Posted by Jon Fleischman at 12:00 am on May 05, 2009 Comments Off on Assembly GOP Should Be Praised For Putting The Brakes On Approving SEIU 1000’s Contract
Assembly Republicans are to be commended for withholding their
votes yesterday to ratify a new contract for state workers in SEIU
1000, the largest state public employees union. The
Schwarzenegger Administration came to terms with union officials on
this deal – but a 30,000 foot view of the contract makes it a head
scratcher. This is not a “severe recession” contract that
gives the state the kind of flexibility it needs to potentially
implement workforce reductions as part of reducing state spending
down to a level that reflects plummeting state revenues.
So that FR readers are clear, in order for the State of
California to approve a union contract, it must be approved by the
State Legislature. So in that regard, the Governor and union
negotiators have to “bring back terms” to get approved – the union
by its membership, and the state by the legislature.
This contract was negotiated with a hope and expectation on the
part of the Governor and union leaders that the May 19 “burrito”
package of special election measures, including 1A with its trigger
of $16 billion in new taxes, would be passed by the
electorate. That outcome is looking… Read More