TPMDC public employees
John Kasich
Poll: Kasich Sinks Further, Ohio Voters Want To Repeal Union Busting Law
Ohio Gov. John Kasich (R)
Ohio Governor John Kasich (R) had to be feeling pretty good a little over eight months ago when he knocked off incumbent Ted Strickland on his way to being the Buckeye State's chief executive. Now it's the people of Ohio who don't feel that great about him.
Kasich's approval rating registered at a paltry 35% in the latest Quinnipiac poll of Ohio voters, with 50% disapproving of the Governor's performance, directly in line with the current TPM Poll Average. Ohio was one of the major flash points in the fight between newly elected Republican governors and public employee unions over collective bargaining rights, compensation and benefits. Much of the poll shows a public resistance to Kasich's policy in the area, but agreement that public employees should pay more of their health insurance and pension contributions.
PERMALINK | COMMENTS | RECOMMEND RECOMMEND (0)Topics: John Kasich, Ohio, Polls, Quinnipiac, public employees, unions
New Hampshire
Protesters Erupt As New Hampshire GOPers Move Anti-Union Bill That Goes Farther Than Walker's
New Hampshire State House
Late on Tuesday evening, Republicans on a House panel in New Hampshire voted to advance legislation that resembles Scott Walker's law in Wisconsin ending collective bargaining rights for public sector unions. It's actually farther reaching.
Under the terms of this plan, public sector workers in the state would become "at will" employees if and when their contracts expire.
That eliminates all the leverage state employees have in negotiation with their employers, and could ultimately end up busting the unions entirely.
Topics: Labor, New Hampshire, New Hampshire Primary, Scott Walker, Wisconsin , collective bargaining , public employees, unions
Mike Huckabee
Huckabee: Eliminate Government Unions And Slash Entitlements For Poor Public Servants Like Me
Fmr. Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee (R)
At an elegantly catered tea-time roundtable fête with reporters Wednesday afternoon, likely Republican presidential candidate Mike Huckabee said public sector unions ought to be entirely eliminated, or hamstrung to limit worker benefits and influence over elected officials. During the same session, though, he admitted that a life of public service, and running for public office, has left him without a sizable nest egg. In fact, he acknowledged that he wants to delay a final decision about the presidential campaign so he can put away more of the big-time private sector money he's currently making.
But just before offering a candid assessment of his own finances, Huckabee endorsed two policy measures -- Social Security benefit cuts, and the privatization of Medicare -- that would erode the safety net for public workers and others of modest means.
PERMALINK | COMMENTS | RECOMMEND RECOMMEND (0)Topics: Labor, Medicare, Mike Huckabee, Social Security, collective bargaining , public employees, unions
Wisconsin State Legislature
Wis. Dem Senator: When Gov. Walker Sits With Us, Then We'll Come Back (VIDEO)
State Sen. Jon Erpenbach (D-WI)
More than a day after their decision to go AWOL, it's still unclear as to whether Wisconsin's Democratic Senators will return to Madison.
And on FOX's Studio B With Shep Smith Friday afternoon, State Sen. Jon Erpenbach put the ball firmly in Gov. Walker's court, when asked what it would take for the missing Dems to come back.
PERMALINK | COMMENTS | RECOMMEND RECOMMEND (0)Topics: Fox News, Protests, Wisconsin , Wisconsin Protests, Wisconsin State Legislature, public employees, unions
Scott Walker
Union Protests Continue, Teachers Call In Sick Opposing WI Gov's Proposals
Demonstrators outside the Wisconsin state Capitol, February 16, 2011.
The protests against Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker's (R) proposals to roll back public employee unions rights are continuing Wednesday, with schools in the state capital Madison closing as the result of teachers calling in sick en masse.
Under Walker's plan, as TPM has previously posted, most state workers would no longer be able to negotiate for better pensions or health benefits or anything other than higher salaries, which couldn't rise at a quicker pace than the Consumer Price Index. Walker and state Republican leaders have said the plan is necessary to deal with the state's budget shortfall.
According to the Associated Press: "The proposal would effectively remove unions' right to negotiate in any meaningful way. Local law enforcement and fire employees, as well as state troopers and inspectors would be exempt."
In Madison, the Wisconsin State Journal reports, School Superintendent Dan Nerad was forced to close the schools today after 40 percent out of 2,600 members of the teachers union called in sick. The teachers' move was spurred by Madison Teachers Inc. executive director John Matthews, who urged members to call in sick and instead attend a rally at the state Capitol.
PERMALINK | COMMENTS | RECOMMEND RECOMMEND (0)Topics: Scott Walker, Wisconsin , Wisconsin Protests, collective bargaining , public employees, unions
Scott Walker
Thousands Protest Wisconsin Governor's Plan To Roll Back Union Rights
Gov. Scott Walker (R-WI)
Demonstrators gathered in large numbers at the Wisconsin state Capitol on Tuesday, to protest Republican Gov. Scott Walker's budget proposal to help close the state's shortfall by removing nearly all collective bargaining rights for public employees.
As the Wisconsin State Journal reports, over 10,000 protestors gathered at the state Capitol building Tuesday, with thousands also crowded inside the building itself.
A video of the demonstration is available here.
PERMALINK | COMMENTS | RECOMMEND RECOMMEND (0)Topics: Scott Walker, Wisconsin , collective bargaining , public employees, unions
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