Are you a union member?

[blue4]

If a person's job is so important that it threatens public safety when they are not there,maybe they need to be paid as if they are important.

 

[Unrepresented]

If a person's job is so important that it threatens public safety when they are not there,maybe they need to be paid as if they are important.

+1

A lot more cops and firefighters die in the line of duty than executives.

 

[spade2you]

+1

A lot more cops and firefighters die in the line of duty than executives.

LOL, how unexpected. I had no idea you disliked execs so much.

 

[spade2you]

If a person's job is so important that it threatens public safety when they are not there,maybe they need to be paid as if they are important.

So, it's ok to threaten safety of a city if you can't retire on more than $100k for life?

 

[LiquidMidnight]

Most other unions in town don't have the luxury of threatening your safety if there are budget cuts, which was something this union did for years.

Not entirely sure what you mean by this, but with a few exceptions (e.g., teachers), most public employees do not have the right to strike.

 

[spade2you]

Not entirely sure what you mean by this, but with a few exceptions (e.g., teachers), most public employees do not have the right to strike.

They played hard ball and used to strong arm the city. For many years, this strategy was effective.

 

[LiquidMidnight]

They played hard ball and used to strong arm the city. For many years, this strategy was effective.

Do you mean that they were aggressive when negotiating CBAs? That's pretty par for the course on both sides in any sector.

 

[spade2you]

Do you mean that they were aggressive when negotiating CBAs? That's pretty par for the course on both sides in any sector.

True. They seemed particularly aggressive compared to the police, who had compromised and banned things like spiking 3-4 years earlier. Naturally, perhaps the news media made them out to be behaving similar to The Mafia with the threats back and forth.

 

[LiquidMidnight]

True. They seemed particularly aggressive compared to the police, who had compromised and banned things like spiking 3-4 years earlier. Naturally, perhaps the news media made them out to be behaving similar to The Mafia with the threats back and forth.

Public sector negotiations can seem rather nasty, perhaps because it's covered much more by the media, which of course can spin things in any direction that it likes. A good case study is the last air traffic controller negotiation (the most recent one with NATCA, not the famous PATCO incident, which of course is also an interesting case study in itself).

 

[spade2you]

Public sector negotiations can seem rather nasty, perhaps because it's covered much more by the media, which of course can spin things in any direction that it likes. A good case study is the last air traffic controller negotiation (the most recent one with NATCA, not the famous PATCO incident, which of course is also an interesting case study in itself).

I assume the media capitalized on guys making $100-150k for the rest of their life and retiring much earlier than the rest of us. I know it got my cheap-ass attention.

 

[Unrepresented]

LOL, how unexpected. I had no idea you disliked execs so much.

No issue with executives per se, more with the compensation disparities and the double standards we use to justify them.

 

[aborgman]

So, it's ok to threaten safety of a city if you can't retire on more than $100k for life?

Yes.

Restrictions on particular types employees regarding labor relations are wrong.

Firefighters, police officers, teachers, etc. should have exactly the same legal rights regarding striking/at-will employment/etc. as all other employees, public or private.

 

[Bass_Pounder]

+1

A lot more cops and firefighters die in the line of duty than executives.

And some of us are also retired first responders that were at 9/11, and have to wonder when/if we will fall to the effects of that day.

 

[DerHoggz]

What is spiking?

 

[Unrepresented]

What is spiking?

http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pension_spiking

Raises at the very end of a career that increase the eligible retirement payments.

 

[blue4]

So, it's ok to threaten safety of a city if you can't retire on more than $100k for life?

Why not? It's not like they're making boxes or anything. They are dodging bullets and fighting fires. Saving lives in the meatwagon. I mean,it's not as necessary as a board meeting but. ...

 

[Unrepresented]

Why not? It's not like they're making boxes or anything. They are dodging bullets and fighting fires. Saving lives in the meatwagon. I mean,it's not as necessary as a board meeting but. ...

It's only "market forces" when they agree with the outcome.

 

[blue4]

It's only "market forces" when they agree with the outcome.

I like how people with golden parachutes and stock options feel others retirements are out of hand.

 

[Unrepresented]

I like how people with golden parachutes and stock options feel others retirements are out of hand.

Golden parachutes = justifiable market forces that reward a failure with millions of dollars.

Pension spiking = ransom money of a few extra thousand a year after a consistent, successful career.

 

[MakiSupaStar]

Golden parachutes = justifiable market forces that reward a failure with millions of dollars.

Pension spiking = ransom money of a few extra thousand a year after a consistent, successful career.

Ha. Well put.