"Union fat-cats...myth or reality?"

BeRight, the union leaders sound a bit like republicans...there may be hope for them yet!

It is the irony of the article that make it interesting, you know, the part about Union Leaders complaining that union members are taking advantage of work rules causing hardship on other union members.

As always you read quite abit into it and then left the rest out to suit your position !

It is the union leaders complaining that their members are taking advantage of the rules. I am not specualting. That what the story said, not me.

If you notice it doesnt say anything about them not being productive ! Again your just speculating ! I'd say that their bosses would be called into question if these people werent doing something !

and one that the tax payer doesn't pay for.

A person who can't do their job for six years needs a different job.

The policy limits light duty to 90 days, except for RARE occasions.While on light duty Arnold also was injured in a vehicle accident.Funny how some will leave out stuff that doesnt meet their needs !

The Fire Union are the ones voicing the complaint. Another quote from the article: Fire administration and union heads have pleaded with the Department of Public Safety to amend the policy, arguing that the current system leaves the Division of Fire short-handed, lowers morale and violates a promise to serve the public.

A union member will always find away to abuse a benefit. The policy limits “light duty” to 90 days but some are on as long as a year. Battalion Chief Yolanda Arnold, 57, has been on light duty for six years. She initially was placed on light duty for anxiety in 2006. Six years of her annual salary — now at $109,000 — and the additional overtime and pay to have other supervisors cover her regular position add up to at least $1 million. Those are tax dollars.

“The injuries range from anxiety, heart and weight issues to chronic knee, back and shoulder injuries. Fire administrators are obligated to create a temporary position for a firefighter if the firefighter’s doctor says he or she can perform some tasks.”

. . .

Chief, union: Firefighters’ ‘light duty’ hurts city

by Lucas Sullivan

(Columbus Dispatch)

Yeah believe it or not some injuries take a long time to heal ! I suppose you'd fire them or make them do their job hurt !

Some Columbus Union firefighters have taken advantage of a loophole that allows them to sit behind a desk for years while recovering from an injury and still earn full pay.

And everything the trash man cites is just more right-wing lies and halftruths !

Daily Kos is an American political blog that publishes news and opinions from a “PROGRESSIVE” point of view.

Tennessee House Joins The Republican War on Teachers by Steven D .

Elections matter. When the Republicans took back the House in 2010, they also captured a number of governorships and legislatures. Two of those Governors (Wisconsin and Michigan) took the radical approach that eliminating teachers' rights to collectively bargain was the new way to solving all their budget woes (even if, as in Wisconsin they had no budget woes to speak of). And while I know that the GOP has long had it in for teachers and public schools, mostly that was confined to rhetoric at the Republican national conventions every four years.

“The bottom line is simple but devastating: as long as the teachers unions remain powerful, the nation's schools will never be organized to provide kids with the most effective education possible.”

Special Interest: Teachers Unions and America's Public Schools

by Terry M. Moe

The Republican War on Workers Heats Up

by A. Jay Adler on February 17, 2011 Read More: class warfare, Goldman Sachs, government employee unions, public sector unions, Scott Walker, unionism This is class warfare, and it’s being waged by oligarchic predators and the conservative business, political, and media activists who are their centurions on the working people of the country.

House Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) said Tuesday that if Republican efforts to cut federal spending resulted in the loss of government jobs, “so be it.”

Union woes highlighted by Caterpillar fallout

Right-to-work group could target Illinois

By Alejandra Cancino

Chicago Tribune

Still sticking to your lies !You say they have NO CHOICE and we all know that they do because they either choose to work at a union shop or they work at a non union shop !!So you see it has nothing to do about choice so what exactly is the need for this garbage ?? The only reason is they want to limit unions ability to bargain collectively !

"Right to work laws ensure that all Americans are given the choice to refrain from joining or paying dues to a union as a condition for employment. Nearly 80 percent of all Americans support the principles and so I have introduced a national Right to Work Act that will require all states to give their workers the freedom to choose." ~ Sen. Paul

Sen. Paul Introduces National Right to Work Act

paul.senate.gov/?p=press_release&id=692