Senate Bill 5 (Union: insurance, how much, bankrupt)

[davery5872]

If you wish to keep your quality firefighters, police and teachers you need to call your state senator. If we do not stop SB 5, new and experienced workers in the above professions will migrate to states with more favorable working conditions. How can we possibly attract new businesses into the state when we have cut rate firefighters, police and teachers? Without collective bargaining these workers will have no input on how to best protect us and teach our children. It will all be controlled by the politicians in city management and school administration. We do not need politicians making more decisions. Call your state senator today. Tell them that eliminating collective bargaining goes too far. Ask them " have you met with the firefighter, police and teachers to discuss the finances?" These workers understand the finances, but has anyone asked them for concessions? Maybe that is where this should have started. Maybe there should have been an attempt at collaboration, before this drastic measure. Now we just have people who protect us and teach our children feeling devalued. Feeling angry. And just maybe all this could have been avoided.

[EarthBound?]

Originally Posted by davery5872

If you wish to keep your quality firefighters, police and teachers you need to call your state senator. If we do not stop SB 5, new and experienced workers in the above professions will migrate to states with more favorable working conditions. How can we possibly attract new businesses into the state when we have cut rate firefighters, police and teachers? Without collective bargaining these workers will have no input on how to best protect us and teach our children. It will all be controlled by the politicians in city management and school administration. We do not need politicians making more decisions. Call your state senator today. Tell them that eliminating collective bargaining goes too far. Ask them " have you met with the firefighter, police and teachers to discuss the finances?" These workers understand the finances, but has anyone asked them for concessions? Maybe that is where this should have started. Maybe there should have been an attempt at collaboration, before this drastic measure. Now we just have people who protect us and teach our children feeling devalued. Feeling angry. And just maybe all this could have been avoided.

Sorry, but public state & federal Employees should not be allowed to have unions. I was in the military for 21 years and I don't remember once anyone evey wanting us to join a union for better pay, and we were professionals too.

[davery5872]

Originally Posted by EarthBound?

Sorry, but public state & federal Employees should not be allowed to have unions. I was in the military for 21 years and I don't remember once anyone evey wanting us to join a union for better pay, and we were professionals too.

While you were in the military you had health care, correct? How much did you pay for that? And you retired with full benefits, correct? You are getting about 50% of your base pay for retirement, correct? Of course this does not include any social security you qualify for (unlike firefighter, police and teachers). Or maybe you were one of the ones that took the $30K cash bonus? Your COLA is tied the Consumer Index, unlike teacher's retirement which is currently capped at 2%, but will decrease to 1.5%. You also have guaranteed health benefits in retirement, unlike firefighters, police and teachers. If you are part of Tricare you pay $520 A YEAR for a family health care plan. And you have free prescriptions at any base.
My guess if the firefighters, police and teachers could get your deal, they would.

[EarthBound?]

Originally Posted by davery5872

While you were in the military you had health care, correct? How much did you pay for that? And you retired with full benefits, correct? You are getting about 50% of your base pay for retirement, correct? Of course this does not include any social security you qualify for (unlike firefighter, police and teachers). Or maybe you were one of the ones that took the $30K cash bonus? Your COLA is tied the Consumer Index, unlike teacher's retirement which is currently capped at 2%, but will decrease to 1.5%. You also have guaranteed health benefits in retirement, unlike firefighters, police and teachers. If you are part of Tricare you pay $520 A YEAR for a family health care plan. And you have free prescriptions at any base. My guess if the firefighters, police and teachers could get your deal, they would.

Yes I'm retired and NO I don't get a full or 50% of my pension, I was reserves for the last half. And what little I will get it, I don't see until I'm 65.
And again No on the tricare, I pay for my own family medical insurance needs.

And if you look at a servicemens pay and if they are married with children, they're sitting just above poverty level. And most of them are working a side jobs just to make ends meet.

And when you go to the VA, the first thing out of their mouths is, "Insurance card please" and they bill your insurance that you paid for out of pocket. Unless your there for just a "service related injury", everything else you pay for. And we still had no unions to protect the lazy ones. And if I need meds, I go to WalMart, it's cheaper.

