I am wayyyyyy late on this, so I will just add my .02.
1) Let’s have none of this nonsense that banning unions from collective bargaining has anything to do with the budget. In Wisconsin, the unions had already agreed to more then enough concessions to balance the budget and then some. The bottom line is:
Say what you want about unions. There are some good ones and there are some bad ones. However collective bargaining is part of how capitalism works. Take it away, and you move to fascism. Individuals and corporations with similar interests collectively bargain all the time.
A union’s job is to represent the workers in a way that partners with the employer and promotes the trade. If the contract hurts the employer, it ultimately hurts the workers as well. Let’s assume that is exactly what happened with the public employees unions in Wisconsin. What did the unions do? They conceded all the financial gains they negotiated in order to preserve their jobs. Exactly what they were supposed to do.
So let’s talk about what is REALLY going on here.
1) Many (not all) unions have been turned into forced contribution political PACS for the Democratic party. (Sad but true). Further, they don’t promote the trade at all. Rather, they reward a lack of productivity. (Again, not all)
2) Realizing #1, Mr. Walker, as part of a general RNC plan (which include Republican Governors nationwide) is trying to strip unions of their ability to function, which in turn, will eventually severely hamper their ability to raise money and collect democratic votes. (yeah, yeah, I know this is not news. As I said, I am way late on this)…. Geez… Did he REALLY think we wouldn’t find out?
With a massive recall effort of all Wisconsin Republicans in both houses of their legislature, Republicans have really shot themselves in the foot.
