Read it: Long-awaited Pension & Benefits Reform Bill & Open Thread

Democrats take away collective bargaining rights (0.00 / 0)

vis-a-vis health benefits.  That's the headline.  Hard to think of any other Democratically-controlled Legislature in the country doing this.

The pension provisions aren't terrible.  However, the health benefits provisions are an abomination for the reason I stated, and beyond that, represent a massive cut in take home pay for public workers.  

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by: 12mileseastofTrenton @ Tue Jun 14, 2011 at 19:20:43 PM UTC

Multi union Fund (0.00 / 0)

I am happy that in both the multi-union pension fund and the multi-union health fund that ALL participants are paying equally.

I am also happy that those who make more contribute more.

I am satisfied that should this NOT work as planned then it can be revisited in a couple of years.

I think that ,unfortunately, government workers will have to pay more,but that is the price to keep the pension fund solvent and to maintain a good ,fair health plan.

Collective Bargaining remains intact.

On a side note I was reminded that all of this outrage about collectively bargaining health care costs conveniently forgets the FACT that up until the 2006 CWA contract ALL HEALTH CARE BENEFITS WERE FREE! There is NO HISTORY prior to 2006 for any negotiating over health care because health care was always given to government workers as a perk.    

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by: firstamend07 @ Tue Jun 14, 2011 at 21:13:08 PM UTC

health benefits (0.00 / 0)

That's a bunch of crap, and you know it.  They were always subject to negotiation, and I recall very distinctly in the 20 years prior to 2006, they were always mentioned as a trade off for other provisions, such as salary.

And it's a bunch of crap because since the Whitman administration, state workers were faced with the choice of paying for health care of going into one particular plan.  

Collectively bargaining does not remain intact.  It's simply Orwellian to say so at the time it is being taken away for health benefits.  But you're the Orwellian around here.

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by: 12mileseastofTrenton @ Tue Jun 14, 2011 at 22:29:04 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

An Act of Treason (4.00 / 1)

The very fact that DEMOCRATS are willing to sellout a fundemental and hard fought right is no short of treason and back-stabbing.

There are some who use the cowards "But it's fair" excuse of the spineless because they have either no stomach for the fight or their real intentions are hidden.

All this pathetic and cowardly bill does is validate every attack by the Right on the working men and women of this country and make the struggle of generations of Americans look wasted.

Instead of submitting to the likes of George Norcross and political whores like Stepehn Sweeney, the rest of the senate and the assmebly should fighting this horror of a bill.

A sad, sad day for democracy, indeed.

If we don't stand together, we fall alone
That didn't last long.

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by: Couch Potato Politics @ Tue Jun 14, 2011 at 22:09:46 PM UTC

Greenwald signs on.Hearing Monday/Lets get this Done! (0.00 / 1)

OLIVER & GREENWALD ANNOUNCE MONDAY  ASSEMBLY BUDGET COMMITTEE HEARING ON PENSION & BENEFIT REFORM

(TRENTON) - Assembly Speaker Sheila Y. Oliver and Assembly Budget Chairman Lou Greenwald on Tuesday announced the Assembly Budget Committee will meet Monday to consider the legislation to reform public worker pensions and benefits. More details on the hearing will be announced in the coming days.

Greenwald (D-Camden) said he intends to sponsor the bill in the Assembly.

"This compromise bill protects both taxpayers and future collective bargaining rights and is the right thing to do to steer New Jersey through this economic crisis," said Greenwald. "Without question, this is an emotional debate, but the bottom line is we need to protect New Jersey taxpayers. This bill will be a major step toward accomplishing that goal."

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by: firstamend07 @ Tue Jun 14, 2011 at 22:40:02 PM UTC

Is that a surprise? (0.00 / 0)

Everyone knows the fix is in.  Boss Norcross has whipped his underlyings, and Boss Adubato has whipped his.  Plus Joe D has given his employee, Oliver her marching orders.  Even Oliver admits it doesn't have majority support in the caucus.  And it probably doesn't have majority support in the senate caucus.

But Sweeney and Oliver can always stay in power with the help of their Republican allies.

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by: 12mileseastofTrenton @ Tue Jun 14, 2011 at 22:48:34 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

no suprise (0.00 / 0)

Just another Norcross / Sweeney deal with the devil to serve their own intrests and Greenwald is just a pimple on the face of treason.

If we don't stand together, we fall alone
That didn't last long.

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by: Couch Potato Politics @ Tue Jun 14, 2011 at 23:09:28 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

No Conspiracy,just a Fair Law (0.00 / 1)

No one wants to pay more for any service or fund. However, this Bill is fair to everyone.

If it is necessary to pay more to keep the funds solvent then the fair thing to do is have everyone pay to the best of their ability.

