Dem Gov Deval Patrick: give "unions some time to bargain before officials can impose the changes"

[madfloridian]

The MA governor said to let the unions bargain a while before they "impose" the changes. Amazingly bad attitude toward unions.

Simon Rosenberg, one of the founders of the supposedly now defunct DLC once said this:

The party is currently riven between its "governing class" and its "activist class."

Activists often describe this divide as being between "insiders" and "outsiders," but the best description I've heard came from Simon Rosenberg, a Democratic operative who runs the advocacy group N.D.N. (formerly New Democrat Network), which sprang from Clintonian centrism of the early 1990's. As Rosenberg explained it, the party is currently riven between its "governing class" and its "activist class." The former includes the establishment types who populate Washington - politicians, interest groups, consultants and policy makers. The second comprises "Net roots" Democrats on the local level; that is, grass-roots Democrats.

In fact Simon Rosenberg once pointed out the reason for forming the DLC, which may have morphed into the Third Way.

Simon Rosenberg, the former field director for the DLC who directs the New Democrat Network, a spin-off political action committee, says, "We're trying to raise money to help them lessen their reliance on traditional interest groups in the Democratic Party. In that way," he adds, "they are ideologically freed, frankly, from taking positions that make it difficult for Democrats to win."

From the American Prospect 2001

Unions were one of the main "traditional interest" groups that supported Democrats.

I think they have succeeded beyond what they ever expected. They must be rejoicing.

I have been reading about the way the Democratic majority in Massachusetts managed to slash the collective bargaining rights of public worker unions.

I was really surprised at the words of Democratic Governor Deval Patrick, who is supposedly in favor of collective bargaining as long as it doesn't give unions too much power.

Here are some of his thoughts.

Unions enraged after House backs curbs on municipal bargaining

I am posting Patrick's words, but the rest of the article is infuriating.

Gov. Deval Patrick has also argued that municipal unions should have a seat at the table for their health care negotiations but said they should not have the power to veto proposals to cut costs.

Get that? Let them sit at the table with us but not have any real power. In other words, humor them.

More.

House votes to restrict unions

I notice the article from Boston.com is only available one time, and then you have to subscribe. I hate that, and it is happening more and more.

The modifications bring the House bill closer to a plan introduced by Governor Deval Patrick in January. The governor, like Murray, has said he wants workers to have some say in altering their health plans, but does not want unions to have the power to block changes.

Let them have some say, humor them. No real power, though.

And this stance really burns me.

Unions fuming over Robert DeLeo’s ‘Wisconsin-esque’ budget

Gov. Deval Patrick, a supporter of collective bargaining, adopted a similar plan in his budget but gave unions some time to bargain before officials can impose the changes.

In other words he says let them have their bargaining time before we pull the plug.

At least in Florida we know we are being screwed by the Republicans, at least for now. The Democrats don't have any power at all.

The scary part is that those doing the governing don't care if unions are fuming or angry or whatever. They simply don't care.

Union-busting, it's not just for Republicans anymore.

[seaglass]

1. I have been saying this in my tiny voice for months. Deval Patrick runs around

trying to take credit for the great healthcare in MA and meanwhile stabs the unions in the back. He DID NOT run on this last November - he didn't have the courage to do it because he would have lost!

[madfloridian]

2. Yep, how nervy. Let them bargain, make them happy, then impose changes.

I am very angry right now.

[bobbolink]

3. This is the result of continuing to vote "for the least of the weavils".

Taken for granted = dismissed.

[madfloridian]

12. Yes, taken for granted.

:hi:

[bobbolink]

18. I thought of you this morning... Bill Press talked about the unions who are saying that because

the Dems have not been countering the hatefulness of the RW, that they are pulling their monetary suppport of the Party.

They said they are tired of being taken for graated.

Its waaay past time for all of us to come together ACROSS class lines, and demand to be served, which is how politics works.

Good for the unions for putting it on the line!

[Hell Hath No Fury]

4. Recomend recommend recommend.

Modern Democratic principles and constituents are being flushed down the toilet by the new "Democratic" governing class, and the sooner we face that fact the better off we will be.

It is long past time to put the fear of god in them, to remind them what it is to be a modern Democrat and to hold them acountable for this ugly turn.

I refuse to participate any further in the march to the right. Sorry, I just refuse to help them cut my own throat anymore.

[Little Star]

5. This makes me ashamed to be from MA. It's beginning to look..

like a race to the bottom here in NE. Maine especially has always been hinky with CT following close behind. Now, we here in MA, have lost our friggin minds too! Pisses me off!

[madfloridian]

7. Yes, a race to the bottom.

Not just Republicans.

[Marrah_G]

6. Or you could Veto it Deval.........

I can't make the move to VT fast enough.

"Together we CAN"...... break the unions.....

[madrchsod]

8. quinn is trying to pull some what the same thing here in illinois.

there`s also a bill floating around to restrict the rights of the teachers unions here in illinois under the guise of reform. there`s is a 50-50 chance it will pass.

we put quinn in office and this is the thanks we get?

[madfloridian]

11. Sounds like IL Dems often act like FL Democrats

Ours do it too often.

