State of the Union

[garickman]

Originally Posted by Sieg

I'm sorry, but I have to challenge.

Public employees unions are killing us. The average annual compensation for fire/emt department of 204 employees here is $102,000, a large percentage as the trade unions would say are scabs with their side businesses. The police are 192 employees and average $98,000. I have worked very closely with the local police thanks to a severly broken criminal justice system and realistically there are only 20% of them that are really commited to public service. The majority are in it for themselves...........period. Their medical benefits are at a level I can only dream of for myself and my employees. They're putting in 25years of 40 hour weeks and retiring with $5,000+ a month for the rest of their lives.

My company's labor force (floor covering) was union for 39 years (1960-99) I started there fulltime in '76 and my father served 10+ years on the pension board. My wife's side of the family is 3 generations deep in teaching (8 individuals) at middle and high school level. I have a reasonable understanding of fair and equitable.

IMO the public sector is blatently raping the private sector especially considering their level of job commitment. Plan and simple the public sector cannot sustain itself. They are constantly under funded and under staffed, we hear the rhetoric every year.

Sorry

I normally don't get involved in conversations such as this, but I would have to challenge your challenge. I am not sure if you are aware but public employee's pay into their own retirement system (at least in California). So that alleged $5,000.00 a month for retirement is paid into by the police officers and firefighter/EMTs. It is true, in this day and age police officers and firefighters are very well compensated as they should be. I would also have to challenge your made up statistic that only 20% percent of police officers are commited to public service. I find it hard to believe that the other 80% are risking something as valuable as their LIFE just to "be in it for themselves.....period". Now I know absolutly nothing about the floor covering business but I would find it hard to believe that when you leave for work, you wonder if you are coming home. In the first 26 days of the new year, 15 police officers have been killed in the line of duty, 12 have been shot in the last 48 hours. Again, I must plead ignorance because I am not privy to the statistics of individuals in the flooring industry but my guess would be that none have been murdered this year while at work. I don't know you at all, but if you or one of your family members life was in danger and you needed immediate police assistance I think you should pray that the officer responding is one of the 20% that is committed to public safety. I am just glad that the 12 of my friends who have been killed in the line of duty, including my partner were all commited to public service.

Greg Rickman
www.inmemoryofthefallen.org

[Sieg]

Originally Posted by garickman

I am just glad that the 12 of my friends who have been killed in the line of duty, including my partner were all commited to public service.

Greg Rickman
www.inmemoryofthefallen.org

My sincere condolences. Our area is very similar to Bolder and Berkley. Over the years I've worked closely with numerous chiefs and 60+ patrol officers, DA's, Judges, etc. many considered friends. We've had our share of corruption and medical discharges. I will always support those who make an a reasonable effort. I've been supporting a police dept via task forces and committees in a community that would prefer not to have one and is now becoming a popular place for gangs being centrally located off I-5. I'm sure it my business ha

[Sieg]

Originally Posted by garickman

I am just glad that the 12 of my friends who have been killed in the line of duty, including my partner were all commited to public service.

Greg Rickman
www.inmemoryofthefallen.org

My sincere condolences.

Our area is very similar to Bolder and Berkley. Over the years I've worked closely with numerous chiefs and 60+ patrol officers, DA's, Judges, etc. many considered friends. We've had our share of corruption and questionable medicalmental discharges. I will always support those who put forth a reasonable effort. For years I've been supporting a police dept via task forces and committees, acting as a liasion between patrol officers and desk jockeys in a community that acts like they would prefer not to have one. To the point many officers have turned in their tazers because of personal liability. Now area is becoming a popular place for travelers from all areas of the country and more bothersome, LA originating gangs since we're centrally located on the I-5 corridor.

I'm sure it my business has lost numerous customers because of my fundamental principles and support of law enforcement.

In our area, which I've lived all my life, the level of service in the majority of public sectors has been declining, IMO due to internal policy and procedure regualtion and animosity is rising as value deminishes.

At this point, in 1976 when I went to work for our company I wish would have got on the department, I'd have comfortably retired 5 years ago and worked 20 less hours a week. Now, at 52 years old, retirement is doubful. My mistake. Thankfully I'm much better off than the average American.

There needs to be reasonable balance.

[Shmoov69]

Really too many issues to blame just one thing. But just a few that are MY OPINION
Unions were good in the past, but now most (not all) are led by scumbags that could give a flip about the employees, except for the worthless employees that is and then they protect them from getting fired. Just like the government and welfare, they (both govt and unions) breed an entitlement mentality, that someone is "owed" something. Which breed all kinds of other issues. Nobody is "owed" anything, they can work for it, which is fine, but not owed.
Then there's "fair trade".......Whatever!! If it was fair, the freighters going back to china would have product in them, not just US cash!! Lol! But some of that can bring up another union and too high wage argument also.
Then there's the whole crooked and totaly out of touch and control government! There needs to be new rules to term limits, and then rules that state that after the term is up, they can't go work for any company or lobby that is on the tit! And also their retirement for being a public servant is cut in half (or more!) so they are off the tit!!
Then there's welfare and unemployment, MAKE THEM TAKE A DRUG TEST!!!! The rest of the working world has to, make them!!!

But NONE of this will ever happen because the politicians have to vote for the changes. That won't happen because it will take too much power out of their hands.

So, in essence we are screwed!! Happy happy, joy joy!!