The heated and hateful divide between political parties in Wisconsin has cost taxpayers millions. It will get worse if our reform Governor Scott Walker loses the recall election.
And, in addition to the expense, the powerful public unions will regain strength, and become re-energized. If you think the tactics of the past year were bad, you ain’t seen nothin’ yet!
Examples of the past include furloughed public employees in Milwaukee County who received $6 million in back pay and interest when their union sued at a time when the county was drowning in red ink.
Or there was the teacher in Cedarburg who was fired for viewing porn on a school computer, but was reinstated with back pay through a lawsuit by his WEAC union. Through much additional time, taxpayer money and effort however, the appeals court overturned the reinstatement, and terminated him. A
nd then there was another teacher in Middleton, who viewed and shared porn on his school computer, was fired, but then reinstated through a law suit, and received $200,000. in back pay at a cost of $300,000. to taxpayers in legal fees. There was also the case where an Antigo principal dealt drugs to teachers, but they couldn’t be drug tested because the union forbad drug testing in their contract.
So, if collective bargaining is reinstated through Walker’s recall, taxes will skyrocket, and big labor will exert control over politicians, and dictate reform on its own terms.
Without collective bargaining, employees still have several avenues available to them on their own behalves, including the Family And Medical Leave Act; the Americans With Disabilities Act; Age Discrimination In Employment Act; Fair Labor Standards Act; Civil Rights Act and many others. Also, the best teachers can be retained, and the worst gotten rid of without collective bargaining contracts that forbid rewarding teachers based on merit.
There’s just too much at stake for Walker to lose, so it is imperative to vote for him on June 5, and to save Wisconsin.