[madrchsod]

14. almost 100% of the state workers are unionized even the mangers

illinois teachers unions are pretty strong and have the backing of the afscme council. the service workers union in the chicago metro area is also quite strong. quinn knows we put him in office but he has the chicago machine-teachers union busters and the rest of the state leaning on the republicans to gut the teachers rights. this May we are going down state to rally for my wife`s union pay raise . the state funds part of my wifes wages..workers private-public funded facilities have`t had a pay raise in three years(6%) and the state wants to cut another 6% of the total funding for these facilities...

[madfloridian]

15. FL unions are not strong. Point in your favor there for sure

A few of our local ones are pretty active and feisty, but most are not.

[madfloridian]

9. Patrick today tells unions to "dial it down". Says MA is not WI

http://news.bostonherald.com/news/politics/view/20110427gov_urges_unions_to_dial_it_down_on_muni-health_debate/

"There’s “room for debate” about whether a House-passed bill gives labor unions enough of a seat at the table on health insurance issues, Gov. Deval Patrick said today, adding that he’s glad the House dealt with the controversial topic and hopes to see a final bill soon.

“I want labor to be involved,” Patrick told reporters after signing a financial literacy bill. “I want labor to be at the table.”

The governor also urged labor unions, who are comparing the House plan to the stripping of collective bargaining rights that has occurred in Wisconsin, to pull back on their commentary. “They should dial it down because that’s not what’s happening here,” said Patrick, who plans to visit Wisconsin on Saturday at the invitation of Democrats in that state to discuss collective bargaining issues.

“This is not Wisconsin.” Patrick declined to say whether any provisions of the House plan approved late Tuesday night represented non-starters for him. “The bill is not final,” the governor said. “There is more work to do on it.”

There's a heck of a big difference between wanting labor at the table and showing respect for labor...giving labor a voice.

Sitting at the table means nothing if you keep getting lectured by Democrats to "dial it down."

[janet118]

10. It's the health care system, stupid

Welcome to Romney Care - model for our national health care reform law. The government has no real control over private and "non-profit" insurers and hospitals and the costs and rates are going up. The only power they could gain that might change the dynamic is to have a massive number of subscribers in one plan - the plan that state employees' use.

The local employees' health care costs are crushing towns across Massachusetts. It is affecting property taxes, schools and jobs. As I understand it, the town, city and county workers' unions were given the opportunity to come into the state employees' insurance system, but most declined. Now the pressure is on for them to sign up.

My feeling is that, if we did have a huge number of subscribers to one system, there would be the clout to crack down on some of the insurers and hospitals. And, perhaps, and I know Patrick has said he would favor this, the ability of the self-employed and other small business to sign on. In other words, a public option.

I agree that Patrick's happy talk about Mass. health care is ridiculously inaccurate. Without any control over or alternative to private insurance companies, it does nothing to stop the bleeding of money into insurance companies and large hospitals.

Here is at statement from a former town selectman on a Democratic message board on the So. Shore.

As a former Selectmen, I can tell you that the unions' protestations ring hollow. I have seen how they will sacrifice jobs (for their young members) to protect benefits (for the entrenched members). The reason so few towns joined the GIC in the recent voluntary effort was that 75% of union members had to agree. Of course, they did not. So the ad professes the unions will "bargain". They haven't to date and they won't. It is unfortunate that because this country won't attack the true cause of health care costs we must have this fight, but the present system is unsustainable and the unions need to see it. Jobs for members over benefits better than anyone else has!

[bertman]

13. No surprise here. And some wonder why Democratic leaders did not SHOW UP

in Wisconsin to support the citizens who are fighting for their rights.

REC.

[mikeburetta]

16. unions and dems

Good points made but the glowing one from all of this, "not being reliant on special interest groups" bit is that if you call labor a special interest group and turn your back on your base so you can win- how long will it take before you never win again? The public when faced with a choice of real or wantabe republicans will choose the real makoy over the fake and whats that get you in the end?

[mmonk]

17. The DLC was formed to be anti-union as well as conservative on other issues.

[Citizen Worker]

19. When will Labor realize that the democrats take working people for granted as a matter of course.

We could put an end to this crap if Labor would use its substantial financial resources and the Rank and File members to form an alternative political party.

[Starry Messenger]

20. k&r

21. Demokins and Republicrats

First I was shocked by this turn of events in Mass., but not for long. There have been many times when the demokins could have easily upstaged the republicrats and they didn't lift a finger. They all sup at the same trough and there isn't 5 cents worth of difference between them. What are we gonna do? We are all sheep.

[SnowCritter]

22. Bargain?? There will be no "Bargain"

How can there be, when one side has absolute control? All they need do is make a decree, wait 30 days and, voila!, edict imposed.

They can hold all the meetings they want with the unions, but it's all a sham.

[Marrah_G]

23. "Together we can!" .....bust the unions.....

[goodnews]

24. Evil of the two lessors. The Unions need to cut funding from these guys. Cut it from

the Republicrat party and put it into candidates, independent and otherwise, who run on a pro-union ticket.

More work needs to get the unions from all spheres, or as many as possible, to get on the same page on this and pull funding from any anti- union, hell non-pro-union org, be it a political party or financial institution or whatever. There needs to be a study of this and a plan put into place to starve those institutions that are not pro-union.