Washington State Response
Interview with Gov. Christine Gregoire on NPR (Feb 27):
“HANSEN: Budget deficits are the primary focus of many state legislatures across the country. Many governors are taking a get-tough approach with public employee unions. In your view, do you think the demands of labor unions are crippling state budgets?
Ms. GREGOIRE: No. Our labor unions didn't cause this budget crisis for us. They have sacrificed to help us solve it. I've just finished collectively bargaining with my unions and had an overwhelming confirmation of it by their vote. They contributed with a salary cut; they contributed by paying more in health care. They have stepped up and said we want to be a part of the solution. I did it by going to the table, respecting their collective bargaining rights and we got the job done.
HANSEN: Might these protests change the way some governors approach negotiations with their public employee unions?
Ms. GREGOIRE: You know, I don't think so. My fellow governors, like myself, understand the way to success is sitting at the table, respecting the collective bargaining rights of our unions - teachers among them - and asking for them to sacrifice. And when I did that, they stepped up and said it's tough on us, it's tough on our families but we didn't come to public service for money. We came to serve, we want to be part of the solution, we're willing to sacrifice.”
WA St Republican Party Blog (Feb 22):
“This Saturday, February 26th, thousands of Washington taxpayers will gather in Olympia to show their support of governor Scott Walker in his efforts to rein in the costs of state government.
We urge you to attend if you can. The rally will be held on the north steps of the Capitol building, starting at 11am.
Governor Walker has drawn the line in a battle that must be won to secure his state's financial future. The public employee unions and professional leftists have organized to defeat him, and he needs our support.
If you cannot attend the rally, I want to encourage you to show your support for Governor Walker, and become a fan of his on Facebook.
His courage is an example to us all, and the outcome in Wisconsin will determine to a large extent whether we can turn our country around. He must win so that we all will win, and enjoy a brighter more secure future.”
Bad Collective Bargaining Bills Introduced in 2011 Legislative Session
SB 5870: Rejecting the request for funds necessary to implement state collective bargaining agreements for the 2011-13 fiscal biennium; by Senators Zarelli, Tom, Baumgartner, Swecker, Stevens, Ericksen, Morton, Honeyford, Parlette and King
HB 1841/SB 5761: Addressing management and consolidation of state information technology; as introduced by request of Governor Gregoire [Note: The anti-collective bargaining provisions were removed by amendment]
SB 5345: Encouraging competition for collective bargaining agreements; by Senators Swecker, Honeyford, Ericksen, and Hewitt
SB 5347: Protecting the right to work; by Senators Swecker, Honeyford and Hewitt
SB 5349: Eliminating collective bargaining for state employees and certain other groups; by Senators Honeyford, Swecker, Morton and Hewitt
SB 5728: Concerning state collective bargaining and competitive contracting; by Senator Zarelli
HB 1374: Requiring state agencies to use private collection agencies; by Representatives Hurst, Dammeier, Finn, McCune, and Johnson
SB 5284: Requiring state agencies to use private collection agencies; by Senators Hobbs, Benton, Kastama, Tom, Litzow, Hatfield, Schoesler, Hill, Honeyford, and Holmquist Newbry
HB 1511: Promoting efficiency in the WA state ferry system through personnel and administrative reforms; by Representatives Clibborn, Armstrong, Angel, Kagi, Smith, Johnson, Van De Wege, Morris, Kristiansen, Schmick, Rodne, Condotta, Ahern, Warnick, and Ladenburg
SB 5405: Promoting efficiency in the WA state ferry system through personnel and administrative reforms; by Senators Haugen, King, Sheldon, Fain, Hargrove, Becker, Prentice, Shin and Tom
HB 1512: Concerning WA state ferry system personnel and projects; by Representatives Armstrong, Clibborn, Angel, Smith, Johnson, Van De Wege, Morris, Kristiansen, Schmick, Rodne, Condotta, Warnick, Ladenburg
HB 5408: Concerning WA state ferry system personnel and projects; by Senators King, Haugen, Becker, and Prentice
HB 1609: Regarding school employee workforce reductions and assignments; by Representatives Pettigrew, Dammeier, Carlyle, Dahlquist, Kagi, Finn, Anderson, Jinkins, Hunter and Eddy
SB 5399: Regarding school employee workforce reductions and assignments; by Senators Tom, Litzow, Hill, Hobbs, King, Hargrove, Sheldon and Shin
For bill information, go here. For contact information for members of the Legislature, go here.
Go to Part IV.
-- Dennis
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1 comment:
You know what this current crowd of GOP liars want is to turn the United Sates into China, where only a few giant corporations run things, they own the factories, the apartments, the grocery stores, the gas stations, the newspaper and magazine publications, the radio stations, the television stations and you pay them and they get all the benefits, and if you do not like it go jump off cliff. Well some Chinese workers seeing that as individuals that they cannot progress have done just that by committing suicide.
The current crowd of GOP liars want to steal Medicare from the elderly, they want to abolish a woman’s right to choose and have control over her own body, they want to abolish collective bargaining rights for our Unions, and on top of it all they want to blame the poor, the middle class and the public sector workers for a recession that the GOP created (Thanks to the Dullard “W”), while their beloved “Fat cats” continue to pay themselves exorbitant salaries, bonuses, fringe benefits.
The GOP is like the “Chicken Littles” always saying that the “Sky is Falling”, like the same ones that were the “Chicken Hawks” (“W” Wars), big talk no courage.
The United States, favors creativity wherever it can be found. We’re apostles of prosperity and defenders of the free exchange of ideas and when more people in more countries are free to rise, to invent, to communicate, to dissent, it’s not the doom of United States leadership, its the triumph of the American way.
Generations have worked hard and sacrificed much for the country to reach this point (individuals and our Unions!), and with further hard work and sacrifice (along with our relentless self-doubt) the United States will rise again, we do not tire and we are coming back, no matter what Faux News and their GOP “Chicken Littles” lackies keep saying about our nation. Never Bet Against the United States, watch out GOP, we are coming for you! The win in New York was the beginning but the next will be Indiana, Kansas, Iowa, Michigan, Ohio, Wisconsin and later the other states of our nation.
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