Virginia Inches Closer to Public Sector Unions
I can’t wait for the first sanitation workers strike. Those are always fun. Fragrant, too.
It’s a little scarier when cops - who aren’t allowed to strike - come down with the “blue flu.”
Of course, kids always like it when teachers walk off the job. A strike is way better than a snow day, because picket lines often last longer and are more unpredictable than inclement weather.
Remember Chicago’s teachers’ strike last year, when schools were closed for 11 days? Those were good times for the 76 percent of students in those city schools who are considered “economically disadvantaged.” They not only missed critical time in the classrooms, but it caused chaos for working families trying to find safe places for their kids during the day. “Strike camps” offered by various non-profits charged as much as $80 a day.
According to CNN, teachers recently struck in California, West Virginia, Colorado, Arizona, Kentucky and Oklahoma. The New York Times characterized it as a nationwide “wave” of teacher strikes.
We’ve been missing all the fun in Virginia.
Not to worry, if a measure that passed the House of Delegates yesterday becomes law, we too may experience the joy of teachers’ strikes. Awash in union money during the last campaign season, Democrats in the House voted to remove the commonwealth’s ban on public sector workers’ ability to collectively bargain.
They can currently belong to unions, of course. But those organizations are toothless, banned from bargaining on behalf of workers.
That will change when they get the right to arm-wrestle the government over money.
And what happens when collective bargaining breaks down? Yep, strikes.
The Richmond Times-Dispatch reports that the proposal passed 54-45. It was introduced by Del. Elizabeth Guzman of Prince William County.
“Virginia is on its way to becoming the 48th state to give our public employees the freedom to bargain collectively,” Guzman said in a statement after the vote.
“After dedicating their careers to public service, teachers, firefighters, police officers, state and local government employees will have a seat at the table and a voice at work, which will in turn empower them to advocate for the communities they serve. I am proud to stand by them in achieving it.”
I’m sure it’s just a coincidence that Guzman took large contributions from trade unions. According to the Virginia Public Access Project, Guzman - who’s in her second term - accepted $145,663 in donations directly from organized labor in the last election cycle. Of that, $22,625 came from the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, AFSCME. She also got $23,468 from public employees. Plus, she took $177,360 from the House Democratic Caucus, which in turn, took $80,000 from AFSCME.
According to the union’s website, Guzman - who works for the city of Alexandria - is a member of AFSCME Local 3001.
Opponents of the measure pointed out that when localities collectively bargain with public employees it’s the taxpayers who are on the hook for their skill - or lack of skill - in negotiating.
Lucky us.
