A Letter to......Santa? Recalling catching on in WI!

Traveling through south central Wisconsin, I sighted latest in the recall fad.  A bit out of season, but I must admit, it sounds quite genuine.  And it's as reasonable as the Walker recall, really.  :::snarky laugh:::

Somewhere 13 miles north of Gotham...

The Cost of Collective Bargaining

The Cost of Collective Bargaining

Example #1 – The $150,000 Bus Driver

In 2009, the City of Madison’s highest paid employee was a bus driver who earned $159,258, including $109,892 in overtime, guaranteed by a collective bargaining agreement. In total, seven City of Madison bus drivers made more than $100,000 per year in 2009.

"That's the (drivers') contract," said Transit and Parking Commission Chairman Gary Poulson.

Source: Wisconsin State Journal, 2/7/10

Example #2 – $800,000 for “Free” Viagra

Milwaukee Public Schools attempted to drop from its health insurance plan coverage of Viagra, saving $786,000 per year, enough to pay up to a dozen teachers. The teachers union sued the district to regain coverage.

Source: ABC News, 8/12/10

Example #3 – A Year’s Worth of Pay for 30 Days of Work

Under the Green Bay School District’s collectively bargained Emeritus Program, teaches can retire and receive a year’s worth of salary for working only 30 days over a three year period. This is paid in addition to their already guaranteed pension and health care payouts.

Source: WLUK-TV, 3/3/11

Example #4 – $150,000 Correctional Officers

Correctional Officer collective bargaining agreements allow officers a practice known as “sick leave stacking.” Officers can call in sick for a shift, receiving 8 hours of sick pay, and then are allowed to work the very next shift, earning time-and-a-half for overtime. This results in the officer receiving 2.5 times his or her rate of pay, while still only working 8 hours.

In part because of these practices, 13 correctional officers made more than $100,000 in 2009, despite earning base wages of less than $60,000 per year. The officers received an average of $66,000 in overtime pay for an average annual salary of more than $123,000 with the highest paid receiving $151,181.

Source: Department of Corrections

Example #5 – ‘Outstanding First Year Teacher’ Laid Off

Milwaukee Public Schools teacher Megan Sampson was laid off less than one week after being named Outstanding First Year Teacher by the Wisconsin Council of English Teachers. She lost her job because the collective bargaining agreement requires layoffs to be made based on seniority rather than merit.

Informed that her union had rejected a lower-cost health care plan, that still would have required zero contribution from teachers, Sampson said, “Given the opportunity, of course I would switch to a different plan to save my job, or the jobs of 10 other teachers.

Source: Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 6/14/10

Example #6 – Taxpayers Pay $68 Million for Union Health Insurance Monopoly

An updated review of a 2005 WPRI study concluded that school districts could save $68 million by switching from their expensive WEA Trust insurance plans to the state health insurance plan. Switching to a competitively priced private sector plan would save more money still. Collective bargaining agreements effectively give the teachers union a veto over any effort to change providers, however. As a result, WEA Trust insures about two-thirds of Wisconsin’s school districts.

Source: WPRI, WASB, ETF, DPI, WEA Trust

Example #7 – Arbitrator Reinstates Porn-Watching Teacher

A Cedarburg school teacher was reinstated by an arbitrator after being fired for viewing pornography on a school computer. The school district ultimately succeeded in terminating the teacher only after taking the case to the Wisconsin Supreme Court at great cost to the taxpayers.

Source: Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 8/23/08

Example #8 – Taxpayers Pay 800 Government Employees to Conduct Union Business

In 2010, the state allowed paid time off for 805 employees to conduct union business. Total cost to the taxpayers was $433,333.

Source: Office of State Employment Relations

Example #9 – Union Opposes Cost-Saving Lawn Mowing Program

As a cost cutting measure, Racine County began using county inmates to cut the grass in medians and right-of-ways at no cost to the taxpayers. A county employee union filed a grievance indicating it was the right of government workers to cut the grass, even though it would cost the taxpayers dramatically more.

Source: Racine Journal Times, 5/12/10

Example #10 – $6,000 Extra for Carrying a Pager

Some state employees, due to the nature of their positions, are required to carry pagers during off-duty hours in order to respond to emergency situations. Due to the collective bargaining agreements, these employees are compensated an extra five hours of pay each week, whether they are paged or not.

For an employee earning an average salary of $50,000 per year, this requirement can cost more than $6,000 in additional compensation.

