COMMENTARY: Why Collective Bargaining For Public Employees Should End

KEVIN HALPERN, Courier Co-Editor


An intense battle is being waged across the country over the subject of collective bargaining for public employees.

I am by no means an expert on the subject, but from what I can see, I believe it should end. Here's why:

Taxpayers pay public employees to do a job.

Before the public employees even get their check, part of their earnings are used to pay union dues.

The unions take those dues and use them to campaign for more jobs, more pay and more benefits for public employees. All of the money involved comes from taxpayers.

One of the ways the union works for more jobs, pay and benefits to is give money to elected officials and politicians who will support their efforts. Taxpayers are also paying the elected officials.

When it comes time to negotiate a deal, who do you think the elected officials and politicians are going to favor: the people who are giving them money (unions), or the people they are taking money from (taxpayers)?

It is clear that the practice of collective bargaining works against the taxpayer.

What else does one need to know?

Well, there is one more aspect to the situation worth noting: the average taxpaying citizen who is not a public employee does not enjoy the same level of pay and benefits as do those who are. On average they work for less money, pay more for their health insurance, and don't have a pension.