Congrats to both Sweeney and Oliver and the righteous members of the Senate and Assembly for standing up and doing the fair and equitable thing.    

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by: firstamend07 @ Tue Jun 14, 2011 at 23:33:59 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

Righteous or riotous? (3.00 / 1)

Now that's (self) "righteous" and fair :  eliminating the rights of others in the name of holy solvency.

You get to feel good about yourself, and Norcross et al will make some more dough--so it's okay?  

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by: Nowlan @ Wed Jun 15, 2011 at 02:38:26 AM UTC

[ Parent ]

Wisconsin law goes into effect (4.00 / 1)

http://www.reuters.com/article...

Perfect timing.  As Sweeney and his ally Christie introduce a mini-Wisconsin bill.  That cheering you heard at the Wisconsin news probably came from Sweeney's senate office.

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by: 12mileseastofTrenton @ Tue Jun 14, 2011 at 23:03:36 PM UTC

It is amazing the ignorance (0.00 / 0)

reading and hearing the ignorance of those that think this bill is a good idea is astounding.

When an elected body (mis)uses their postitions to steal the basic rights of workers to have a voice in their employment and compensation packages it is an act of unadulturated treason against democracy. When they get sheep to follow and cry "Fair justice" it exposes the ignorance and passivity still poisoning the basic democratic values we are supposed to be defending.

Let's not stand by and allow this to be pushed through by political puppets (Sweeney, greenwald and now it lloks like Oliver) of an insurance broker who will make MILLIONS off state workers (George Norcross).

Come to the State House in Trenton on June 16th at 9:00AM and make your voice heard. These are supposed to be our people and they are throwing public workers under the bus for their own profit and political benefit.

This isn't a fight about multi-union costs. That is a red herring being used to hide the crimes that are underneath the stinking lie of a multi-union health fund.
If you are buying that load of crap, you're either a fool or a fraud. This fight is about having long honored BARGAINING RIGHTS stolen by politicians in service to corporate pimps and enemy politicos.

Any claim of fairness is negated by the destruction of these rights and there is no middle ground on that.

If we don't stand together, we fall alone
That didn't last long.

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by: Couch Potato Politics @ Wed Jun 15, 2011 at 00:48:27 AM UTC

[ Parent ]

Oh Boy! (0.00 / 1)

Are you guys planning on singing some union songs like the rubes in Wisco?!

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by: TparT @ Wed Jun 15, 2011 at 03:03:58 AM UTC

[ Parent ]

Yeah... Where the singing started a MASSIVE RECALL (0.00 / 0)

Or did Faux News not tell you about that?
8 repub state senators out by end of june and a governor out in anothe 7 months.

That's some pretty powerful music!

If we don't stand together, we fall alone
That didn't last long.

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by: Couch Potato Politics @ Wed Jun 15, 2011 at 03:08:21 AM UTC

[ Parent ]

Good Idea! (0.00 / 0)

There is Power in a Union (as performed by Billy Bragg--abridged)

There is power in a factory, power in the land
Power in the hands of a worker
But it all amounts to nothing if together we don't stand

There is power in a Union

The Union forever defending our rights
Down with the blackleg, all workers unite
With our brothers and out sisters from many far off lands
There is power in a Union

Money speaks for money, the Devil for his own
Who comes to speak for the skin and the bone

There is power in a Union

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by: Nowlan @ Wed Jun 15, 2011 at 03:49:03 AM UTC

[ Parent ]

All together now! (0.00 / 0)

Look for the union label when you are buying that coat, dress or blouse.

Remember somewhere our union's sewing, our wages going to feed the kids, and run the house.

We work hard, but who's complaining? Thanks to the I.L.G. we're paying our way!

So always look for the union label, it says we're able to make it in the U.S.A.!  

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by: Nowlan @ Wed Jun 15, 2011 at 03:50:09 AM UTC

[ Parent ]

Here are some Union Label shops (0.00 / 0)

you can STILL buy American and Union made products:

Union Clothing Suppliers

If we don't stand together, we fall alone
That didn't last long.

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by: Couch Potato Politics @ Wed Jun 15, 2011 at 03:58:54 AM UTC

[ Parent ]

don't call it reform, Rosi (0.00 / 0)

that word is for making government work better,  not worse.

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by: sayitaintso @ Wed Jun 15, 2011 at 02:49:33 AM UTC

Usually I try to bracket that word (0.00 / 0)

with quote marks.

But I think I was tired ...

It's not a particularly snappy signature, but here's what I think we need in the next NJ Democratic State Chair.  

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by: Rosi Efthim @ Wed Jun 15, 2011 at 02:54:04 AM UTC

[ Parent ]