Local Unions Rush Contract Approval

Written By: Travis Buhler  |  Posted: Friday, March 18th, 2011

                Local public employee unions have refused to accept that this country is in a recession.  This is evident with the recent push among the numerous governments and school districts in the Eau Claire area to renew or extend employee contracts before the recently passed bill limiting union bargaining rights becomes law throughout Wisconsin. 

                Those working in the private sector have spent the last two years facing layoffs, frozen or lowered wages, increase in health insurance costs or even total loss of health care coverage.  At the same time, according to the Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development, governments in this state have been hiring.  With the help of Federal stimulus money, their wages have stayed steady, and only recently have government employees participating in the Wisconsin Pension System had to contribute toward their state guaranteed retirement package.  Government employees contribute very little to the cost of health insurance compared to private employees that have health insurance.

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