Massachusetts Strips Bargaining Rights from Public Unions

Well, it most definitely has been an interesting few months. Mind you, Massachusetts passed a Tax Cap a while ago and it has not turned out well - no surprise there. You have to believe that is because a tax cap and collective bargaining can never really co-exist - except in the mind of the Democratic Assembly in Albany that is.

In part, I am empathetic to public employees and what I believe to be their right to organize and collectively bargain. Nevertheless, it has been clear over the past couple of decades that the pendulum has swung from a time when public employees needed to be protected from the abuses of management in the 50’s and 60’s, to the side of an unsustainable financial model that would eventually cause the implosion of public education. The window of opportunity and progressive change has been in front of NYSUT (and all teachers’ unions) for quite some time, but the union’s intractable mindset has made it clear that public education as we have come to know it in this country is at the beginning of the end; unless, of course, sweeping reforms and decisive action are taken. While I have mixed feelings about the action taken in Wisconsin and Massachusetts, I do not see that there was much of a choice. (see link)

http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2011/04/29/massachusetts-dems-vote-to-strip-public-unions-of-bargaining-rights/

What do you think?