I am at a bit of a loss to explain the attack on the public sector these days. . . it is fast and furious - and culminates this week in a cry for reduced pensions for politicians.
They (the media? the public? the right masquerading as one or both?) have already called noisily for the reduction of public sector pensions - because after working 30 years at a decent salary and contributing ( in my case) nearly 10% of every pay to pension contributions - public sector workers are being told that the pension is "too rich". . . what is that about?
By the way, like most other Canadians, when/if I retire (if I could at 65) I will have 12 years in a public sector pension plan, that pension plan paying me about 24% of my pay in a pension, when I retire. I have about about $16,000 in personal RRSP's, from when I had no pension plan (working for non-profits and trying to save the world, and not worrying about my income now or later, even though I am well educated and have a lot of skills) and a husband who worked part time, freelance jobs in film and TV all his life, and has nothing but a small CPP pension. We will be poor, if and when I retire. I had hoped to retire young enough to "see the world" but as a parent with a boomerang who returned with two small children, a husband who became unemployed (and is over 50 and not finding it easy to get work that does not involve saying "you want fries with that" - and in fact, not sure he could get hired in fast food!) late in life, and a reasonable public sector type income (I, in fact, now work for a union); it is not going to happen - no "seeing the world" for me - at least not when I retire - no volunteering in India (after all that effort to study Hindi!), and no money to take the grand kids to Disney World. . . or winter in sunny climes or summer on the beach. . .
In addition, the provincial and national debts are being blamed on public sector workers - who do not set the tax rates, or decide (they can advise but not decide - I draw your attention to exhibit A - the Oda Case) where money, and how much money, will be spent - they do deliver the services that the public howls about when they are NOT delivered or there is a wait, or they refuse to work unpaid overtime to make up for staff shortages and/or unfilled positions . . .
Anyway, now the U.S. is trying it on big time - OUTLAWING collective bargaining in the public sector
and with Harper in Ottawa looking for a majority - and his penchant to follow the lead of the U.S. these news stories are startling. . . Rob Ford in Toronto wants to follow some of this lead, too (He's the new crazy right wing mayor of Toronto whose win is barely fathomable) and start privatizing city services from garbage to transit in order to "bust the unions". Sigh . . . So, in the U.S. actual outlawing of collective bargaining - we are where? In some middle east or North African dictatorship ? Bit of a joke there, this week as the middle east populations get to their feet and demand real democracy (our phony kind is gonna' look bad soon).
Canada had a middle class partly based on our union density and the ability of labour to make sure that some profits stayed in the country and benefited Canadians. . . in taxes paid and purchasing power to improve and expand the economy . . .
But there has been no increase in real wages in the last 2-3 decades (see The Bubble, James Laxer, The Trouble with Billionaires - Linda McQuiag and Neil Brooks or
The spirit level : why greater equality makes societies stronger /by Wilkinson, Richard G.) and instead of getting together and demanding more, voting the bums out (and a real government of the people in) or demanding changes in taxation most people seem to have accepted that it is all the fault of their neighbours and work colleagues, a fault of the "overpaid" public service workers.
If you want to have a nurse that's competent and happy, the next time you or a loved one is in hospital; if you want to have forest workers, and fire fighters risk their lives the next time a forest burns too close to your home; if you want to get an appointment to apply for a driver's license or you want some one making sure that the drugs you take (OK that system is not working very well but that's for another post!) are safe - then you have to defend, and not attack, public sector workers.
Is there a solution? to debt, reduction of services and increased taxes on the poor and middle class - Well one is proposed by the National Union of Government and General Employees - a union of public sector unions across the country - Have the rich and corporations pay their share! it is a much better solution than blaming public sector workers! They - who help maintain a middle class int his country - and should not be blamed for it.
They (the media? the public? the right masquerading as one or both?) have already called noisily for the reduction of public sector pensions - because after working 30 years at a decent salary and contributing ( in my case) nearly 10% of every pay to pension contributions - public sector workers are being told that the pension is "too rich". . . what is that about?
