Labor

Disappointing Unionism

By Justin Katz | January 30, 2009 |

Michael Morse is a good guy. A very good guy. He’s reasonable, compassionate, and intelligent, but also emblematic of the cult of unionism. That such a man would not spare one word of sympathy for those appalled by the teachers’ union tactics at the infamous East Providence school committee meeting or one word to disassociate…

Up Being Down as a Political Philosophy

By Justin Katz | January 25, 2009 |

The way in which individuals construct an understanding of their societies is what makes it fatal to paint them all with the bold colors of their affiliations: People will be particularly amenable to certain explanations for events around them — whether they’ve been pushed toward prescribed priorities via social clichés, have an economic interest in…

East Providence Teachers’ Union Denied

By Justin Katz | January 22, 2009 |

The East Providence School Committee just won the day in court — at least to the extent that the judge denied the union’s request for an injunction against the imposition of the School Committee’s remuneration change. Decision: PDF School Committee Press Release: PDF

Sitting Down with the Treasurer

By Justin Katz | January 21, 2009 |

RI General Treasurer Frank Caprio invited Anchor Rising for a sit-down chat in his office last night, centering on pension issues, but touching on various other matters. In general, I think the four of us in attendance were reasonably impressed with the treasurer’s explanations for economic policies and his knowledge of political history in Rhode…

What’s Going Up in Education

By Justin Katz | January 19, 2009 |

As Marc and I have been illustrating, there are a number of ways to cut the data on education expenditures. That, indeed, is what makes it possible for unionists to declare this or that slice decisive, even if reality disagrees. In the comments to Marc’s post, for example, NEA Assistant Executive Director Pat Crowley seizes…

The Best Laid Plans

By Justin Katz | January 16, 2009 |

They’ll call it jealousy, the unionists, but I think a caller in to Jim Hummel on the Dan Yorke show yesterday put it more accurately: “Why do the union members think they’re better than us?” I really do wonder if they know what the average (thinking) private-sector worker hears when they say such things: But…

Accommodation Upon Cashing Out

By Justin Katz | January 16, 2009 |

I might be missing something, but this seems to be becoming a bigger deal than necessary: But after hearing mayors, school administrators and union leaders warn of potential chaos 10 weeks before the end of the school year, Gallogly said she consulted with the state’s actuarial consultant yesterday and was told the state could move…

The Union Executive’s Projection

By Justin Katz | January 16, 2009 |

This is classic Crowley: Repeat the lie. Repeat the lie. Repeat the lie. No matter how wrong, no matter how damaging. Repeat the lie. This must be posted in the Projo editorial room somewhere: The lie. Crowley’s first step to this particular platform was finding a bit of data that looks, in the light of…

Hummel and the Union Trio

By Justin Katz | January 15, 2009 |

Jim Hummel, filling in for Dan Yorke, has had three unionists on the program since 3:00, and as I’ve pulled up flooring and cleaned my jobsite, I’ve been itching to make three points: 1. Regarding the teachers’/union’s behavior at the latest School Committee meeting, NEA lawyer John Liedecker pointed out that the police had said,…

The Locus of Disruption

By Justin Katz | January 15, 2009 |

Andrew’s call in to the Matt Allen show, last night, turned into a longer form interview about the East Providence School Committee meeting. Stream by clicking here, or download it. To the conversation about Anthony Carcieri’s microphone volume (or lack thereof), I’d add my impression that Carcieri fully anticipated a disruptive atmosphere and was focused…