Great state of union (bashing) for workers around the country
By: Tom Deignan | Published Thursday, June 17, 2010, 6:55 PM | Updated Friday, September 9, 2011, 9:43 PM
When Michael Mulgrew became head of the United Federation of Teachers (UFT) this year, he was entering some uncharted territory. As Harold Myserson noted in an August 2009 article about the waning influence of the Irish in the labor movement, the ascension of the Irish American Mulgrew ended “a 50-year succession of Jewish UFT presidents.”
This Wednesday, June 16, Mulgrew turned up the heat in the UFT’s ongoing battle with
New York Mayor Mike Bloomberg by spearheading a rally against education cuts at City Hall.
Mulgrew’s rise to the top of the UFT came around the same time Mary Kay Henry was named leader of the West Coast-based Service Employees International Union (SEIU), which represents over two million workers.
Henry, 52, was described by the
Los Angeles Times as “the eldest girl among 10 siblings in an Irish-Catholic family in suburban
Detroit.”
So if, as Harold Myerson suggested, Irish influence in organized labor is dwindling, it’s not going away anytime soon.
There’s one catch, however. These jobs might as well come with a bull’s eye, because unions have become a handy target for angry people and politicians in recent months.
Full disclosure -- I am a member of the UFT. So naturally, I am a little sensitive about some of the criticism aimed at
New York City teachers by Bloomberg and schools chancellor Joel Klein.
I should add, though, that no one is more frustrated by ineffective teachers than teachers themselves. So it’s not that the UFT is above criticism.
The bigger problem is that, in tough economic times, members of nearly any union have come to be viewed as members of an elite class who are paid lavishly while doing little work.
An article in this past Sunday’s
New York Post explored the “long lines” of applicant’s seeking the “cushiest gigs” at a number of local unions. These jobs included spots at Local 246 of the aforementioned SEIU, which represents auto mechanics. There were also applicants seeking jobs with Ironworkers Local 361.
Boy, talk about cushy gigs! What could be easier than learning how an automobile functions from top to bottom and getting the thing fixed.
Or how about those ironworkers! All they have to do from time to time is slice steel with a flaming torch, often several thousand feet above the bustling streets.
I remember less than a month after 9/11 talking to Jack Doyle, head of the heavily-Irish Ironworkers Local 40. Doyle had actually helped build the Twin Towers in the early 1970s, and was vowing to help build again at Ground Zero.
But only after the ironworkers completed the very dangerous task of clearing out the debris. What a cushy gig!
The king of union bashing these days is
New Jersey Governor Chris Christie. His stump speech for a long time was that
New Jersey has “two classes” of citizens, -- “those who enjoy rich public benefits and those who pay for them."
Wow. We’ve certainly come a long way.
In the past, thundering populists and brainy prophets have warned that
America was indeed split into two societies -- black vs. white, or the obscenely rich vs. the desperately poor.
Now, according to Christie, the only thing we have to worry about are the folks who dare to have a pension and a little stability. It seems to me we might want to work to get that for more people, not fewer.
Look, I understand that state governments are going broke. Taxpayers have a right to know their money is being invested in sound, productive employees. Unions should roll up their sleeves and help produce solutions.
But there is an ugly side to this. As much as anyone else, the Irish built the American labor movement with blood, sweat and tears. This was no “cushy” task.
Politicians know there is a deep insecurity in America right now. So rather than devise bold ways to alleviate that insecurity, they target “elite” union members and their “cushy” jobs.
Meanwhile, children need to be educated. Cars need to be repaired. Steel must be sliced.
The vast majority of people doing these jobs now do them happily and effectively. Smearing these workers may make the next generation think twice about entering the profession.
But it doesn’t make the work itself any less vital or necessary.
(Contact tomdeignan@earthlink.net or
facebook.com/tomdeignan)
When Michael Mulgrew became head of the United Federation of Teachers (UFT) this year, he was entering some uncharted territory. As Harold Myserson noted in an August 2009 article about the waning influence of the Irish in the labor movement, the ascension of the Irish American Mulgrew ended “a 50-year succession of Jewish UFT presidents.”
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Switch to the desktop site to post a comment.Monsoonman | Jul 24, 2010, 10:49 AM EDT
To understand the mentality that has taken over the unionized public employee unions, which in turn have taken over the democrat party in the USA. I suggest you read George Orwells Animal Farm.
