Detroit May Close Half of Its Schools to Pay for Union Benefits
- Posted on January 17, 2011 at 8:39pm by
Meredith Jessup
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A report from the Detroit News Monday suggested that without government aid, the city of Detroit will be forced to close down nearly half of the city’s public schools in the next two years. Additionally, the paper warns that average high school class sizes will swell to 62 students by the following year.
These startling statistics were laid out in a deficit-reduction plan filed with the state of Michigan by the city’s Emergency Financial Manager Robert Bobb. Bobb’s role is working to slash the $327 million deficit the Detroit school district has accrued over the years.
According to the Detroit News, Detroit Public Schools considered filing for bankruptcy in 2009 but declined. In the past year alone, debt in the district has increased by more than $100 million, brought on by a “mix of revenue declines in property taxes, reduced state aid, declining enrollment and an unplanned staffing surge this past fall.”
While Bobb and DPS administrators have a lot to account for, noticeably absent from the discussion is the role of the teachers unions.
As students suffer amidst increasing classroom sizes and declining school choices, the district’s teachers stand to earn higher salaries. The city’s contract with the Detroit Federation of Teachers requires payments for teachers whose class sizes exceed specified maximums. So while Bobb demands increased class sizes to save the district money, the district is simultaneously estimating the move will create $10 million in additional costs to pay teachers’ oversize class pay over the next four years alone.
A recent op-ed in the Wall Street Journal also notes the city’s decaying public school system:
“Additional savings of approximately $12.4 million can be achieved from school closures if the District simply abandons the closed buildings,” the proposal explains, purging costs like boarding up buildings, storage and security patrols.
Steven Wasko, a spokesman for Mr. Bobb, said that urban property sales have been difficult, in part because until recently the state board of education banned transactions with “competing educational institutions” like charter schools. Once buildings are deserted, even if the doors and windows are welded shut with protective metal covers, scavengers break in and dismantle them for copper wire, pipes and so on.
Under the emergency plan, consolidated high-school class sizes would increase to 62 by 2014, “consistent with what students would expect in large university settings.” Yet under the terms of the Detroit Federation of Teachers contract, the district must pay bonuses for class enrollment over 35, thus imposing some $11.1 million in new costs through 2014.
Note that this dispensation carries about the same price tag as the school abandonment windfall: In other words, Detroit may end up destroying serviceable capital assets so it can pay its public workers more over the short term.
Mr. Wasko cautions that the school closure plan is a last resort, and Mr. Bobb has floated other ideas, including a financial restructuring similar to the GM bailout/bankruptcy. Detroit Federation of Teachers president Keith Johnson rejected even that because “The children of Detroit are not consumed products of a profit-driven corporation like a car,” as he wrote in an op-ed this week. Maybe his real objection is that the GM model might allow the district to rationalize its labor liabilities.
The budget gap is party due to the property tax revenue collapse as the Motor City crumbles, as well as financial mismanagement and a surge in pay and benefits for public employees. The Mackinac Center, a state think tank, reports that average Michigan teacher salaries outpaced those of all other states from 2003 to 2009, when adjusted for state per capita income as a proxy for the local ability to pay.
It’s hard to think of a sadder commentary on a government so fiscally desperate and so captured by its workers that it may be forced to abandon property to thieves. But are they the scavengers or the union?
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Comments (358)
5410amh
Posted on January 17, 2011 at 9:16pmanother reason why all unions should be banned.
Report Post »dmforman
Posted on January 17, 2011 at 9:15pmAs a former teacher. I say the schools go bankrupt and the city allow for profit companies to come in and run the schools. Here in Georgia, granted we have no unions, teachers have been taking furlough days and pay cuts to keep things going. Also the K-12 on-line curriculum is better than what is offered in my county. I say parents who care, go for it. In many states it’s free.
Report Post »Ghandi was a Republican
Posted on January 18, 2011 at 1:06amEXACTLY-
They have a way out – Disband their current system, fire everyone and start over with for profit companies that have a proven track record of success.
If this has anything to do with “the kids” – they will do it right now! Will they?
Report Post »blanco
Posted on January 17, 2011 at 9:13pmJust write Michigan off—the muslims can all live there and then secede from us!
Report Post »popeyebedford
Posted on January 18, 2011 at 12:11pmGive Michigan to the Muslims? Don’t think so.
Report Post »GeorgieJo
Posted on January 17, 2011 at 9:07pmClose the schools
Homeschool with 50 cents/Bill Maher
Michigan was once a great state
Not buying a car from there!!!!
Report Post »Bill
Posted on January 17, 2011 at 11:29pmDoes Detroit make any cars? Thought they all went to non union states.
Report Post »Showtime
Posted on January 17, 2011 at 9:05pmMaybe they’ll wise up now!
Report Post »ltb
Posted on January 17, 2011 at 9:03pmDetroit, the Liberal vision for America.
Report Post »psycodad36
Posted on January 17, 2011 at 9:02pmdefinitely time for bankruptcy,the unions brought this on ,with lib politicians.sour medicine,but this will be better than prolonging it.everyone has to sacrifice,did’nt BHO say that?well time for the unions to do so ,just as we all are.
