Mass. Senate passes bill to curb bargaining rights

[Zenlitened]

Source: Boston Globe

The Massachusetts Senate voted tonight (Thursday night) to curb the collective bargaining rights of police officers, teachers, and other municipal employees, making it likely the overwhelming Democratic state will limit union power in an effort to ease budget woes.

The voice vote, with barely any debate, came a month after House lawmakers approved similar legislation in hopes of saving cities and towns $100 million in the next budget year. Governor Deval Patrick has indicated he is eager to sign the bill once the two branches hash out their differences.

While the measures backed by the House, Senate, and governor vary, all three would allow mayors and other local officials to move local workers into the state’s health insurance plan or to design their own plans that similarly trim costs for management. Each plan would leave a window to discuss those changes with workers, but would ultimately let local officials alter their plans, regardless of whether workers oppose it.


Read more: http://www.boston.com/news/local/breaking_news/2011/05/state_senate_pa_1.html

[Zoeisright]

1. That's unconstitutional and unAmerican.

Fuckers.

[The Northerner]

2. How despicable nt

[watajob]

3. Massachusetts?!

Really? No, really?!

[grahamhgreen]

4. Let's face it, our party is rife with these Anti-Democrat Dems. This will be bad for 2012.

[w4rma]

5. The Billionaires demand their tithe. (nt)

[No Elephants]

6. No demonstrations as in Wisconsin, either. I guess unions have a double standard?

[seaglass]

9. do you mean because the Dems support this? My thinking is that there is no where to go.

The general public in MA is not behind public unions and certainly Republicans are not. Now the Democrats have just confirmed that they aren't behind the unions either - not much of a surprise.

My husband is a public union member and I don't think he is anywhere near as angry as I am because he saw the writing on the wall.

[seaglass]

7. must be the blue dogs...yeah, that's it.

MA Senate - 36 Democrats, 4 Republicans
MA House - 128 Democrats, 31 Republicans
Governor - 1 Democrat


:mad:

[Joe Bacon]

8. Chalk up another one for the DLC

Disgusting.

Once again, Democrats shoot themselves in the foot...