Should government employees be allowed to unionize?

[Bandit]

I have mixed emotions about this one. While I firmly believe in Unions I also believe government should not be able to be shut down by a strike or walk out. The reason I am asking is that in my state all State employees belong to a union and the Republican Legislature has renigged on their contract. It is/has been an issue and I'm of mixed opinion over it.

[Sgt. Peppers]

1. yes

Someone has to speak for them.

[GOPisEvil]

2. Yes. The government can exploit its workers just as a private business.

Someone has to speak for the workers.

(He said, as a state employee union member in a right to work state.)

[GreenPartyVoter]

3. Yes they can and should

[pmbryant]

4. Simple answer

Yes.

--Peter

[LincolnMcGrath]

5. Are you serious?

[Bertha Venation]

6. They already are. Mrs. V. is a federal employee and a Union member. eom

[spunky]

12. Yes, here in Mississippi

there is no union for state employees as far as I am aware, and they are really getting the shaft. I used to work for the state and just before I quit to go back to school, they changed the health insurance so that it is basically useless. The deductibles are too high already and are about to get higher, or else the employees will have to start paying part of the premiums. What's the point in having insurance with a $500 in-network deductible? Unless you are seriously ill, you will not reach this amount in a year, so you essentially have no insurance. This when many state employees are not even making a living wage and have not had a raise in years.

I agree that the state has to run, and a strike would open the possibility of shutting down the state offices, but the state should not run on the blood of its employees. Those who work everyday to keep the state functioning are not fairly compensated. I think the congressmen are still getting paid pretty well though. Typical.

[Loonman]

7. No

What if essential state workers, such as social workers and state welfare agency workers went on strike? What if the State police went on strike? Or the RMV/DMV? State hospitals?

[GreenPartyVoter]

9. Hello, teachers are unionized but can't strike

Gov't workers can unionize, just don't have the striking option. But MUST have the right to collective bargaining, or else they'll get screwed over by the gov't.

[Loonman]

14. Collective bargaining, yes, strike option, no

Reasonable.

[LincolnMcGrath]

15. Everyone deserves the fundamental right to strike

UN Supported
Human Rights Watch Supported

Workers don't strike for the hell of it. If they vote to walk, YOU CAN BE ASSURED THEY ARE GETTING BENT OVER.

[GreenPartyVoter]

16. Trouble is, if teachers strike it screws the whole world up

Kids could be left unattended at home. Or folks stay home to watch the kids, so work slows down.

Mind you teachers and nurses have been known to "sick out". There's a wee bit of a loophole, but it's tricky and can cost you your job.

[LincolnMcGrath]

18. tough

School is not childcare

[Muddleoftheroad]

20. Tell that to Baltimore

They just had teachers walk out "sick." Cops have done it too with the "blue flu" elsewhere.

[LincolnMcGrath]

22. Good for them

[GOPisEvil]

11. The threat thereof kinda forces the state to bargain in good faith, eh?

Try living in a right to fire state, like I do. The government can cut our benefits, disallow pay raises and generally jerk with us anyway they want, and we have no recourse, even those of us that are union members.

Unions stop that kind of crap from happening. Or at least they try. State workers here just got to whine about it.

[skippysmom]

8. Absolutely nt

[silverlib]

10. Yes

State employees in Texas have union options, but no right to strike. While employed at the State, I held the stance that I would never join a union that did not have a right to strike. I regret that now and wish I would have joined and been active when I had the opportunity.

And yes, the same injustices are done within the government that are done is private industry.

[Fovea]

13. Absolutely!

Remember PATCO.

[adriennel]

17. federal employees are already unionized

it's the rapidly growing number of government contractors that are getting screwed. we receive very little benefits and none of the protection.

[distortionmarshall]

19. the word is....

... "reneged"..... typically pronounced like "ren"+"egged"

seems ok for states to be shutdown by unions, but not the federal govt....

if there was a breach of contract, seems like that's a straightforward issue for the courts....

what state? what issue?

[Bandit]

21. You are absolutely correct. Sorry for my haste and not using spell-check

:thumbsup:

[PVnRT]

23. Ummm, yes

If Republicans can shut down the government for petty political nonsense, why shouldn't the workers be able to shut it down for real concerns?