Report Post »flatdaddio
Posted on January 17, 2011 at 9:01pmwell, all the teachers want is more money, and all the other dems/libs want to do is give them more, i say close the schools, live the life you created.
Report Post »Showtime
Posted on January 17, 2011 at 9:06pmIf they would fire the union teachers and hire non-union, they would be much better off!
Report Post »mcFirst
Posted on January 17, 2011 at 9:00pmthis is just a start. Look for teachers to start being replaced with computer aided learning with class assistants..
More remote students, who can hook in from home.
The teachers are not untouchable as they they are.
Report Post »aicardi
Posted on January 17, 2011 at 8:59pmInsane! Time to do a Bk and tell the unions where to go. Then again those children have be recieving a horrible education for decades maybe some good christian schools can relieve some of the pressure and give those children a fighting chance and a good classical education.
Report Post »cheezhedsluvtaxes
Posted on January 17, 2011 at 8:59pmAnd Michigan went with another democrat regime with the last election. Cheeseheads voted out the dems/libs/progs and managed to hold off a lame duck wet sloppy kiss to the state employees unions. Sphincter puckering time for the union thugs
Report Post »AmericanThunder
Posted on January 17, 2011 at 9:45pmLook at the demo..graphics of that city and state. You cant teach the brain dead new tricks. No hope
Report Post »CatB
Posted on January 17, 2011 at 10:45pmMichigan has a new REPUBLICAN GOVERNOR … also the state legislature .. they have progressives still in Congress (Stabenaw, Levin etc) but they are also seeing the light .. in places other than Detroit.
Report Post »Enuff Zenuff
Posted on January 18, 2011 at 7:02amHaving a nearby hell-hole like Detroit as an example of Progressivism-in-full-bloom is showing us the light that ushered in so many conservatives in this recent election! That plus if you look at a county-by-county red/blue map of Michigan, the state is almost entirely red! So, either the unions have had way too much political influence – forcing the state to vote in liberals historically, or there’s been widespread corruption of the voting process (DUH! – with the Democrats having run things for too many years…)
Finally, as of this last election, I think even the fewer and fewer union members still able to work despite all the factories that have shuttered – are beginning to see that liberalism has been destroying their jobs and their children’s futures… and that they‘re running out of ’other people‘s money’ as Margaret Thatcher so eloquently put it. It’s been a long time coming – I pray that it isn’t too late.
Report Post »mickgoblin
Posted on January 17, 2011 at 8:59pmPublic Unions are evil because they extort the people money and lead to higher taxes with unreasonable benefits. No private companies give pensions anymore, unless they have unions.
Report Post »franknshadow
Posted on January 17, 2011 at 8:57pmDetroit, liberalism in action.. What better illustration if the consequences of progressivism.. The decay that the City of Detroit currently suffers with is deplorable, and incredibly under reported.. What a surprise eh..
Report Post »XNewyorker
Posted on January 17, 2011 at 8:56pmI have another option — close all of the schools and GIVE the buildings to “competing educational institutions.” Then banish all politicians and school board officials from the city.
Report Post »aicardi
Posted on January 17, 2011 at 9:01pmCan we banish school boards and politicians from the country instead? The harm they have done is unreal!
Report Post »cheezhedsluvtaxes
Posted on January 17, 2011 at 8:55pmFortunately, Wisconsin realized the strangle hold that teachers/state emplpyee unions have on the taxpayers. We voted out all the liberals/progressives/democrats (but I repeat myself) and the democrats failed to push through another union contract during the lame duck session. I suppose it’s a little sphincter puckering moment for the union thugs and their excessive pay and benefits..
Report Post »KATBAB
Posted on January 17, 2011 at 8:53pmDetroit is what America will become, if the progressive agenda is not stopped.
Report Post »CatB
Posted on January 17, 2011 at 9:42pmI said it duing the 2008 election .. that Obama would turn America into Detroit … and it is happening .. thank God for some states and local governments who are fighting it all the way.
Report Post »parmajohn
Posted on January 17, 2011 at 8:52pmWhat happened to teachers that teach for the love of shaping young minds??? Oh thats right thats one benefit they forgot about…..Show me the Money no matter what it costs
Report Post »texbroker
Posted on January 17, 2011 at 8:49pmwell…….looks like they have all their priorities lined up…………sure glad I live in Texas…..what a mess the Dems/Libs are making of our great country….scary to think what’s next……2012 can’t get here fast enough!
Report Post »GOTT-EM-MAUSER
Posted on January 17, 2011 at 10:35pmUnfortunately it’s not really much better here in Texas. The State Spendaholics are SHORT ONLY $27.8 BILLION DOLLARS in this year’s budget. And no where is there anyone willing nor able to pay the TAXES required to fund that shortfall.
The single Largest part of the State Budget is, of course “Education” for the Children. The fact that one in three third grade students is either here illegally or the child of Illegal parents, doesn’t make a ripple. Just came out today that out of every $1.00 in Education Spending in Texas, $.36 is used for ADMINISTRATION SALARIES. BEXAR COUNTY alone has 17 School Districts, and ALL of them have Superintendents that make “Six Figure Salaries” not to mention all the “Assistant Superintendents” and their Staffs of dozens and dozens of “Administrators”.
