From the Las Vegas Sun: By more than 80 percent, Clark County's union of service employees ratified last week a new two-year contract that preserves longevity pay but eliminates merit pay increases over the next two years.
The deal is seen as a win for both the county, which will save $20.4 million over two years, and for the union, which preserved longevity — something county administrators want to eliminate over the long term.
But it has caused dissension in the union, where even longtime supporter Joseph Campbell, a union steward who voted in favor of the contract, has decided to resign....
So Saturday afternoon, Campbell turned in his resignation as a union steward to Al Martinez, president of Service Employees Union Local 1107. Campbell, who was a member of the union's bargaining team, also said he would now seek Martinez's seat during the next election for union president.
"Union Hall mentality is that membership are sheep to be herded to and fro and never to be given complete information," Campbell wrote. "We are subject, in my opinion, to the 'smart' Union bosses at the Hall and 'we' the membership, can never be trusted to make the right decisions based on the facts." http://www.lasvegassun.com/news/2012/feb/06/service-employees-union-oks-divisive-contract/
That has been one of biggest complaints about unions: the leaders demand people of the union to to think and act what the leadership wants. There is no independent thought by the minions of the union. The union leadership want you to vote the way they say, what to wear, where to shop etc, besides what is in the contract that they sign.
Meanwhile, union leadership, like Martinez makes a ton of money and benefits off the hard earned wages of it's union members. My guess, the union membership pays more in union dues than they do in Federal taxes and get less in return.
So, congratulations to Joseph Campbell for making a statement on behalf of union members everywhere.
Patel, the Wishful Thinker/Dreamer
42 minutes ago
Dan,
ReplyDeleteMartinez's salary is not paid out of union dues. Even though he works full-time for the union he is paid by Clark County taxpayers as a full-time County employee. In fact, Clark County taxpayers are forced to pay for the equivalent of more than 3 full-time employees to work for the SEIU.
That kind of sucks, except the union hopefully pays back the county.
DeleteBut he also gets to travel, gets stipends and other benefits that a union higher up gets.
And since he gets paid by the county, that is also contributing to his pension.
Dan,
ReplyDeleteHe gets all of the pay and benefits that an employee of the County gets. In fact, he is officially listed as a County employee. He just works full-time for the union.
No, the union doesn't pay the County back for any of it. It's part of the contract.
The SEIU contract also provides that there are other union officials who are able to work a certain number of hours each week for the union while they are on the County payroll. There is also a bank of hours paid for by the County that other union members may use to work for the union while on the County payroll.
I don't have to tell you but "County" means taxpayers. So when the negotiations happen, the taxpayers, not the SEIU, are paying the union negotiators for that time.