Source: 2008-09 Agreement between the State of Wisconsin and AFSCME Council 24

Example #11 – No Volunteer Crossing Guards Allowed

A Wausau public employee union filed a grievance to prohibit a local volunteer from serving as a school crossing guard. The 86-year-old lives just two blocks away and serves everyday free of charge.

Principal Steve Miller says, "He said, you know, this gives me a reason to get up in the morning to come and help these kids in the neighborhood."

But for a local union that represents crossing guards, it isn't that simple. Representatives didn't want to go on camera but say if a crossing guard is needed, then one should be officially hired by the city.

Source: WAOW-TV, 1/27/10

Unions Supporting Boycott of Wisconsin Companies

Just an FYI so you know where to consider doing business -

Curtsy Boots and Sabers:

Don’t give any of them a dime or any business. Tell your friends.

Political Action Committees ($5000 or more in contributions)

* ABCPAC-WIS
* AT&T Wisconsin Employee PAC (formerly SBC)
* Building a Better WI/Wisconsin Builders Association
* Concerned Realtors Committee
* Deere & Company PAC - WI
* Eli Lilly and Company PAC
* FONEPAC Telecommunications & Computers
* Friends & Neighbors of Robin Vos
* Friends of Alberta Darling
* HNTB Holdings Ltd PAC
* KochPAC Natural Resources
* Managed Health Services/Centene PAC

* Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance
* Operating Engineers 139 PAC
* People for Rebecca Kleefisch
* Realtors PAC
* Republican Party Milwaukee Co
* Republican Party of Wisconsin
* Tavern Industry PAC
* TDS Telecom
* Wal-Mart Stores/WAL-PAC
* WellPAC Wellpoint Inc
* WI Credit Union League Action Fund (WCULAF)
* WI Dental PAC (WIDPAC)
* WI Insurance Alliance PAC
* WI Pipe Trades PAC

Employers ($5000 or morein contributions)

* ABC Supply Co
* Agrecol Corp
* Allen Edmonds Shoes
* AMK Concepts & Services
* Anew Health Care Services Inc
* AO Smith Corp
* Apache Stainless Steel
* Artisan Partners
* Atlantic DQ
* Audio Implements/GKC
* Badger Meter
* Baraboo Growth
* Bevco Ergonomic Seating
* Blomquist Benefits Consulting
* Boerke Co Inc
* Bradley Foundation
Brian Retzlaff Trucking
* Briggs & Stratton
* Burke Properties
* Burlington Northern Santa Fe.
* Call Solutions
* Campbell Wrapper Corp
* Carpenter
* CD Smith Construction
* Chambers & Owen
* Charro Restaurante
* Charter Manufacturing
* Church Mutual Insurance
* Cobalt Partners LLC
* Commonwealth Development Corp.
* Continental Properties Co Inc
* County Concrete
* Couri Insurance Agency
* Custom Pak Products
* EBY-Brown Co
* Einhorn Associates
* Emergency Medicine Specialists
* Endeavors Group
* Fabco Equipment Inc
* Fashion Angels Enterprises
* Feather Larson & Synhorst.
* Fiduciary Management
* First American Funding
* Fisher Barton Inc
* Glenora Co
* GMR Marketing
* Gogebic Taconite LLC
* Gold Leaf Development
* Hal Leonard Publishing
* Hammes Co
* Harris Associates
* Hay Creek Pallett
* Heartland Advisors
* Hexagon Investments
* High Crossing Development Corp
* Holton Brothers Construction
* Horton Group
* Hovde Financial
* Hy Cite Corp
* I-Robot
* Iconica
* Inpro Corp
* Insight Industries

* Irgens Development Partners
* Johnson Controls
* Johnsonville Foods
* JSD Professional Services Inc
* Kapur & Associates
* KBS Construction
* Koss Corp
* Krier Foods
* Kwik Trip
* Lorman Education Services
* Lubar & Co
* M&I Bank
* Meissner, Tierney, et al
* Michels Corp
* Midwest Neurosurgical
* Milksource
* MillerCoors
* Minnesota Wild
* MJ Construction Inc
* Morrison Creek Cranberry
* Nicholas Company Inc
* Nova Surgical LLC
* Orthopaedic Associates of.
* PACUR
* Panduit Corp
* Paper Machinery Corp
* Payne & Dolan
* Pinstripe Inc
* Plastic Surgery Group
* Prent Corp
* Promotions Unlimited
* RCI FirstPathway Partners
* Reiman Publications
* Richardson Industries
* Rite Hite Corp
* Roehl Transport
* Salomon Smith Barney
* Sargento Inc
* SC Johnson & Sons
* Schneider National
* School choice
* Sendik’s Food Market
* Shannon Sales Inc
* SIG Financial Holdings
* Specialty Underwriters
* St John Properties Inc
* Standard Process Laboratories
* Stark Investments
* Super Steel Products
* Tamarack Petroleum Co
* Tankcraft Corp
* ThedaCare
* Tries & Rice
* Uihlein Wilson Architects
* US Counseling Service
* US Oil Co
* V Duane Rath Foundation
* Wausau Homes
* Wausau Paper
* West Allis Salvage
* West Bend Clinic
* Zenith Tech (read less