Latest reports show that there has been a virtual “Growth Boom” in the number of new Shool Police hired in every district in the State, to do such things as giving “Tickets” to 4th graders for talking in class. Property Taxes have skrocketed, the bulk of it being School Taxes, but it’s never enough.
The Unionized, Over Managed, Public School Fiefdoms that we have now, will be the end of the State Fiscally. They can’t STEAL the MONEY Fast Enough to keep the troughs full.
As a good friend put it so perfectly, “It’s going to be real interesting to see the looks on all these “Educator’s” faces, the day their paychecks stop cashing!!” That day is closer than they think.
Report Post »Rob
Posted on January 17, 2011 at 8:47pmKeeping those loser adults from having more loser kids would make much more sense.
Report Post »marklross
Posted on January 17, 2011 at 8:47pmAnother success story from another bastion for liberal policies put in practice…
Report Post »Rob_M
Posted on January 17, 2011 at 8:46pmGood to know that the union remains underailed in it’s public service record.
Report Post »gopsnativeson
Posted on January 18, 2011 at 7:56amGig you catch the part in the story where it mentions the factors that let to thier 250 million budget deficit, “an unexpected increase in hirering.
They get an unexpected windfall last year with the stimulas money, & the answer is to hire more people??
Shows where thier priorities are doesnt it.
Report Post »NickDeringer
Posted on January 17, 2011 at 8:46pmHow often do the LibProgs have to be wrong before they finally get it? Detroit is the poster child for the disaster that’s caused by Left wing government.
Report Post »encinom
Posted on January 17, 2011 at 9:06pmDetriot is the poster child for the ravages of Corporate greed, after teh GOP pushed NAFTA through in the 90′s the jobs left. But, the tea-baggers must never say a harsh word about their true corporate masters.
My Sacred Honor
Posted on January 17, 2011 at 11:56pmBecause in the “*******’ mind, they are correct, and this is just a step in getting America turned to their way of life. They WANT inner city kids to fail in order to be unwitting soldiers in their “Cloward and Piven” strategy of socialist, violent uprising that will “fundamentally transform” America to one of their choosing, where the “intellectual elite” have power and say over the “intellectually inferior” rest of the sheep. And they are despirate. And both they and we know it. And they know they failed, due to the tea party uprising based mainly on the “9/12 project” outlined by Beck. We are now fully aware, and we are awake. i GUARENTEE there strategy is being moved ahead of schedule due to this, because although they have made severe moves against the 1st, 4th, and 10th amendments, their final phase, the destruction of the 2nd amendment wasn’t given time to impliment. Which gives me pause to consider the Arizona shooting as maybe the “sociopath” in question was another manturian canidate working as an operative for the left to speed gun legislation along. All good though. In my studies of the Constitution, I found THIS little tid-bit:
To provide for calling forth the Militia to execute the Laws of the Union, suppress Insurrections and repel Invasions;
To provide for organizing, arming, and disciplining, the Militia, and for governing such Part of them as may be employed in the Service of the United States, reserving to the States respectively, the Appointment of the Officers, and the Authority of training the Militia according to the discipline prescribed by Congress;
Something to consider, considering we NOW hold the House…..
Report Post »Kathy9052
Posted on January 18, 2011 at 12:07amGOP passed NAFTA? How could they do that? In 1993 when NAFTA was passed, Bill Clinton was President and the Democrats were in power in both the House and Senate.
Report Post »idrathermisstotheright
Posted on January 18, 2011 at 1:12amClinton signed the legislation into law.
Government regs caused this and continues to put the rope around the neck of business.
If we all worked as union govt employees the problems would be solved?
Report Post »LadybugsTX
Posted on January 18, 2011 at 1:44am@ENCINOM. Isn’t Encino in Taxapornia? I believe so. The State poster child for the big fat Progressive agenda and Union FAIL. Let me help you out with a little math Encino, alas the Progressive schools of Taxapornia have failed you as well. Average union salary with benefits = 145K per year or $69.71 per hour. Now you can blame NAFTA all you want to distract from who the real culprit is (which makes you an idiot parroting other uninformed idiots as Clinton passed NAFTA with a Democrat majority), but NAFTA has not a single damned thing to do with the school system. Really, I think these lefties need a good psych evaluation.
Report Post »LadybugsTX
Posted on January 18, 2011 at 1:53amJinx, I owe you a coke KATHY9052, lol. The real mystery is will ENCINOM read either one of our posts, thing to themselves, “Man I’m an effing dumbass.“ Research and find out the truth themselves and think ”Man, what an effing dumbass I am. I wonder what other stupid crap I think I know that isn’t true. Maybe I’m not as smart as I think I am and maybe I should do my homework and find the truth myself instead of blindly listening to the bloggers on Moveon.org.” Nah… If liberals are anything, they are predictable. Guaranteed to blindly carry Obama and the DNC’s water like good little boys and girls no matter what.
HEY SOROS!! PERHAPS YOU SHOULD RECALL ENCINOM. HE JUST MADE A BIG ‘OLE FOOL OF HIMSELF. EPIC FAIL!! At least dock him the $1.25 you were gonna pay him for that post.
