I have a preview of just how Gov. Ritter is planning to kowtow to big labor, this from a capital insider with access to the Dem’s plans. Remember that “partnership with labor” initiative? Well, it won’t be a partnership at all. It will be collective bargaining and the big labor unions are even now competing to maneuver themselves into the driver’s seat. One or more of them will win the right to represent state employees and bargain on their behalf.
According to plans in the works, Colorado state employees will have no choice but to pay fees, read dues, to the winning union in one statewide closed shop arrangement. There will be no opt out provisions, like with education unions, as burdensome as those provisions are. No, state employees will have no choice. Guess who will have no voice? You, unless you are a big labor insider.
And what restrictions will there be on big labor to not contribute your fees to candidates and causes you don’t support? That’s right, none!
Colorado state employees rank 7th nationwide, according to my insider, in pay and benefits. So, I wonder, how long will it take for big labor to call state employees to strike for 1st place? Not long, I think.
Technorati Tags: Colorado Government Spending/Taxes
FORCED PHILANTHROPY RUN WILD
Source:
'Moral' budget offered; Ritter's plan hikes funds for kids' health, higher ed; By Chris Barge, Rocky Mountain News, November 2, 2007
Heeeerrrrre It Comes!
Gov. Ritter Thursday submitted his comprehensive budget proposal, dictating his moral priorities to you.
Hey, thanks Guv. In the Democratic Party Way, I see you making it so easy for us all to give. No more cutting separate checks to the various charities we individually like. All we'll have to do is send $900 million more to you than we did last year. Yeah, right!
"This budget is both frugal and pro active in the services and programs it will fund," Ritter said.
"This is a record-setting budget without the creation of a rainy day fund to help Colorado with the next economic downturn," said Rep. Cory Gardner, R-Yuma.
Here's how the governor proposes to spend more than $258.5 MILLION more of our money:
$148.3 MILLION MORE FOR HIGHER EDUCATION
$ 58 MILLION MORE FOR CHILDREN'S HEALTH CARE
$ 15 MILLION MORE FOR HUMAN SERVICES
$ 37.2 plus for OTHER various and sundry stuff
Don't know 'bout you, but I just can't wait to peruse this budget on http://www.colorado.gov/. Who'd 'a guessed it'd be this bad?!
With reason,
P.Valerius
GOV. RITTER ISSUES EMPLOYEE PARTNERSHIP EXECUTIVE ORDER
GOV. RITTER ISSUES EMPLOYEE PARTNERSHIP EXECUTIVE ORDER
Sources:
(1) Press Release from the office of Gov. Ritter, Friday, November 2, 2007; available from link to Gov. Ritter's website on http://www.colorado.gov/
(2) Executive Order D 028 07, downloaded from Gov. Ritter's website
(3) Guv backs state unions; Exec order giving workers stronger voice angers GOP; By Chris Barge And Joanne Kelley, Rocky Mountain News; November 2, 2007
Gov. Ritter today quietly issued Executive Order D 028 07 allowing Colorado's nearly 50,000 employees to select employee organizations (unions) by secret ballot to represent them in negotiations with management. In this way, labor leaders will partner with government managers to negotiate regarding:
- efficiency measures
- customer satisfaction
- employee recruitment, training, and retention, and
- workplace safety
It goes into effect without approval from the legislature. This type of partnership between labor and government has never been tried on the state level; it is primarily a concept borrowed from industry. Reading the executive order, I wondered if anyone involved in this experiment stopped to think about the fundamental differences between labor unions negotiating with private companies and corporations, on the one hand, and negotiating with government managers on the other. The potential for abuse and corruption is staggering!
I'm most concerned about the way Gov. Ritter stuck us with this. There was no opportunity for public consideration. He and his arrogant cronies put this together out of public view to pay off labor and to stick it to the taxpayers. That they think they know what is best for us irks me mightily! Why couldn't this be considered by the legislature? Why couldn't it be analyzed in the light of public opinion? Why? Because this was done in the Democratic Party Way!
According to the executive order, any individual state employee may be represented by many employee organizations. There's no limit on the combinations and permutations when it comes to forming shops. Employee organizations can slice and dice the organizational structure of state government in any way they can conceivably get a majority vote. It's like giving candidates the ability to propose an office, existing or new, to draw district boundaries, and to stand for election to that office. Then, once elected to that office, the candidate is certified as representing that constituency for a three year term. There is no term limit mentioned.
Can you imagine the bureaucracy? This executive order directs the Director of the Division of Labor to implement and administer this scheme. You might suppose that the certified employee organization would negotiate with management. Wrong! At state level, the certified employee organization negotiates with a political appointee called the Governor's Designee. Who's that? You'll find no clue in this executive order. Below state level, the certified employee organization can count on the support of the Governor's Designee in negotiations with the management of the occupational group or department concerned.
What a mess. Don't stand for this, fellow citizens! Contact your state senators and representatives right away.
With reason,
P.Valerius