A stand against State workers and unions
Sen. Stephen Sweeney (D-Gloucester), Assemblyman Gerald Green (D-Union) and Assemblyman Paul Moriarty (D-Gloucester) deserve strong backing for their stand on solving the State's budget issues by looking at State Employees and their benefits.
Sweeney, Assemblyman Gerald Green (D-Union) and Assemblyman Paul Moriarty (D-Gloucester) proposed saving about $700 million by cutting employee costs for New Jersey's 70,000 state workers by 15 percent, including sweeping reductions in pension benefits, longer working days without additional pay, and limits on vacation and sick time.
Yesterday's proposal was accompanied by a 34-page packet of statistical highlights the lawmakers said show state workers enjoy premium pay, benefits and vacation time in a period when private workers and taxpayers are being asked to cut back and pay more.
"This is not an attack on unions or employees, but we deal with reality," said Green. "The state of New Jersey cannot afford the luxury we had in the past. link
Let's see if we can get our own representitives to join!
posted by RBM @ 9:48 AM
4 comments
4 Comments:
We're trying to do that in Michigan as well. The Michigan Education Association (teacher's union) owns a subsidiary health care provider. The majority of teacher contracts require health insurance be provided by that subsidiary. Not sure why they would be afraid of a little competitive bidding. Oh wait...yes I am sure why.
New Jersey needs to bring more accountability in the classrooms preparing students for college making sure that they pass state mandated test and ensuring in programs such as "No Child Left Behind" Making sure money is spend fiscally not irresponisbly as it was in prior administration's. New Jersey has a great pension for teachers that alot of other state's dont currently have. Now its time to bring accountability to make sure every student is recieving a great education in this state.
Not only helping out education but keeping peoples lives and jobs in all areas in the State of New Jersey and NO PRIVTAIZATION AT ANY COST!!!!!! That will hurt the economy and the state growth significantly.
NJ needs to put the accountability in Education where it rightfully belongs. Where is that? How about the local schoolboards and the administrators who run the public schools in this state. Most of the members of school boards no little or nothing about education. In 30 years of teaching I have a board member in one of our schools twice during the school day. The administrators may never have set foot in a classroom as an teacher. Some of them have been teachers but have been away from actual teaching for years. They haven't a clue about what teachers deal with. Have you ever noticed that the further a school employee gets away from the actual job of schools (teaching children) the more they are rewarded salary wise. A superintendent (what do they do?) makes over $150,000 per year. That is about what an admiral in charge of an entire carrier battle group makes. The superintendent has maybe 600 employees and say 1000 students. The admiral has billions of dollars in hardway and on the carrier alone 8000 personnel. That doesn't count support ship and the squadrons attached to the carrier. So next time you start talkin about teachers and their unions ask yourself who is really making the money (money for nothing).
I am very upset that Governor Christie is giving away almost 200 million dollars in additional state aid for cities without getting anything from the Democrats. Governor Christie should not sign any bill to aid cities without teacher tenure reforms and the ability to fire bad teachers. By reforming the tenure system millions of dollars will be saved. The Democrats have thumbed their noses at tenure reform. If they want the aid to cities they have to give something which will realize some savings.
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