Report Post »BoilitDown
Posted on January 18, 2011 at 1:58am@ENCINOM:
Report Post »Corporations and NAFTA? Seriously? You fail to see the obvious right in front of you and yet seek out the implausible, unfounded and factually wrong. You’ve got some serious denial going on there.
Check your premises, then get back to us.
phil1765
Posted on January 18, 2011 at 3:07amKathy9052
Report Post »Facts don’t make any difference to encinom he follows the progressive/socialist lead and just makes up his own facts as he goes along.
Kalidor835
Posted on January 18, 2011 at 6:41am@encinom, NAFTA was passed by a Dem controlled house and senate and signed by Bill Clinton. You care to try again on blaming the GOP. for this? Whether you Sorosbots want to admit it or not your way doesn’t work.
Report Post »milig
Posted on January 17, 2011 at 8:45pmHahaha. The stupidity of this is staggering. Way to go ******** and commies.
Report Post »MrObvious
Posted on January 18, 2011 at 9:49amDetroit is a prime example of what government regulation does to an economy over time.
Report Post »Not just the Schools, but the auto industry as well.
The auto makers didn’t leave just for cheaper labor – actually in some cases their labor costs went up.
It is possible to kill the golden goose. Detroit, among many others, proved that.
They’re not the only city suffering from self inflected wounds. Most of CA is self inflicted.
NYC is starting to suffer under it’s own weight as well.
Unions wouldn’t have the corruptingly insane power they do without the help of government.
Our entire country is being held back by a mountain of regulations that don’t make sense, unless you look at them as deliberate attempts at self sabotage. Of course self sabotage is not rational; but, it seems Savage is correct when he says “Liberalism is a mental disorder”.
Psychosis
Posted on January 17, 2011 at 8:44pmclosing those schools would probably be doing the kids a favor ….. have you seen the fail rate for chicago schools ?
Report Post »A Doctors Labor Is Not My Right
Posted on January 17, 2011 at 8:49pmChicago is ground zero for all of America’s Progressivism. Shameful.
Report Post »A Doctors Labor Is Not My Right
Posted on January 17, 2011 at 8:57pmHey, the story is about Detroit, but you made me think of Chicago. Shameful.
Report Post »ovrwlmd
Posted on January 17, 2011 at 9:23pmThe remaining schools won’t be that overcrowed since the drop-out rate in Detroit is one of the highest in the county … noted in 2007 as being 75%.
Report Post »101
Posted on January 17, 2011 at 9:38pmThe Detroit News, 17 Detroit Public Schools will now be managed by four private educational management companies in efforts of turning around its financial and academic performance. In addition, the school district may also be facing bankruptcy. If the school district is forced to declare bankruptcy, the system should be able to revamp its operational practices, while the school district would also be able to eliminate previous vendor and labor agreements in order to achieve most cost-effective management.
http://www.publicschoolreview.com/articles/127
Report Post »beebacksoon
Posted on January 17, 2011 at 9:48pmLet the schools close and if need be, hire non union teachers. The union dangles carrots in front of union members. My neighbor said the ONLY reason she joined union was because the health ins. was so much cheaper, otherwise, she wouldn’t have joined.
Report Post »HillBillySam1
Posted on January 18, 2011 at 9:05amIt will probably be for the best. The union math teachers are the worst…..here is a sampling of their work:
Report Post »1+1=GIMMEE THAT!!!! The union science teachers are no better: this is how they explain Newton’s Theory of Relativity: “Theoretically, your relatives will be paying for my pension beyond infinity.”. Quite shameful.
RobertCA
Posted on January 17, 2011 at 8:41pmYep send the kids home or directly to the streets or to jail so that we can pay for the union .
Report Post »what4
Posted on January 17, 2011 at 8:49pmTime for bankrutcy I would have to say….Screw the Union!
Report Post »P C BE DAMNED
Posted on January 17, 2011 at 8:51pmYou know the Seventh Day Adventist have a prophet who wrote about 150 years ago that the unions would play a large part in the end times the Bible talks about. I was a member a long time ago and we could not understand this. The prophets name was Ellen White. Also over 20 years ago I read a book by another Seventh Day Adventist writer , Uriah Smith, who said about 150 years ago that Islam would also play a part in the end times. We didn’t see how this could be either. FYI
Report Post »nptden
Posted on January 17, 2011 at 8:52pmGood..maybe they can bus them to Chicago.
Report Post »Robert25252
Posted on January 17, 2011 at 8:54pmI agree Robert.
Report Post »cheezwhiz
Posted on January 17, 2011 at 8:58pmYou know what can help Detroit ?
Report Post »A real marxist-communist local government , headed by a black marxist and lots of fed money.
Oh wait….
BMartin1776
Posted on January 17, 2011 at 9:12pmThis is a perfect example of what long term, democ…socialist control will result on a city- society! Couple that with increasing taxes and regulations forces industries out of the city let alone the US and you have the makings of a third world country…. That is what this city has become within the border of the US third world, run down, dilapidated, corrupt run govt, crime ridden city… stop me any time..
