Actually, it's more of a practical perspective on the
problem. The folks that keep our city working put up with a lot- odd
hours, danger, hard work, etc.. The pay is lousy, so one of the ways
we attract qualified people to these jobs is with a decent pension.
Normally paying these pensions is not a problem, but when the cities
tax base is allowed to shrink a pension funding crisis could ensue.
This is the problem one of the organizations I mentioned-
International- is having. After "downsizing" the company in the 1980s
they now have more retirees than employees!
Pension liabilities are also the reason attempts to downsize
Amtrak or the Postal service are doomed to failure. If you closed
down Amtrak today you would still be stuck with 44 billion dollars in
liabilities, and shutting down the Postal service would leave you
with at least 100 billion dollars in liabilities. This is not because
the retirement benefits are excessive, but more due to the sheer
number of employees- in the case of the Postal Service nearly a
million current employees alone.
As far as "growth" that isn't necessarily needed. We do need
to maintain enough of a tax base to fund pension benefits already
committed. As far as cutting public employees retirement benefits,
that tactic probably won't work. If we took away their pensions, many
government employees would be forced to tap other government funds to
survive- public housing and food stamps quickly come to mind.
As far as inflating wages beyond skill sets, you should spend
a day with me at work. Many of my union brothers and sisters are
indeed quite overqualified for the job. It's nice to have a truck
driver who understands computers handy when the transmission control
computer on someone's truck dies leaving an 18 wheeler completely
blocking the Post Office loading dock. I promptly rebooted the
computer and got said 18 wheeler out of the way. We also have some
non union drivers come in- yes, they work cheap and get no pension.
They also screw up a lot and do things like delaying the mail while
they try to figure out how to back up an 18 wheeler.
in solidarity,
Dyna Sluyer, unpaid guard, Northside Criminal Containment Zone
(perhaps we need a union organizing drive?)
>This is a great union perspective on this problem. We should ignore
>the fact that the city has been unwise in granting pensions that are
>a major liability. We should ignore the fact that work force reductions
>are often a necessary and wise business practice. And, we should
>believe that "growth" (unions can always use new members) is always
>beneficial.
>
>We need to recognize that unions in some professions have
>inflated wages beyond the skill sets held by their workers.
>And, we need to recognize that, in the long run, this is not good thing
>for our country.
>
>Michael Atherton
>Prospect Park
>
>_______________________________________
>
>Minneapolis Issues Forum - A City-focused Civic Discussion - Mn E-Democracy
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