Former Gov. Owens on Gov. Ritter’s unions
“Owens assails Ritter’s order on unions” (RMN 11-7-07) struck a nerve. According to the article, Former Gov. Owens states, “the computers are a straw man he’s (Gov. Ritter) hiding behind. He needs to step up and explain why collective bargaining is the way to go...” First of all, using the term “collective bargaining” without adding the qualifier “partnership” is misleading, because it’s never been just about “bargaining". If the quote is accurate and not taken out of context, somebody’s not getting the point about the computer. It’s not a straw man for the Governor to hide behind, it’s “the tip of the iceberg". Even if the two-thirds of the iceberg that lies below water were more realistically a huge pile of melded blocks of ice, the analogy would hold true. Each one of those ice blocks would represent a governmental project, program or issue poorly handled, poorly planned and/or poorly executed. If employees were allowed “their two-cents worth", each block could provide an opportunity for a “partnership” of ideas, viewpoints, and experiences to generally improve the efficiency, productivity, economy and social climate of State work environments. The concept that any employee, whether in the private or public sector, is not worth listening to because of his/her position on the corporate ladder (and Yes, Virginia, the government has one of those, too) should have been eradicated eons ago.
This letter has not been edited.
it’s “the tip of the iceberg". Even if the two-thirds of the iceberg that lies below water were more realistically a huge pile of melded blocks of ice, the analogy would hold true. Each one of those ice blocks would represent a governmental project, program or issue poorly handled, poorly planned and/or poorly executed. If employees were allowed “their two-cents worth", each block could provide an opportunity for a “partnership” of ideas, viewpoints, and experiences to generally improve the efficiency, productivity, economy and social climate of State work environments. The concept that any employee, whether in the private or public sector, is not worth listening to because of his/her position on the corporate ladder (and Yes, Virginia, the government has one of those, too) should have been eradicated eons ago.
Collective bargaining means including the employees in the process of deciding the conditions under which they will work. Sounds pretty fair and sensible to me.
The normal complaint about collective bargaining has to do with the right to strike. That doesn't exist in Ritter's plan.
"The governor's order, issued Friday, allows the 49,000 state government employees to organize but says their unions and associations would have to agree not to strike."
"Ritter's spokesman, Evan Dreyer, said Ritter would sign a bill that bars state workers from striking. We don't think legislation is necessary, but if a no strike bill passes the Legislature, the governor would support it," Dreyer said."
There is a straw man involved. His name is Owens and his red herring is collective bargaining.
Posted by Truth on November 23, 2007 10:53 AMNOTE: I repost the above. I copied part of Anne Austin's letter into the reply above in order to see what it said in the part covered by an ad and forgot to delete it.
Collective bargaining means including the employees in the process of deciding the conditions under which they will work. Sounds pretty fair and sensible to me.
The normal complaint about collective bargaining has to do with the right to strike. That doesn't exist in Ritter's plan.
"The governor's order, issued Friday, allows the 49,000 state government employees to organize but says their unions and associations would have to agree not to strike."
"Ritter's spokesman, Evan Dreyer, said Ritter would sign a bill that bars state workers from striking. We don't think legislation is necessary, but if a no strike bill passes the Legislature, the governor would support it," Dreyer said."
There is a straw man involved. His name is Owens and his red herring is collective bargaining.
Posted by Truth on November 23, 2007 10:57 AM