Justin Pluess

715 451-1208
Vice President
Wis. Rapids Firefighters Local 425
421 Witter Street
Wisconsin Rapids WI 54494
Cell (715) 451-1208
Station 1 (715) 421-6277

SCOTT WALKER SUPPORT/COUNTER-PROTEST - WEST BEND

Afterthoughts, 6:35 p.m.: Two women walking behind me stated that they were not from West Bend, but didn't want to go to Madison so West Bend was the next best thing. I imagine it was the same with others who were there. An older man on the corner introduced himself to union workers as a union organizer, thought his name was Steve Nelson, but not positive on that.

Other faces in the crowd include:

Former West Bend East VP, current WB District Teachers, former Silverbrook orchestra teacher

______________________________________________

I participated in the pro-Scott Walker rally today in West Bend. I'll blog on it shortly, but first will get the pics up. I've got video going up on youtube shortly, as well. C'mon back for an update in a little while....

UPDATE:

I decided that the best way to get to know how the "other side" really thinks is throw myself into the throngs. I joined the group of protesters who, ironically, called themselves "West Benders for Fairness" and walked, alone, with my Sen. Walker campaign sign. I think they were a bit taken aback at first, but hey, there was one sidewalk and the police asked everyone to keep walking. I was just obeying.

There was one large group with a megaphone on the corner sidewalk by Hobby Lobby (NW corner). The other three corners had decent-sized crowds all walking single file with mostly hand-made signs. The ones that leave me scratching my head are the signs that lend personal attack and disregard the bill or the items within the bill. For instance, there was a gentleman walking his dog in the protest line and he had hung a sign on the poor thing that stated something similar to "Where's Walker, I gotta pee." Seriously. I would consider that an embarrassment. As I walked with the protesters, I kept my ears open to the conversations. I did not initiate conversation or otherwise engage with any protesters. The majority of the protesters were respectful, but I am speaking only for the SW corner by Starbucks where I was walking. One man turned around and told me he gave me credit for being courageous enough to walk in their line. I really didn't see as I had any choice anyway. Like I said, there was only one sidewalk. It was nice of him, nonetheless. People were chanting "Kill the Bill", and "Hey Hey, Ho Ho, Scott Walker has got to go" for the majority of the demonstration, on all corners. One particularly offensive group was singing a Christian "Battle Hymn of the Republic," but had changed the words to something that glorified solidarity. Seriously, I would have never gone there.

Seen amongst the protesters were:

ALDERMAN NICK DOBBERSTEIN, Hartford teacher (whose seat is up for re-election in Spring) who was shouting "RECALL WALKER!"

MIKE WESTON, Firefighter and former West Bend school board member (chanting the "hey hey, ho ho" mantra)

STEEV BAKER, Kewaskum Public Librarian - Taking pics and assimilating the protesting crowd

KRISTIN PEKOLL, West Bend Young Adult Librarian (sign reading something like "Don't SHUSH the Librarian"

MARK PETERSON, local liberal UWWC Psychology Professor

WARING FINCKE, local liberal attorney

MICHAEL TYREE, former Library Director

And now I'll briefly vent - I absolutely hate when people take part in a protest and bring their little children, have them hold signs, and tell them things to yell. GEEZ, people. I can understand if someone has to bring their baby and they are walking while pushing a stroller. OK, that's understandable. If your kids is 12 or 13 (give or take) and understands the situation, makes a decision to take part, and wants your assistance, that's fine, too. Just don't exploit the young un's. Really.

Corner of Paradise and Main, West Bend -

Are any of these people YOUR teachers?

About 23 seconds into this video you will hear Dennis Uhlig, employee at Fireside Books, proudly state he called his Democratic Senators and asked them to stay out of Wisconsin. You will remember Dennis from his previous involvement in the library issue, where he stated he was supportive of all information for all people, including minor children. Same Dennis.