Monsoonman | Jul 17, 2010, 01:28 PM EDT
"City of Vallejo blames bankruptcy on contracts with unions"..."The average police officer will receive a base salary of $121,518 under the current contract, with pension, health coverage and other benefits pushing the total cost to $191,060, said a staff report to the City Council on May 6." "The average firefighter will receive an annual salary, excluding overtime, of $130,112, costing $193,174 with benefits. Ranking officers get much higher pay – for example, a police captain earns a salary of $231,120, and the total with benefits is $347,726....After retirement the benefits remain virtually the same.
concernedRN | Jul 16, 2010, 07:44 PM EDT
Excellent article! Instead of villifying unionized workers perhaps we should strive for decent pensions and healthcare for everyone. Maybe we then could have a just society. We would have retirement and healthcare security which would ultimately help the economy. The elephant in the room which few want to mention is our out of control military spending along with Wall Street's investment (casino) banking fiasco. Local governments are struggling because of funding cuts from the state and federal govt not because of employee pensions. Millions of jobs have been outsourced to other countries in the drive for increased profits resulting in rising unemployment. Things for workers are going to get a whole lot worse and unions are needed now more than ever!
Monsoonman | Jul 07, 2010, 10:30 AM EDT
The local police dept. just got fired. the county sheriff will be taking over those duties. the local tax base can't afford to be paying for 3 unionized police forces anymore. One active and two retired all making the same salary and benefits. Look for many more changes to come.
Monsoonman | Jun 30, 2010, 01:14 AM EDT
Like I said Dennis, privatize it all and we'll get the best bang for the buck. The private sector will determine what the market will bear and will pay what a job is worth.
DennisQ | Jun 28, 2010, 12:00 AM EDT
Regardless of the state of the economy, governments have to offer a competitive salary to attract good workers. If there are a lot of employers competing for those workers, wages rise accordingly. The problem you're addressing arises when the economy slumps and there are a lot of people out of work. You offer privatization as the answer to this problem, but that's ideology talking. If you'd really rather government contract out for everything, I don't think that's feasible. We need direct, non-intermediated control over government workers. Your remedy doesn't address the swings in the economy, and it removes a level of accountability.
Monsoonman | Jun 24, 2010, 10:19 AM EDT
nO Dennis: I am actually the one forced to pay for these outrageous wages and benefits, so I have a vested interest. You on the other hand are a recipient of the largess extracted from me at the tip of a bayonnet. If wages/bennies of the public union thugs were what they should be, we could afford to have enough bus drivers/cops and firemen to do the job without horrendous overtime and the sinful double dipping. I say bk everything and start over, outlaw public sector unions and open all "services" up to competitive bid. If you don't like it work somewhere else.BTW: This does NOT apply to private sector unions, they are free to make their industries uncompetitive as much as they like, at least the public has a choice.
DennisQ | Jun 24, 2010, 12:36 AM EDT
No, you're talking about individuals who put in a lot of overtime and make a lot more money than the job actually pays. In an earlier post you said that police make $150,000 and firefighters make $200,000. You generalize from these anomalous data points that private sector workers are as grossly underpaid as public service workers are overpaid. It's an unconvincing argument. If you believe it yourself the reason is your political ideology.
Monsoonman | Jun 23, 2010, 09:57 AM EDT
Oh Dennis: It's all upside down, the slaves(private sector) are now toiling for the public sector union bosses, that's not ideology it's a fact. When unionized city employee bus drivers pull down 130K a year and make almost as much retired and at the same time there is rampant unemployment and underemployment in the private sector/the private sector is flooded with illegals..then something has to give. The gravy train has overturned and sum ting wong. Obviously you are one who profits from the inequity, so you like it.
DennisQ | Jun 22, 2010, 10:23 PM EDT
Once again, M-Man, you're talking ideology. Any number of factors have contributed to the situation the states are in - the recession, Bush's irresponsible tax cuts, the shrinking value of Wall Street investments . . . Instead of looking at the entire situation, you focus in on those aspects that allow you to place blame on working people. You don't want a solution, you want a scapegoat. You're an example of why people have tuned out right wing government. We want answers, not recriminations.
Monsoonman | Jun 22, 2010, 10:13 AM EDT
So the alliance of huge cradle to grave government and corrupt public employee unions have given us? What's that deficit now? 1 trillion and counting and an accumulated debt of 20 trillion? The state of Cali is so upside down with entitlements and unfunded pensions and benefits it has nothing left and will go to the federal government for a handout before it even tries to fix the broken system. Let Cali be the example of where your socialist ways, big nanny government, run by public employee unions will take you. We have had 30 years of it and it is time to pay the piper. Can't raise taxes anymore, can't sell anymore bonds.
DennisQ | Jun 22, 2010, 01:11 AM EDT
No, that's just an assertion. We do know that private enterprise will reduce political accountability, just at a time when we're becoming aware of the need for greater accountability. For-profit enterprises often disregard the public good as an externality. If it's not on the balance sheet, it's unimportant. If we've learned anything from oil spills and the like, it's that government should play a greater part, not a lesser part. By the way, this Austrian economics stuff didn't just become nonsense - it was nonsense when it was first propounded.
