The obvious reason for the attack on public workers: They're more heavily unionized

[marmar]

from In These Times:




A 3-Point Plan to Save Public Unions: The Best Defense is a Good Offense

Monday
Jan 31, 2011
3:35 pm

By Roger Bybee


In January 1969, my father helped to lead an illegal strike by a few dozen fellow social workers in Racine County, Wisconsin, that yielded better wages, benefits and union recognition after three weeks on the picket lines.

Of course, Racine had a spirited tradition as a union town (80% of industrial workers were unionized, according to a 1937 Works Project Administration history). Public workers could thus count on strong public support.

But today's environment couldn't be more different, as a large new crew of Republican governors and GOP-dominated legislatures take aim at public workers. The offensive against public employees is occurring nationally, as it provides a convenient set of economic villains for states' fiscal problems brought on by the Great Recession and the massive cuts in states' corporate taxes in recent years.

Whether the governor is a Democrat like New York's Andrew Cuomo or a Republican like Wisconsin's Scott Walker, public employees are being blamed for states' budget shortfalls. With only 6.9% of private sector workers in unions, the 36.2% of public workers in unions look relatively "privileged" because 93% of the private workforce has no voice and no protections. ................(more)

The complete piece is at: http://www.inthesetimes.com/working/entry/6900/a_3-point_plan_for_public_unions_to_fight_rights_onlsaught/

[xchrom]

1. recommend

[Mist]

2. Here in North Carolina, I've noticed a lot of Mexican labor on road crews. Noticed

it in Asheville a few years ago, and notice here in the Durham/Chapel Hill area. Replacements for union labor would seem to be an ongoing thing.

[blondeatlast]

6. How do you know they aren't citizens? nt

[Starry Messenger]

3. recommend.

[old mark]

4. K&R- Here in PA, state employees are legally forbidden to engage in political

activity other than voting...even a political bumper sticker can get you fired. Of course, the elected politicians have no such regulations and use us as targets for any reason at all.


mark

[raccoon]

5. I realize they are heavily unionized in some states; however, in SC (and

probably in other "right-to-work" states), they are not.

If yall from some of those states could see what the public worker situation in SC is, it would very much amaze you. No unions, that I know of. Mucho part-time, no bene workers.