Visit our audio blog to hear Buckeye Institute President Matt Mayer’s interview on Bob Conners this morning. Mayer talked about the repeal of collective bargaining and his testimony (as an interested party) on Senate Bill 5.
Here are some of the highlights:
Ohio has over 600,000 fewer private sector jobs than it did 10 years ago. While the private sector has shrunk tremendously, the size of government has remained relatively the same, yet it costs a whole lot more due to collective bargaining. The bottom line is that an Ohio with far fewer taxpayers cannot bear the every increasing cost of government compensation packages. The state and local government entities are hit with salary increases, step increases, longevity increases, not even to mention healthcare costs and pensions at a time when there is no money to pay for these gold-plated arrangements.
The rank & file are hardly compensated with “gold plated arrangements.” I understand some of the perspective on this website, but remember, contract negotiations are hardly a one-way street as you portray it to be. Both unions & management give concessions, and certainly you have to agree that unions have been more than cooperative at the bargaining table the last 5 years or so. Governor Kasich is distorting the collective bargaining issue.
Clearly the Repub-line nationwide never includes “reform” only “repeal”. No one thinks the status quo is perfect, but going straight to “get rid of it” doesn’t work.
I certainly don’t throw out my computer if it breaks–I replace the broken part. Or your car, or your arm, etc. etc.