What the problem really is...

100,000 people from all across the country met in Madison for a protest of the State's latest legislative action that took away the collective bargaining rights of just over 174,000 State and municiple employees. Only the police, fire department and State troopers were exempted.

Costs to these workers stem from the State insisting on the employee paying at least 50% of their retirement benefit (I pay 100% of mine), at least 12.6% of their health insurance premium (I pay 26% of mine), and at least 25% of their transportation benefit (I get none). According to the State of Wisconsin, this would average out to an increased deduction from their pay of just over $240 per month. To many people, that is a lot of money, I don't doubt that at all... I wish I had an additional $240 per month, I can tell you. I really just don't think that is why the unions are so "up in arms" and keep referring to what is happening as an "attack" by the GOP.

No, what the problem really is is that the legislation also says that employers are no longer "required" by law to withhold dues for union membership... a practice that cost the average employer $75 per employee per month. That is $900 a year per union employee in cost to the employer that is not recovered in any way shape or form from the union or the employees... pure expense for the employer. Now, if unions want their dues, they will have to find a way to collect it themselves and will have to pay for it themselves... and that has made them very very unhappy.

Furthermore, all unions in the State of Wisconsin will have to have open ballot decisions each and every year where each and every employee can decide if they want to stay in the union or not. No more "closed shops" in Wisconsin... no more secret ballots, and no more one time card signings. You want to belong to a union at your place of employment, you'll have to say so loudly and proudly each and every year via ballot that the employer can make public... period.

This doesn't take ANY power or rights from the worker at all, in my opinion. It gives them back, in point of fact. Want to join your voice to hundreds of others when it comes time to bargain new payroll contracts with the local trucking company? That's absolutely fine... but be ready to do it each year, and be ready for your friends and neighbors to also do so and perhaps change their mind. Want a $600 per year RAISE? Then don't expect or demand your employer to pay to have your union dues withheld and transfered to your union accounts, and watch the employers bottom line go down by that much each year. He saves $300 per year, and could (possibly, with the right incentives from the workers) pass on the additional $600 per year to YOU. And the only one that actually SUFFERS in this scenario is the union that is currently spending as much as $100,000 (of YOUR union dues, I might add) per WEEK to have all these rabble-rousers waving posters and shouting loudly at the cameras outside the Wisconsin State House.

I agree with the unions 100% when the say they are under "attack" by Walker and the WI GOP... passage and implementation of this law will cost these unions millions of dollars each year. It will give back many rights that I am afraid many Wisconsin workers have forgotten they once held.