Days of playing nice and by the book have to go. Get out of your shell, cross the line within yourself and TAKE BACK AMERICA through http://www.savingtherepublic.com
Report Post »spendthrift
Posted on January 17, 2011 at 9:22pmCool. That‘s Obama’s way to improve education in America. Give the money to the Unions and bankrupt the children’s future. Have them on the streets getting “street smart” and steal the hand guns you want banned. That is the future that Obama is creating.
101
Posted on January 17, 2011 at 9:24pmThe Union dues don’t cover the Union pensions, Unions are unsustainable and need to be abolished within the federal & state levels, so they’re no longer a tax burden on society!
CatB
Posted on January 17, 2011 at 9:25pmThey should close all the schools and send those union thug teacher out on the streets .. they have poor test scores and a pathetic graduation rate. The kids would be better off with a computer and online schools.
Report Post »rc30
Posted on January 17, 2011 at 9:25pmAm from Flint Michigan. In 2009 moved to texas to get away from the Libs up there. It will only get worse tell the working people get sick of the unions BS. Also the welfare class live high on the hog. They get cars homes fixed for free. If the new people in goverment up there. Do what they say they are going to do it will get better. People on welfare should want to get off. But they stay on it for life. Have a kid or two and learn how to work the system. People need to learn to work for what they want. No one is owed anything.
Report Post »CatB
Posted on January 17, 2011 at 9:29pmHi ..RC30 .. I moved from Jackson to Florida … left for the same reasons.
Report Post »TruthTalker
Posted on January 17, 2011 at 9:33pmThey’re doing it for the kids, because the left have such big hearts.
Report Post »ltb
Posted on January 17, 2011 at 9:37pmP C BE DAMNED, I feel sorry for people who are blind to what’s happening right now. Earlier today I came across 2 Thessalonians 2:9-12 and Revelation 12:12, which seem to explain a lot about the current mood of the world and why lying has become a favorite pastime of so many contemporary Americans. When I see bald-faced liars like Bill Maher, Chris Matthews and Keith Olbermann, it honestly makes me kind of nauseous to realize they’ve probably passed a point of no return. At any rate, for anyone who’s familiar with Biblical prophecy, watching the news these days is like seeing your favorite book made into a movie – I’m glad the book has a great ending for us.
Report Post »jsDway
Posted on January 17, 2011 at 9:38pm@WHAT4 – I agree with you – to %ell with the unions – all of them, they are destroying the budgets of all our cities with their socialist leaders!
Report Post »My Sacred Honor
Posted on January 17, 2011 at 9:38pmWhat, do you reckon, the city‘s unionized teacher force thinks about paying for their predicesors’ pensions by having their student (thus, their workload) doubled? MAYBE this is a back-handed plan to force union members to realize that THEY must pay for the selfishness of the unions and former members representing them now? And then they are forced to call BS on what their own unions have done to them, inadvertantly?
Report Post »MAYBE this is an awesome idea?
My Sacred Honor
Posted on January 17, 2011 at 9:41pmNot to MENTION, if half the schools are closed, then wouldn’t half the teachers be laid off?
Report Post »MEH….but then subsequently be subject to a never-ending HUGE “unemployment” check forever and ever and ever and ever… ad nausium. My bad. AWEFUL idea…
UlyssesP
Posted on January 17, 2011 at 9:42pmUnplanned staffing surge? More tax leeches draining the soul of working America.
Report Post »My Sacred Honor
Posted on January 17, 2011 at 9:47pm“I am for doing good to the poor, but…I think the best way of doing good to the poor, is not making them easy in poverty, but leading or driving them out of it. I observed…that the more public provisions were made for the poor, the less they provided for themselves, and of course became poorer. And, on the contrary, the less was done for them, the more they did for themselves, and became richer.”
-Ben Franklin
Report Post »TikeSissy
Posted on January 17, 2011 at 9:52pmGreat, more chaos for intercity blacks. Isn’t it bad enough that the left has housed them like cattle. stripped them of all pride and hope. Made sure they have a few drugs around, you know, to calm them down. How about those food stamps, oh, and we’ll make sure you have some medical insurance too. Don’t worry Mr and Mrs. Black, the Left will take real good care of you. You can count
on it, look at all progressive accomlishments in the past 60 years. Don’t you feel that Matthews tingle running down your leg.
I’ll never understand how a Black Man or Black Women can vote for a left wing communist.
LadybugsTX
Posted on January 17, 2011 at 10:26pmWe basically have a government that is Of the Unions, by the Unions and for the Unions. Is it me, or is there a conflict of interest here. Government union employees “organizing” to elect corrupt Democrat politicians to help them bilk the tax payer, who makes on average, half as much as they do, for more money. Progressive policies are fandiddlytastic aren’t they?
Report Post »bullcrapbuster
Posted on January 17, 2011 at 10:36pmThey wanted socialism. Now they have the results. Too bad the kids have to pay the price but that is how socialism always ends up.
Report Post »mtnclimberjim
Posted on January 17, 2011 at 11:08pmCan someone give me a argument as to the benefits of a union? I hate unions.
Report Post »grandmaof5
Posted on January 17, 2011 at 11:17pmHow ’bout they keep the schools and close down the unions. Give out what the unions have in their coffers to the teachers to invest like the rest of us, and that’s that.
