Despite the fact that private-sector workers by the tanker-load are losing their jobs or taking substantial pay and benefit cuts while business after business goes under, government employees in North Las Vegas this week refused to forgo their scheduled 4 percent cost-of-living increase for one year to help the city out of its financial difficulties.
“Teamsters Local 14,” reported the Las Vegas Review-Journal on Wednesday, “which represents 780 city employees in a variety of jobs ranging from secretaries to managers, voted overwhelmingly against the proposal Monday night, said Dana Phillips, business agent for the union.”
“Voted”?
Why in the hell do these taxpayer-funded government employees get to vote on what they will or not “accept” in compensation concessions in the middle of the worst recession in memory?
If these pampered unionized government employees get to vote on whether or not they’ll accept the pay offered them by the taxpayer-funded government, then the taxpayers who have to fund their lucrative pay packages should ALSO get to vote on the contracts.
Isn’t it high time we eliminate collective bargaining for government employees, or at the very least require a vote of the people to approve all collective bargaining agreements in the future?
If voters have to abide by what their elected representatives agree to without a vote, then union workers should have to accept what THEIR elected representatives agree to without a vote. Fair is fair. What’s good for the goose should be good for the gander.
I smell a ballot initiative here.