[davery5872]

Originally Posted by EarthBound?

And if you look at a servicemens pay and if they are married with children, they're sitting just above poverty level. And most of them are working a side jobs just to make ends meet.

That's where teachers were before collective bargaining. I remember talking with teachers in the late 60's/early 70's saying they actually qualified for food stamps, because thier pay was so low.

[davery5872]

Originally Posted by EarthBound?

Yes I'm retired and NO I don't get a full or 50% of my pension, I was reserves for the last half. And what little I will get it, I don't see until I'm 65.
And again No on the tricare, I pay for my own family medical insurance needs.

And if you look at a servicemens pay and if they are married with children, they're sitting just above poverty level. And most of them are working a side jobs just to make ends meet.

And when you go to the VA, the first thing out of their mouths is, "Insurance card please" and they bill your insurance that you paid for out of pocket. Unless your there for just a "service related injury", everything else you pay for. And we still had no unions to protect the lazy ones. And if I need meds, I go to WalMart, it's cheaper.

Nonetheless, military retirement isn't so bad. You made the choice to join the reserves.

[ZnGuy]

NJ, Wisconsin and Ohio are some of the States that are dealing with the Public unions benefits in order to make sure that these workers get some form of benefits in the future. The other option is to cut these public workers. Most people in private business have to contribute to their health coverage and many companies have frozen pensions and employees have 401k which they contribute (usually with company matching. I've had family members that worked for prominent companies that went bankrupt and they either lost some of their retirement or get a reduced benefit from the Pension Benefit [SIZE=3]Guaranty. The states also have the option of going bankrupt (like private companies do) inorder to renegotiate public employee compensation. Many cities, states can not afford to pay these future benefits and the teachers unions (especially in the north) have compensation, benefits that are just unaffordable. I am glad there are politicians that have the guts to finally deal with the debt issues. [/SIZE]

[davery5872]

Originally Posted by ZnGuy

NJ, Wisconsin and Ohio are some of the States that are dealing with the Public unions benefits in order to make sure that these workers get some form of benefits in the future. The other option is to cut these public workers. Most people in private business have to contribute to their health coverage and many companies have frozen pensions and employees have 401k which they contribute (usually with company matching. I've had family members that worked for prominent companies that went bankrupt and they either lost some of their retirement or get a reduced benefit from the Pension Benefit [SIZE=3]Guaranty. The states also have the option of going bankrupt (like private companies do) inorder to renegotiate public employee compensation. Many cities, states can not afford to pay these future benefits and the teachers unions (especially in the north) have compensation, benefits that are just unaffordable. I am glad there are politicians that have the guts to finally deal with the debt issues. [/SIZE]

There are currently plans in the works for the five public employee retirement system to make them more financially stable. SB 5 is not needed for this. All public employees contribute to their health care. I was just reading an article about the bonuses GM workers are getting. I think the salary workers are getting $4000, with management getting greater bonuses. Public employees never get bonuses.

[EarthBound?]

Originally Posted by davery5872

That's where teachers were before collective bargaining. I remember talking with teachers in the late 60's/early 70's saying they actually qualified for food stamps, because thier pay was so low.

Have you heard any teacher now that say the qualify for them now?

Originally Posted by davery5872

Nonetheless, military retirement isn't so bad. You made the choice to join the reserves.

Just like, "They made the choice to do the jobs they're in, right". Unions are over rated and out dated, they protect the lazy ones that should be tossed out on their ears. Anytime the schools want more money, if it's for the chilrens educatio ONLY, then we vote yes. But the moment they list pay raises or sports, we vote NO.

[ZnGuy]

Originally Posted by davery5872

There are currently plans in the works for the five public employee retirement system to make them more financially stable. SB 5 is not needed for this. All public employees contribute to their health care. I was just reading an article about the bonuses GM workers are getting. I think the salary workers are getting $4000, with management getting greater bonuses. Public employees never get bonuses.

Since GM still owes us taxpayers alot of money IMO I do not think GM should be passing out bonuses.