrote: Irisner- I have a question for you. I'm not trying to be argumentative. Just trying to learn something from a union person as I have never worked in a union environment before. Question: (please don't answer if this gets too personal- I understand) You obviously have health, dental, probably vision and some type of retirement package, do you not? If so, what is your contribution to these programs out of your wages in percentage? If your answer is that I don't contribute anything, it is all paid for by my employer, you are already light years ahead of most of us. We are asked to contribute more as time goes by to our dental, health, vision premiums and some employers have cut way back on the amount of money they are plowing into ones retirement. That means, if we are going to have a decent 401K at the end of our working days, we will need to have more and more deducted from our pay to make up for what the employer use to put in...if we can afford to do so. Most can't as the wages aren't that terrific to dedicate a large portion to one's retirement. Question: Have you ever had a year when you got no raise? How about a .5% raise? 1% anytime? I have on several occasions during my 40+ years of working. Just the way it is in a non-union environment and there's no one to go to to "air a grievance" or bargain. You take it and go on because there is no one to listen to your dissatisfaction. OR, do the union folks usually....always get a 3 percenter every year like clockwork that is based on contract negotiations BEFORE the work is actually done rather than on contributions or merit for the year based on work that has BEEN DONE? Thanks, in advance, for your input if you choose to participate.

Thank you for asking. You show some class by asking a liget question. In all honesty, most on here just want what they want and will justify their position by any means.

Mr Nagy, you could not be more wrong. You have always seemed to be reasonable and I will assume your comments here are for being uninformed. MOST on this site are uniformed on Labor matters. Wasteful and Pacman are so out of the info loop, they might as well be 1st Graders trying to do Astro Physics.

As to the question of what I contributed from my pay. Nothing because it was a non-contributory Plan. That is something laid out by Law. It means that the Employer pays on the behalf of the Employee. Now, if you all will put your thinking caps on and forget the angry emotion you usually use to decide an issue, you will remember in Economics, the TOTAL Labor cost is what matters. If an Employer is paying x number of dollars on an Employee's behalf, guess what? The employee has LESS chance of greater raises because of that existing cost.

I tried to educate some before about total labor cost but they only want to hear what they want to hear.

Who cares if the employer pays or the employee makes MORE in pay and pays the bens themselves. What difference does it make? NONE!

As to the AK reference, you probably STILL think it was strike. Many do and are stupid for doing so. Do you know ANYTHING about the issue. Obviously not, or you would not have made the reference.

The jist of this issue is the fact that labor laws have systematically been altered in the past 25 years to be very unfair to the Worker. Companies now get better Deals with their Unions now because they can be UNFAIR. This is about the City not liking the fact the fact that disputes are decided by an Abitor and they do not have the same option of unfairness to use against the Union the way the Private Sector does.

Also, have I never had a raise? Hell yes, many Contracts. We gave BACK on one Contract and Waived raises on two others. One of the raises waived Contracts was in trade for Pension Contributions.

DUH! So I have never contributed? I have contributed a lot!