Unions and the state budget

Tom Moran of The Star-Ledger on the cool reception that state Sen. Stephen Sweeney — himself a labor leader — received at the state AFL-CIO convention this week.

One thing about this, Moran makes it clear why the Sweeney proposal — that state unions give a little back to help balance the budget — is not the kind of fight that unions should use to stand as a symbol of the labor movement in 2006.

Conven tions like this are supposed to give them a chance to champion the common man against the rich CEO.

But what if there is no rich CEO? In the case of public workers, the cost comes out of the hide of the average middle-class taxpayer.

Essentially, the fight in question comes down to worker versus taxpayer — or, if you prefer, worker v. worker.

The South Brunswick Post, The Cranbury Press

Author: hankkalet

Hank Kalet is a poet and freelance journalist. He is the economic needs reporter for NJ Spotlight, teaches journalism at Rutgers University and writing at Middlesex County College and Brookdale Community College. He writes a semi-monthly column for the Progressive Populist. He is a lifelong fan of the New York Mets and New York Knicks, drinks too much coffee and attends as many Bruce Springsteen concerts as his meager finances will allow. He lives in South Brunswick with his wife Annie. View all posts by hankkalet