Report Post »gopsnativeson
Posted on January 17, 2011 at 11:27pmIts a sad example of the problems with unions in this country now.& Im afraid an even sadder indicator of the general state & make-up of towns, cities, & state governments across our country.
BEHOLDEN TO UNION DEMANDS AT THE EXPENSE OF THE PROVIDERS & TAXPAYERS OF THIS COUNTRY,
Imagine how many small towns across america are run in this fashion to 1 degree or another.
How many towns with 10, 20 to 50,000 people are run similar to this.
We already know most cities, & now most states are run in this fashion.
An absolute disregard for the providers & taxpayers of this country,
Education, town employees, the medical community, state unions, federal unions, alll of them,
You can work for 20-25 years & retire at 45or 50 & collect 70 to 100+% for the rest of thier long comfortable life,
The only real money in this country, real honest money, comes from people who work & produce for a living, the taxpayers of this country.
Not 1 unions member, not 1 police officer, not 1 nurse or government employees, makes anything or gets paid unless someone first takes money from someone earning it with honest effort, then giving it to them,
Now we as a society need all these people for a functioning stable community.
But the price is, as was infamously coined in the NY governors race,
THE PRICE IS JUST TOO DAMN HIGH.
AND IT’S TIME TO RECONCILE THE WEALTH IN THIS COUNTRY, DESERVINGLY SO WITH THE PRODUCERS & THE PRICE WE’RE WILLING TO PAY FOR THE SERVICES WE NEED
Report Post »Creestof
Posted on January 17, 2011 at 11:31pmHow about we pool our money and buy the state? We can make it a conservative/republican/christian only state? I’ll donate $10,000.00 and the first spool of razor wire for after we move in.
Report Post »click4cheapandeasyweb
Posted on January 17, 2011 at 11:55pmAnd Unions are supposed to be good for us? Horse-Pooh!
Report Post »Chris G
Posted on January 17, 2011 at 11:55pmI’ve always supported the separation of School & State, but The Detroit Way is NOT what I was thinking!
Report Post »KICKILLEGALSOUT
Posted on January 18, 2011 at 12:16amJust wonderful! Now more Liberal Scum will ooze down South to pollute our communities even more! This is the plan people! They start bankrupting Liberal states so that they will then mass immigrate to more conservative places with better economies but once they are their like a poison they will spread quickly and infect and kill off the host by doing the same things that ruined their states in the first place!
Don’t sell them your property! Don’t sell your land to them! Don’t hire them! Keep them out!
Report Post »butchcoolidge
Posted on January 18, 2011 at 1:04am@LTB, you are soooo right on, Bravo!!
Report Post »LadybugsTX
Posted on January 18, 2011 at 1:26amDoes anybody remember that Detroit schools got 200 million dollars in the Stimulus? What’s worse, does anybody remember that when the 200 million dollars was sent, the Detriot school system was under investigation because 56 million dollars of funding just disappeared? I just remember thinking, What? No Federal investigations? Just send more good money after bad? Of course, at the time, I was disgusted by the Stimulus as a whole and saw it as one big fat waste of my money for things like this, tunnels for turtles and studies of the effects of cocaine on Chinese hookers. It didn’t come home to roost for me until just now. Now it all makes sense. Union theft. Pure and simple. Sad, and will a single Liberal who carry water for the Democrat party, unions and the like say a word? I doubt we here a peep on this board.
Report Post »swalt
Posted on January 18, 2011 at 2:24amThe unions are responsible for 99% of the problems we have in this country right now. Want to help neuter them? Then pass this along to all you come in contact with. PLEASE!!! And keep in mind, the Beck referred to in this posting is NOT Glenn Beck.
Report Post »A little known law that ALL unions are supposed to make their members aware of is called Beck’s Law. But the unions DO NOT tell their members. Why? Keep reading.The Supreme Court’s Beck Decision Recognizes Individual Worker Rights: In 1989, the U. S. Supreme Court established what are now known as “Beck rights” in the landmark decision Communication Workers v. Beck, Beck rights dictate that workers cannot be forced under union contracts to pay any dues or fees beyond those necessary for the performance of the union’s employee representation duties. In other words, any worker who objects to his union’s use of his dues money for purposes not directly related to collective bargaining is entitled to a refund of that portion of his dues. Beck rights are a triumph of individual rights over the political weight of union leaders. Workers in labor unions DO NOT HAVE TO PARTICIPATE IN THEIR UNION BOSSES POLITICAL ACTIONS. All the member needs to do is notify the union they do not want their dues used for anything other than those directly related to collective bargaining, they will get a refund of their dues money. Look here for more information: http://www.mackinac.org/article.aspx?ID=1403
If I can get enough people to pass this around, I truly believe it will make a huge dent in the labor unions ability fund anything political. Unions were meant to represent their members, not political action committees. Get the unions OUT of politics!
Mister President
Posted on January 18, 2011 at 2:36amUnions, pensions, social security, medicare, medicaid, etc. Old people (and irresponsible people – the rich get richer because the poor have more kids) versus young people from students to the young workforce. Old people wanting young people to support them and pay for their retirements etc. Close the schools. Close the fire departments. Fire all the policemen. Just don’t make me personally responsible for my own health care and retirement.
