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Taxpayers Will Out-Clout Public Sector Unions

The debacle between Wisconsin Governor Walker and public sector Unions there, coupled with the Wisconsin Supreme Court's decision in support of the governor, is the begining of the end of the incestuous relationship between unions and government.

Nationally the American people are aware the the Democratic Party has sold its soul to public unions. In the 2010 elections those unions spent more than a record-setting $171 million taxpayer dollars to support Democrats.

I don't believe that employees paid by taxpayers should have bargaining rights or be forced to pay union dues.

When public sector unions were granted their powers in the 1960's, an unholy alliance between unions and Democratic politicians was fomented. Given the current status of Illinois politics, especially in Cook County, public employee unions will continue their influence over Democrats for a time, but relatively soon taxpayers will "out-clout" the unions and replace them with associations that seek proper workplace conditions and monitor employer-employee disputes and shall not have bargining power for wages and benefits or mandatory dues. 

Jac Charlier

12:07 pm on Saturday, November 17, 2012

Ray - What are the associations to which you refer?

The ability of public sector unions to endorse elected officials, provide campaign volunteers and cash (organized and directed by the union), is a problem because those very same elected officials are the ones who then influence or make contract decisions directly or indirectly. It could easily be argued that the public good is replaced with the elected officials' and unions' own good...the appearance of a conflict of interest is clear.

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Bob Gallo

3:39 pm on Saturday, November 17, 2012

In IL even attorneys & managerial level positions belong to AFSCME which doesn't exist in other unions. I can understsnd why all public employees want protection from the vagaries of elected officials and their threats of retribution but the system we have is currently insustainable creating gridlock and dysfunction.

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