Why it's GOOD that the cops are going to unionize...
When I received a phone call telling me that the Gilford cops decided to create the "us versus them" relationship by saying yes to unionization, my friend Tom, sitting in my office, said, "Well, that's OK. It's good for the taxpayers."
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I couldn't agree more-- especially given that Gilford votes using the Official Ballot thanks to SB2. Instead of the benefits and dollars buried within the many layers of the town's budget, everything will be assembled into one neat package called the "contract." This means that exactly how much they get in pay and benefits will be openly and readily available for all to see. Additionally, the age-old threat to the budget committee to "be nice or you will get unions" will no longer be applicable.
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Given that the police have chosen this adversarial type of union relationship with the town, there will only be one thing left to do when it comes time to vote on things like contracts, new police buildings, comfy cruisers and SUVs and the like:
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Nice going, boys! Now it's going to be a lot easier to just say no! After all, the entity will no longer be that of employees to be coddled and cherished, but instead, will be faceless, monolithic Teamster union "negotiators" from someplace else. It's a much less personal relationship now-- strictly business!
NO! (See how easy?)
Oh, and one last thing... I will demand that my selectmen respond to any hard line put forth by the nameless, faceless, monolithic union types with the same hard line. Fight fire with fire! All bets are now off!
CONGRATULATIONS!!
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PS-- I was asked to refrain from commenting about this issue prior to the union vote, in the hope that the cops would come to their senses and do the right thing and vote NO to unionization. In hindsight, we will never know if the points I raise above had been mentioned and pondered beforehand might have caused some to think deeper than the propaganda their heads have been filled with...
Comments
I have long been confused by the mythical fear of the union threat. We can finally remove the emotional equation to "personalizing" employee wages and benefits. I am disapointed that the town manager claims that it will increase the cost due to negotiation fees. It cost absolutely nothing to say NO! Additionally, if we pay $10,000 to pay for a good negotiator to save $50,000 then it's actually cheaper.
Posted by: Terry Stewart | October 8, 2007 08:47 AM