Report Post »Mikeyyy
Posted on January 18, 2011 at 4:16amAh heck, just close 100% of the skools down, and give the rest of the money straight to the unions.
Report Post »Enuff Zenuff
Posted on January 18, 2011 at 5:12amDetroit is the Poster Child of Progressivism.
Report Post »Atlas Shrugged there a long time ago and it’s obvious Ayn Rand is correct.
avenger
Posted on January 18, 2011 at 5:56amdoes not matter…the record of the schools sucks.the hbo show “the wire” is a carbon copy of detroit schools.drugs,sex and mayhem.inner city schools just push the kids through the system to grab federal $$$$…..
Report Post »Jackers
Posted on January 18, 2011 at 6:01amJust like Governor Jerry Brown of California… He’s trying to increase taxes across the board and slash services to the poor and the elderly (the ones who need it most) just so that he and his donors (unions, anyone?) can continue to live in style… Such lavish lifestyles for these cronies at the expense of hardworking tax-payers… It’s time to call these unions out!
Report Post »Sam I am
Posted on January 18, 2011 at 7:30amDetroit just spent $49 million to give laptops to students and teachers!! And they’re broke?
The city has declining revenue, but in another story, Detroit failed to send out real estate tax bills.
Are the inmates running the asylum?
NO, not one penny more!!!
Report Post »BernieKittyCat
Posted on January 18, 2011 at 8:23amHey fellow Michiganians! Demand your state reps pass Right to Work today! I love this state but without Right to Work we are doomed.
Report Post »grandmaof5
Posted on January 18, 2011 at 8:23amMTNCLIMBERJIM, me too! They are there for the boss’ to get rich and powerful (something evil capitalism isn’t supposed to do), donate to the candidate of the union’s choice and to filter votes to that person, voluntarily or by force, using union dues. Or if you are a bus driver getting a lap dance while putting your passengers in grave danger, they represent you and bail you out of jail. Bottom line, they are a ponzi scheme.
Report Post »BLEMON01
Posted on January 18, 2011 at 8:36amVery well said, MY SACRED HONOR.
Report Post »mikem1969
Posted on January 18, 2011 at 8:37amTime to fire the UNION out of a cannon. ALL UNIONS MUST GO. No federal or state government should be allowed to have unions because they are paid for by tax dollars.
Report Post »j_man
Posted on January 18, 2011 at 9:02am@RC30 You always spell Texas with a capital T.
Report Post »Bum thrower
Posted on January 18, 2011 at 9:05amConvert the abondened schools into prisons; that way the kids can stay close to home.
Report Post »EP46
Posted on January 18, 2011 at 10:08amWatch for the new story.
Report Post »UAW has announced they will TARGET foreign car companies in the US
They NEED to unionize the workers to support their pension funds
As you know, the foreign companies will close up shop…leave the U.S. and this will add to the unemployment lines…..sure to make obama and Co. happy…more people dependent on government.
watchtheotherhand
Posted on January 18, 2011 at 10:31amTake a nice hard look at Detroit. It is a heavily unionized town and look at it….It’s literally like a town in a third world nation. It is poverty and crime stricken….and most of this is thanks to the unions…..This is just a preview of what the unions are trying to do to this whole country….SEIU is of greater threat to this countries well-being than ANY foreign power !!!!!
Report Post »Rogue
Posted on January 18, 2011 at 10:31amHere’s a funny and informative tour of Detroit by Steven Crowder – it shows exactly what happened to Detroit, and the role of Liberals and Unions in the decline:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1hhJ_49leBw
Love this guy! lol
Report Post »Rogue
Posted on January 18, 2011 at 10:37amJust wait and see how the unions handle the teachers that have to be laid off to “cut” costs…. each will recieve a severance, pension, and health benefits until the day they die. I’m sure there will be some kind of settlement as well to keep the unions from suing the state over job cuts. The unions will win big with the cuts.
Sorry kids, but don’t worry – we have unionized janitorial jobs waiting for you if you can somehow make it out of high school.
Report Post »getalong
Posted on January 18, 2011 at 11:33amAll those boarded up useless school buildings can be added to the list of Detroit’s landmark buildings which have been shamelessly neglected. And just think of the 500 million dollars of membership dues the Fed department of education spent on supporting their progressive idiot politicians during the mid-term elections. Since when does a union have the right to tell its members who to vote for. Give me a break!!!
Report Post »indy1
Posted on January 18, 2011 at 11:36amDetroit, a city run with Democrat Party ideals.
Report Post »Dandylyon
Posted on January 18, 2011 at 12:12pmAnother beautiful view of our socialist union’s,“no child left behind”unless of course it intail’s my money.
Union people should feel real proud of what the union‘s have turned into and inspite of closeing school’s you won‘t get yo money’s cause the union’s have stolen it just like the government they support.
See you on the street’s……………………borther‘s and sister’s.
