Comments on: I May Need To Draft Legislation [UPDATED]

By: Fed Up

Fed Up — Fri, 02 Oct 2009 00:55:42 +0000

How about instead of a knee-jerk reaction to the word “Union” he look at WHY we feel the need to do this?

By: Fed Up

Fed Up — Fri, 02 Oct 2009 00:53:57 +0000

Two Republicans who have done nothing to help the situation.

By: Doug Deal

Doug Deal — Fri, 02 Oct 2009 00:32:21 +0000

Yeah that makes a whole lot of sense.

There are two Republicans on the city council and 13 Democrats. The Democrats have 87% of council and the mayor’s office. “Help, I’m being oppressed!”

By: Fed Up

Fed Up — Thu, 01 Oct 2009 23:57:42 +0000

Strike is not an option. And this comment speaks well of the ignorance the typical person has about police officers AND public safety unions.

It is about having a voice. For years the City of Macon has abused the officer’s who serve. It is past time somebody stood up.

By: Fed Up

Fed Up — Thu, 01 Oct 2009 23:54:35 +0000

Why don’t you educate yourself about them.

By: Fed Up

Fed Up — Thu, 01 Oct 2009 23:53:57 +0000

He is wrong.

By: Fed Up

Fed Up — Thu, 01 Oct 2009 23:53:41 +0000

A good thing, because my vote just went to whoever would have opposed him.

By: Fed Up

Fed Up — Thu, 01 Oct 2009 22:51:50 +0000

Go ahead, draft your legislation. And start work on your resume while you are at it.

Mr. Erickson, you have done nothing for us since you came on city council. You and your cronies have pissed on us and told it was rain long enough. Did you expect us to just sit there and be continually abused? While you and the rest of the gang continued to take what little we had away?

By: Tinkerhell

Tinkerhell — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 12:36:13 +0000

Only good post in this thread…

By: rugby

rugby — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 20:28:21 +0000

I was asking a question to clarify for your stance but reading comprehension is a skill I never thought you had (and now I know you don’t).

By: Pete Randall

Pete Randall — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 19:03:19 +0000

I said they didn’t have the right? Amusing how in the past you often accuse me of putting words in your mouth and yet you feel no compunction to do the same.

Sure, they can unionize all they want. And they also have the “right” to be fired. Liberty is a two-way street, but I wouldn’t expect you to understand.

By: Ronald Daniels

Ronald Daniels — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 18:50:38 +0000

I have a large problem with a Police Officer, that is a person selected to maintain order, peace, and security in a community contemplating going on strike. Not that this is the end result of a Union, but the concept is absurd.

“Oh hey, I’m not getting paid enough so I’m going to punish the people I’m paid to protect.”

By: ByteMe

ByteMe — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 18:30:21 +0000

Well, last night they did break-fast after Yom Kippur.

I was pretty sure I was going to have to explain the joke.

By: galiberal

galiberal — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 18:22:46 +0000

Did I say he was Jewish?

By: ByteMe

ByteMe — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 16:50:02 +0000

I didn’t realize Erick was Jewish.

By: Cousin Pat from Georgia

Cousin Pat from Georgia — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 16:40:19 +0000

Typical inside-the-box political conversation. “Let us talk about the theories and histories of unionization without examining why some members of the Macon police force feel they have to take this step.” If the city government of Macon truly hasn’t set up an official pay scale for the police department, there may be bigger fish to fry here.

If employers were more responsive to employees, we wouldn’t need unions. If unions were better run, pragmatic organizations that actually helped develop the workforce, employers might not mind them so much. But let us not talk about those things. No, let’s tee up everyone’s already deeply held anti- or pro- union positions so we can read that for the next 40 some odd comments.

By: Doug Deal

Doug Deal — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 16:36:53 +0000

Steve, I agree with you.

Unions can have a purpose to protect workers and at one time they did just that. Unfortunately today and in recent times they only exist to protect themselves or to help those that are lazy and unproductive.

By: seenbetrdayz

seenbetrdayz — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 16:35:55 +0000

I’m interested to know what they plan on accomplishing. After all, you can’t squeeze blood from the turnip that is the City of Macon, GA.

By: Steve Perkins

Steve Perkins — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 16:29:03 +0000

If you’re trying to insult Erick, you’re heading in the opposite direction. He lives for the Rush/Beck/Hannity comparisons.

By: Steve Perkins

Steve Perkins — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 15:26:32 +0000

I’m sympathetic to the whole “little guys sticking together against the big guys” thing… but my issue with unions is their coercive nature. If the union gets 51% support on one day, the other 49% are forced to either join against their will or find a new job. Moreover, their organizational tactics are pretty thuggish. Employers are criticized for using intimidation to bust unions too… but look at which side supports secret ballots, and which side fights like hell against them!

Coercion and intimidation aside, I’m also pretty disgusted by the seniority system that always seems to accompany union contracts. Merit goes out the window… your pay and advancement are driven by how long you’ve been around, instead of whether or not you’re actually worth a damn on the job. I would go insane in an environment like that.

All that being said, I still don’t see Erick’s problem. Police departments are typically seniority-based, and lord knows there’s no workplace more thuggish… so if there’s any employer meant to be unionized, the police would definitely be it!