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Ca Labor Federation
California unions on a political roll, but see threats on horizon
I can't think of a better columnist's work to send you on Labor Day than this excellent one by Dan Walters.
He touches on two bills that the Legislature is now considering, SB 35 and AB 1250.
Both would have an enormous impact on taxpayers. If you
haven't yet sent emails or phoned your representatives, please do so
today. Demand that they vote NO on both bills or they will lose your
potential support in upcoming elections. Also send one to Gov. Brown or
cc him on the emails to your local representatives. Their email
addresses are attached.
Two rays of hope are offered in the column: First, the US Supreme Court could again take up the case to bar public employee unions from collecting dues from non-members and second, the upcoming CA Supreme Court case questioning the vested rights of public employees (CalFire v CalPERS), i.e. that public pension benefits, once granted, can never be reduced.
From a taxpayer point of view, the only relief from over-taxing and insolvency rests in the hands of these two courts. Let's hope they make the right decisions.
Their decisions will either spark a political war, as Mr. Walters suggests, or a major taxpayer revolt.
Jody - CSPP
TO READ DAN'S COLUMN, CLICK HERE
BY DAN WALTERS:
California’s labor unions should be celebrating on this Labor Day because they’ve been on a political roll.
Overall union membership in California, 2.6 million, is by far the most of any state, according to the federal Bureau of Labor Statistics, and at 15.9 percent of the state’s workers, is one of the nation’s highest.
Over half of those members are government workers and their unions and their private sector brethren spend tens of millions of dollars each year on campaign contributions, lobbyists and other forms of political action.
They are also the most important component of the state’s dominant Democratic Party, demonstrated by the recent election of labor union official Eric Bauman as state Democratic chairman.
Union leaders have not been shy about using that clout......CLICK HERE FOR FULL ARTICLE.