Report Post »Beckofile
Posted on January 18, 2011 at 12:20pmEasy…Close the school district down and dissolve. Split the education dollars equally amongst all elligible (Not Illegal) children and let them decide community by community how to school their children. Rent the school buildings at a price that will allow for further upkeep and replacement (non profit). Let all union teachers reapply because they are going to need an income since the pension plan will be gone with the district. Or just let the union members run the existing pension plan with no additional upkeep from taxpayers since they will be needing to build a new system and cannot afford what someone in the past promised them. This is just the beginning and this will spread across the county as the union has actually pushed to bankrupt themselves. Maybe the unions were the one thing that has proven to break the government education stranglehold????
Report Post »RdsknsFtbll
Posted on January 18, 2011 at 1:58pm101… Do I know you from another website? I think I do but not sure… either way I would say you are 100% correct. I guess Unions arent required to live under a balanced budget… I mean why would they be… just raise dues and beg for more federal funding… GO TRUMPKA!!!
This is just plain sickening though.. to cut schools and increasing classroom distractions is really about as dumb as you can get… its definitely teh opposite concept of “No Child Left Behind” isnt it.
Report Post »My Two Cents
Posted on January 18, 2011 at 2:22pmWhat a great testament to statism. Michael Moore should be proud.
Report Post »docvet
Posted on January 18, 2011 at 2:39pmMaybe the Michigan Governor and the Detroit mayor need an injection of chriscristyite so they can face facts and speak the truth about the cause and solution of their financial problems.
Report Post »athdruid
Posted on January 18, 2011 at 3:26pmUnions… the topic just screams socialism/liberal/left/democratic… The problem is that people don’t look past that. Yes unions came from the fact that the few business owners would make the $$ from the hard work of the employees, however those same employees weren’t getting their fair share. Unions came to protect the worker from harsh conditions and “slave” labor. I grew up in the northeast where unions are strong. and i can understand. working in a coal mine or steel mill for pennies on the dollar, tell me the fairness in that? it wasn’t.
HOWEVER, unions have grown from fair protection to unfair advantage. but they stay around, because fairness won’t be returned. how can you expect someone to double a workload without compensating them? now don’t get me wrong, i’m against teachers who show up to get a paycheck, but what most people don’t realize is that teachers are educated professionals. they deserve a fair wage. am i right? thought so. the problem is that we don’t know how to define “fair” because teaching a child is not the same as making widgets. if you are supposed to make 10 widgets an hour and are only making 5, there‘s a problem and you’d be fired. but how do you quantify teaching a child? test scores? reports? interviews? see a child is another living creature. there are many factors that play into that childs education. what about home life? how can a teacher be effective if the child is worried about if they will have dinner at home? what about if they don’t know if they will have a bed to sleep in? what about who mommy/daddy will be with that night? education isn‘t something as easy as giving them an SAT and that’s the final answer.
we need real solutions. we need to address the problems. the big picture. it’s no unions, it‘s not teachers it’s everything. to say unions are bad is like saying opening an umbrella is going to stop the rain. it doesn’t stop it. the rain is there, you are just less oblivious to the fact.
Find the solution. work together. take up responsibility. be fair. i think if people were more responsible and fair we wouldn’t be in 75% of the problem we are right now.
Report Post »click4cheapandeasyweb
Posted on January 18, 2011 at 10:46pmAll of this works in the favor of the Communists. The more they can put youth on the streets without schools or a job to go to, they have willing dupes to burn and pillage with little provocation.
Report Post »click4cheapandeasyweb
Posted on January 18, 2011 at 10:57pmKICKILLEGALSOUT, excellent suggestion. I live in an area of the south where in the last 10 years northern libs have been moving in at a rapid pace. They claim they want to live here because they loved it when they visited. The locals were friendly, cordial, and most would offer a stranger the shirt off their backs and their last bit of food. So what do the libs do when they move here… they want to change everything about how we live here. It’s gotten to the point where the locals are telling the outsiders to go to hell. I find it funny as hell because the libs will tell you they just had to get away from all the rules and government taxes up north, yet they come here and want to make changes which means creating lots of stupid rules and much higher taxes.
I have seen the changes first hand and with deep understanding and knowledge because I am a transplanted yankee. That was almost 30 years ago and never regretted the move. The ONLY thing I miss about living up north is… good pizza.
LittleLordFauntleroy
Posted on January 19, 2011 at 8:15amI guess gun and drugs sales will drop by 50%.
Report Post »Compete More
Posted on January 19, 2011 at 8:27am.
.
.
All School Districts should be required to have a voter referendum every two years so taxpayers can vote on continuing the school districts union representation—very simple ballot issue….”Do you believe the Teachers Union has done everything it could to improve the education of the students in the school district and the Union should continue or should the union be decertified?”
This simple voter registation would take the status of the union out of the hands of the school board and put that question in the hands of the parents and taxpayers. The ballot could even disclose the average teachers salary including all fringe benefits and pension contributions.
Empowering the parents and taxpayers would change the attitude of the Teachers Union and their rhetoric.
Good luck
RGS
Report Post »just the facts
Posted on January 19, 2011 at 3:13pmI say let it happen. Lets show the country and those for hope and change exactly what the ramifications are when progressives are in charge. Will it hurt?? Yep. Will it benefit anyone?? Nope. Will we as a country learn from it?? Who knows. What I do know is that we had a good start in last years November elections. Rid the government and all those who further the progressive movement and we will thrive, all of us.
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