Big win and a huge message to big labor. Over 53% of union workers in Wisconsin have already opted out of the unions.. Scott Walker retains governorship in Wisconsin recall race | The Ticket - Yahoo! News

Glad to see that financial sanity has prevailed.

 

A harbinger of things to come.

Glad to see that financial sanity has prevailed.

 

A harbinger of things to come.

 

There's better ways of "fiscal sanity" prevailing than declaring war on unions.

 

This all-or-nothing crap is what's destroying this country.

There's better ways of "fiscal sanity" prevailing than declaring war on unions.

 

This all-or-nothing crap is what's destroying this country.

What's wrong with folks having the freedom of choice to join or not join unions ?

There's better ways of "fiscal sanity" prevailing than declaring war on unions.

 

This all-or-nothing crap is what's destroying this country.

 

Personally I don't see it as all or nothing. The goal was to reduce spending and balance a budget. One of the methods used was to have the public sector pay and benefits more emulate the private sector pay and benefits. From what I heard last night 39% of union members voted for Walker.

There's better ways of "fiscal sanity" prevailing than declaring war on unions.

 

This all-or-nothing crap is what's destroying this country.

War on ALL unions? Is that your understanding of what's going on in Wisconsin, Jim?!

I think a lot people voted for Walker not based specific issues but on the concept of fairness. Recalls are viewed by many as way to remove politicians who exhibit gross negligence or illegal activities but remain in office. This sense of fairness was probably a driver in the margin.

 

This was blow to public unions - that make up over half of all union membership now. They took 'pay cuts' in terms of having to contibute more to their retirement plans and medical insurance and 'lowers their pay'. The private sector has been going through this type of 'pay cut' for the last 10 years. This also may have contributed to the large turn out. The fact is the medical and retirement plans of most public employs is now both far superior to the private sector and largely unaffordable. The vast majority of public retirement plans are vastly underfunded and unsustainable. 5-10% annual pay raises? Almost unheard of in the private sector. Maybe 2-3% if lucky. And yes, the annual increase in medical rates usually eats that up. That is the reality of the non-public world - and has been for the last decade. Governments at all levels can either deal it - and that means passing the pain to current public servants. Or they can try to address via increased taxes or they can go bankrupt and see their credit ratings and bond rates suffer. But 'as-is' in the public world is not sustainable.

 

The counter attacks have started:

 

Wisconsin Recall: Fact Checking the Walker Economy - ABC News

 

You have love the 'it is an accurate claim, BUT....' statements in the article above.

What's wrong with folks having the freedom of choice to join or not join unions ?

 

That's not my issue.

 

Personally I don't see it as all or nothing. The goal was to reduce spending and balance a budget. One of the methods used was to have the public sector pay and benefits more emulate the private sector pay and benefits. From what I heard last night 39% of union members voted for Walker.

 

War on ALL unions? Is that your understanding of what's going on in Wisconsin, Jim?!

 

I'm speaking in general, not specific. There's been a long, protracted war waged against labor for some time now, and we are seeing the effects with the gutting of the middle class.

I'm speaking in general, not specific. There's been a long, protracted war waged against labor for some time now, and we are seeing the effects with the gutting of the middle class.

Public Employees were being asked to contribute 5.8% toward their pensions & 12.6% toward their health insurance plans (top of the line programs). THIS is what you call "gutting the middle class"?

 

Source: 2011 Wisconsin Act 10 - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Being a pinko lib, I don't agree with some of the initiatives; especially the cuts in educatioin.

 

That being said, I don't really understand why there was a recall vote in the first place.

 

That being said, I don't really understand why there was a recall vote in the first place.

If warranted, I am all for a recall. This one was a joke and did nothing but waste millions of dollars.

Over 53% of union workers in Wisconsin have already opted out of the unions.

 

Wisconsin is a right to work state? I never would have thought that. Or are public employee unions different in that all employes regardless to whether you are in a right to work state or note, can opt out of the union.

Being a pinko lib, I don't agree with some of the initiatives; especially the cuts in educatioin.

 

That being said, I don't really understand why there was a recall vote in the first place.

 

Agreed. And the people of Wisconsin seemed to agree with you. They did a poll that seemed to suggest that about 60% of voters believe that recalls should only be held in cases of official misconduct, not just because you don't like the job he's doing. I'm definitely not wild about recall elections and this was a fantastic waste of time and resources.

Public Employees were being asked to contribute 5.8% toward their pensions & 12.6% toward their health insurance plans (top of the line programs). THIS is what you call "gutting the middle class"?

 

Source: 2011 Wisconsin Act 10 - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

Just to clarify - the 12.6% is not the percent of salary but the amount of the insurance cost. If a family plan is around $10,000 (not sure what their plan is) this means an increase of around $700 a year or so. So they would be paying around $1,300 for their insurance a year. That is still a heck of deal on health insurance by any measure.

 

The 5.8% retirement is in line with good cash pension plans today. Good 401K only plan (no other retirement plan in effect) will match 100% of 6%. The concept of 'fixed benefit' plans is all but gone in the private sector. 401Ks or cash pension plans are the norm now in the private sector.

There's better ways of "fiscal sanity" prevailing than declaring war on unions.

 

This all-or-nothing crap is what's destroying this country.

 

What do you think is the motivation behind the alleged war on unions?