John Stossel pointed out this quotefrom a union official in New York. It really highlights the essence ofunion mentality, particularly the ever-growing government unionmentality.
Albany Police Officers Union PresidentChris Mesley says that, regardless of the faltering economy, a no-raisenew contract is unacceptable.
And to hell with the public.
“I’mnot running a popularity contest here,” Mesley said. “If I’m the badguy to the average citizen . . . and their taxes have go up to cover myraise, I’m very sorry about that, but I have to look out for myself andmy membership.”
Mesley added: “As the president of thelocal, I will not accept ‘zeroes.’ If that means . . . ticking off sometaxpayers, then so be it.”
Here is the difference between government and private-sector unions.
Private Sector Unions
Unionmembers know that if their demands are unreasonable they could causethe financial collapse of their employer. Managers know that if theygive too much to the unions the business may not survive. Each side hasa survival instinct to address.
Government Employee Unions
Unionmembers know that no matter what sort of grand contract they negotiate,their employer, the government, will be able to pay the tab. This isbecause government doesn’t have to make a profit to operate. Governmentonly needs the power to seize money from the taxpayers. Likewise,government leaders know that they can give the unions almost anyconcession because of their ability to seize the needed funds throughtaxation. There’s one more advantage for government employee unions:They participate in the process of choosing the very politiciansthey’re going to negotiate for more wages and benefits.
And to hell with YOU.