Monsoonman | Jun 21, 2010, 09:24 PM EDT
Oh Dennis, there is nothing I can think of that private enterprise can't do more efficiently and far less costly than government. There are cities in the US that are now putting out to bid all of their services and it is very successful. Private firefighting companies are again making a resurgence as cities and towns combat being held hostage by public employee unions.
DennisQ | Jun 21, 2010, 10:56 AM EDT
I wouldn't want to live where police and fire services are supplied by the lowest bidder. Fire fighters wouldn't rescue people in burning buildings. We already have cops who shoot first and ask questions later - privatization would only increase that problem. It's not the answer you think it is.
Monsoonman | Jun 21, 2010, 10:16 AM EDT
Oh Dennis? So should police and fire people all get a couple of hundred K raise to insure top quality personnel? Most cities are struggling to pay the inflated wages, pensions and benefits now and find it hard to fully staff their departments...they can't afford to ire personnel, so they start paying overtime...LOL!!! The answer: Privatize it all and put "services" out to bid, union and non union firms are welcome to bid.
DennisQ | Jun 20, 2010, 05:27 PM EDT
It's a mistake to skimp on the cost of certain categories of civil servant. The Bay Area Rapid Transit District (BART) ends up with bottom rung applicants for police officer. One of them - Jason Mehserle - shot and killed an unarmed Black guy on New Year's morning. The lawsuit will cost the District millions - money that could have been used to recruit people more suited to the demands of the job. Simple-minded Monsoonman blames the unions.
Monsoonman | Jun 20, 2010, 12:34 PM EDT
Aren't we forgetting where the revenue comes from in the first place that pays government workers? Yes the private sector. The original intent of "public service" was that it was steady work at a modest pay and modest pension, that was the trade off, there was no risk of getting laid off. Now, thanks to corrupt labor unions, there is little risk of being laid off, salaries much higher than the private sector and pensions that are almost equal to the salaries. Many states and municipalities are going bk because they are paying for 3 sets of "workers". One actually doing work, and two retired. Sorry if you don't like the truth but for the ones in the private sector: We are not going to take it anymore and there will be cuts. Like the governor of New jersey said to protesting teachers: If you don't like it quit and get a job somewhere else.
SmilingIrishEye | Jun 19, 2010, 09:27 PM EDT
Aren't we forgetting that our pensions are invested on Wall street and with the bankers bilking the system and the market shares going under - is it hard working civil servants fault that the pensions are costing the taxpayers an inordinate amount? Financial literacy for all. I could have earned much more money in the private sector but I decided to go the route of public service - I love working and what better way but to work and steadily and eventually earn a decent income. In addition I knew that with a defined pension plan plus investing my savings on wall street I would have a decent retirement. However, it looks like the politicians and the wall street crowd were tinkering in unsound waters - Once the government bailed out the banks now it seems is hunting season for the city workers. It is not fair that the municipal workers will suffer. Let managers do their job and fire slackers but leave the hardworking civil servants alone!! And if managers can't manage fire them.
Monsoonman | Jun 19, 2010, 04:18 PM EDT
Come here and live in california dennis my boy. Witness the growing scandals of pensions and benefits for unionized government workers, eating us out of house and home. San Franciscos unfunded pensions and health bennies for retired workers is now 1.2 billion per year...That is 56 times more than what is being spent on street repair...We can't afford it anymore. The govt. and its public employee unions are the 10 lb. tick on the 5 lb. dog....Of course dennis we could take your idea and let illegal aliens take over all of those govt. jobs. They would do the work for a 1/4 of the price....Just like they are doing to wages in the private sector, eh dennis, that's true compassion.
DennisQ | Jun 19, 2010, 02:49 PM EDT
One sure sign of ideology is the willingness to use phony statistics. The Russians used to make up stuff all the time, remember? Monsoonman is including overtime figures as though everyone in that pay grade were guaranteed that as a minimum. It's a lie, and he knows it. But he doesn't care because he wants to believe that unionized civil service workers are grossly overpaid.
Monsoonman | Jun 18, 2010, 10:26 AM EDT
You unionized public workers need to come to California, the land of fruits and nuts and end up your careers here. We know you have sacrificed long and hard for the public good, that's why you can retire on almost full salary with full health benefits at 50. Then you are free to get another unionized public employe job and get that full pension also. Firemen in sf 150-300K Police in SF 200K. Bus drivers 150K...Yes we love our employees here. The private sector can't wait for November & vouchers for private schools.
DennisQ | Jun 16, 2010, 07:21 PM EDT
What's the difference between a political philosophy and an ideology? An ideology such as Gov. Christie's "conservatism" isn't monitored for effectiveness. Today's right wingers remind me of Communists - everybody's wrong except them. There's never anything wrong with their analysis; they even use Marxist concepts like "false consciousness." Warning - right wingers and Commies are nasty when cornered. They bite.