By the way, like most other Canadians, when/if I retire (if I could at 65) I will have 12 years in a public sector pension plan, that pension plan paying me about 24% of my pay in a pension, when I retire. I have about about $16,000 in personal RRSP's, from when I had no pension plan (working for non-profits and trying to save the world, and not worrying about my income now or later, even though I am well educated and have a lot of skills) and a husband who worked part time, freelance jobs in film and TV all his life, and has nothing but a small CPP pension. We will be poor, if and when I retire. I had hoped to retire young enough to "see the world" but as a parent with a boomerang who returned with two small children, a husband who became unemployed (and is over 50 and not finding it easy to get work that does not involve saying "you want fries with that" - and in fact, not sure he could get hired in fast food!) late in life, and a reasonable public sector type income (I, in fact, now work for a union); it is not going to happen - no "seeing the world" for me - at least not when I retire - no volunteering in India (after all that effort to study Hindi!), and no money to take the grand kids to Disney World. . . or winter in sunny climes or summer on the beach. . .
In addition, the provincial and national debts are being blamed on public sector workers - who do not set the tax rates, or decide (they can advise but not decide - I draw your attention to exhibit A - the Oda Case) where money, and how much money, will be spent - they do deliver the services that the public howls about when they are NOT delivered or there is a wait, or they refuse to work unpaid overtime to make up for staff shortages and/or unfilled positions . . .
Anyway, now the U.S. is trying it on big time - OUTLAWING collective bargaining in the public sector
MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Wisconsin lawmakers are prepared to pass a momentous bill that would strip government workers of nearly all collective bargaining rights over the loud objections of thousands of teachers, students and prison guards who packed the Capitol for two days of protests.The nation's most aggressive anti-union proposal has been speeding through the Legislature since Republican Gov. Scott Walker introduced it a week ago. After clearing a major legislative hurdle Wednesday night, it was headed to votes in the Senate and Assembly.
and with Harper in Ottawa looking for a majority - and his penchant to follow the lead of the U.S. these news stories are startling. . . Rob Ford in Toronto wants to follow some of this lead, too (He's the new crazy right wing mayor of Toronto whose win is barely fathomable) and start privatizing city services from garbage to transit in order to "bust the unions". Sigh . . . So, in the U.S. actual outlawing of collective bargaining - we are where? In some middle east or North African dictatorship ? Bit of a joke there, this week as the middle east populations get to their feet and demand real democracy (our phony kind is gonna' look bad soon).
Canada had a middle class partly based on our union density and the ability of labour to make sure that some profits stayed in the country and benefited Canadians. . . in taxes paid and purchasing power to improve and expand the economy . . .
But there has been no increase in real wages in the last 2-3 decades (see The Bubble, James Laxer, The Trouble with Billionaires - Linda McQuiag and Neil Brooks or
The spirit level : why greater equality makes societies stronger /by Wilkinson, Richard G.) and instead of getting together and demanding more, voting the bums out (and a real government of the people in) or demanding changes in taxation most people seem to have accepted that it is all the fault of their neighbours and work colleagues, a fault of the "overpaid" public service workers.
If you want to have a nurse that's competent and happy, the next time you or a loved one is in hospital; if you want to have forest workers, and fire fighters risk their lives the next time a forest burns too close to your home; if you want to get an appointment to apply for a driver's license or you want some one making sure that the drugs you take (OK that system is not working very well but that's for another post!) are safe - then you have to defend, and not attack, public sector workers.
Is there a solution? to debt, reduction of services and increased taxes on the poor and middle class - Well one is proposed by the National Union of Government and General Employees - a union of public sector unions across the country - Have the rich and corporations pay their share! it is a much better solution than blaming public sector workers! They - who help maintain a middle class int his country - and should not be blamed for it.
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