September 1, 2009
Thanks Tom Petri
Get this. "I am bitterly disappointed" that contract negotiations between the union and Mercury Marine have been unsuccessful. Who said that? Why our own Wisconsin Congressman Tom Petri. Maybe he thought the collective bargaining agreement had expired. But, alas, that is not so. Mercury insisted that the union open the existing contract. I'm not making this up.
Congressman Petri is not only bitterly disappointed he is "dismayed that there has not been agreement." But there is an agreement, Tom. They wanted "agreement on contract modifications." Whoa Nelly! The dismayed and bitterly disappointed congressman wanted the union to modify (nice word--"modify") the contract by freezing wages for seven years while reducing some wages immediately by 30 percent. Some modification!
C'mon Tom, that is not a "modification" of a contract, it is tearing up the written contract and demanding a deal no self-respecting union would accept--seven years of frozen wages without any guarantees. It is thinly-veiled union busting. If inflation goes up, the contract would be even worse.
Petri makes clear which side he was on. "We understand that Mercury faces significant challenges." How about the working families, Tom? How about them? No challenges facing them? You, with a six figure "contract" with great health benefits and a pension that is shamefully high lecture these workers because they expect management to keep it's word? Balderdash!
OK. I agree that Jim Doyle also seemed to blame the workers and he is a Democrat. It seems that there isn't a lot of difference between the two parties.
Why would Doyle and Petri sit on the sidelines yammering? How about pushing both sides to submit all issues to mediation and arbitration? Oh, I get it. Mercury Marine would not agree to permit neutrals in the room. Why don't Jim and Tom offer to be the mediators?
Doyle and Barrett--who wants the carrot? Another meeting between Mayor Barrett and Governor Doyle. Another closed door meeting! Subject? You guessed it. A mayoral takeover of Milwaukee Public Schools, elimination of the elected school board, appointment of the superintendent by the mayor, an end to union negotiations. Why? You can't make it up--Barrett noted that Secretary of Education Duncan might give lots of money to Milwaukee if they do to Milwaukee what he did to Chicago and Bloomberg did to New York.
One word explains it all--money. Money. Money. (Is that three words?) A Democratic mayor, a Democratic governor proposing an end to collective bargaining, elimination of the elected board...astounding! Bring in Mercury Marine to negotiate.
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Sorry Ed, but the actions of Mercury Marine weren't thinly veiled union busting, they were blatant as all hell.
Wouldn't it be refreshing for a change if characters like Doyle, Petri, the Fond du Lac County Exec, etc. sat down and went over the property tax bills and state documents and found out how many preferments Mercury Marine got over the years and sent them a bill that had to be paid before they pulled up stakes and left town. Given the nature of government today and how it coddles businesses on the pretext of job security there must have been a nice little bundle of goodies doled out over the years.
That also brings up the matter of the press in all this. Why didn't anyone in the press check that out? Where is the fair and balanced reporting here? All I saw was a lot of people essentially saying the union should cave and a lot of working people dividing against each other. Somehow the idea that union labor is taking something away from other working people has to end. Right now it seems working people are fighting each other to see who can take a hit instead of who can get ahead. Nuts huh?
-Griebnotz Doerkpfester | Egg Harbor, WI | September 1, 2009
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