Anchor Rising: Now <i>That's</i> an Entitlementality

July 7, 2008

Now That's an Entitlementality

Justin Katz

In the midst of a story about Rhode Island government's hard financial times, one finds the following nugget:

... local officials say they need more.
They want state legislators to change the pension rules for municipal employees, requiring them to work longer before they can retire.

They are also pushing for the repeal of a state law that allows third-party arbitrators to impose sometimes costly police and fire contracts on municipalities after union talks break down.

Those proposals face opposition from the state's powerful labor lobby.

Tony Capezza, Rhode Island state director of the International Brotherhood of Police Officers, said the binding arbitration law is only fair, since police officers and firefighters do not have the right to strike.

"If you don't have binding arbitration, you would have to have the right to strike," he said. "Lincoln freed the slaves years ago."

Yeah. Working at will an environment in which employers have the final say in running their organizations and employees with jobs critical to public safety can't put those jobs on hold, en masse, as a negotiating tactic is just like being owned as chattel.

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Just another example of the indefensible ENTITLEMENT UNION mentatlity that is destroying the state.

Contrary to this whacko's belief, NOT being able to Strike is NOT slavery.

This piece of garbage is FREE to go find another job tomorrow if he doesn't like what the State can afford to pay his Entitlment minded ass.

But the Chicken-**** weasle would never take his chances at letting the Free Market determine his pathetic worth.

Before invoking Lincoln's good name in support of his Living-on-the-Public-Tit insanity, he might think back to a few other great leaders in American history, starting with those who gave birth to America by revolting against TAXES.

Where is Reagan when you need him? Time for a whole-sale firing, ala the "indespensible" Air-Traffic Controllers.

Posted by: George Elbow at July 7, 2008 9:27 PM

As a 26 year member of public safety employees' unions(state and federal)I strongly believe Reagan was correct.The controllers knew the rules of the game going in and they didn't have to take the job if they didn't like it.Public employee unions,particularly in the public safety sector serve a very legitimate function of representing employees in grievance proceedings,disciplinary actions,and in defending against unfair labor practices.I thankfully never had a disciplinary action taken against me,but I did file a grievance or two and I joined a successful class action suit against a long term violation of the Fair Labor Standards Act.Public employees work for the people,and therefore owe the public faithful service unlike the private sector,where union members work for profit making entities and the public is not a party with standing in their disputes.

Posted by: joe bernstein at July 7, 2008 10:31 PM