Montrose - Daily Press

 

Both the general public and government employees should keep in mind certain constitutional protections of civil rights and civil liberties.

 

Advertisement

Government employees have the same rights as anyone else freely to form associations - formal or informal - to petition the government for redress of grievances. If they choose an association in the form of a union, they are free to do so.

 

 

The issue about the firefighter union bill vetoed by the governor is NOT whether the firefighters (or other government employees) may form or join an existing union. It IS about whether the employing agency is or is not required to recognize that association and bargain with it about working conditions.

 

 

If there is a strong, unified association among its employees, the governing authorities of a public agency would do well to recognize it and work with it to improve service to the citizens. The alternative is a cost ineffective drag on the morale and productivity of the workforce. In a public agency, the workforce is comprised of citizens also.

 

 

Any laws which seem to prohibit public agencies from recognizing unions are in violation of the constitutional protections for freedom of association.

Comments

steve wrote on Jun 25, 2009 1:23 AM:

" i was under the impression that law enforcement and firefighters are not allowed to be unionized. that was tried in Montrose County S.O. and it was shot down. They were also told law enforcement and firefighters did not have the priviledge of paid overtime after 40 hours, and the fifteen minute breaks daily and a lunch hour does not have to be provide either. "




Report Abuse

to bald jim wrote on Jun 18, 2009 3:28 AM:

" i think you better re read 'Govt Employee' statement, you are both in agreement! use your glasses this time! "




Report Abuse

BaldJim wrote on Jun 17, 2009 10:40 AM:

" @ Govt Employee

You suggest there are NO dead-weight employees on the county payroll?

There are! But rather than being Union Members, they are the ones who contribute to the Republican Party's campaigns.

To paraphrase the TV show: "whose card is in your pocket?" "




Report Abuse

BaldJim wrote on Jun 17, 2009 10:31 AM:

" I thought all I said was that government employees did not lose any rights that employees in the private sector had.

I have to agree with the persons commenting. The clock should be turned back. They should have to work again under the conditions which obtained before unions.

They don't know about that time. "




Report Abuse

Govt Employee wrote on Jun 12, 2009 11:08 AM:

" As a government (county) employee I can think of nothing worse for me or this county than a union. Unions don't work, they drive up prices and make it impossible to get rid of dead weight employee's. Ironically those are the only kind of people I know that want a union! "




Report Abuse

concerned res wrote on Jun 8, 2009 9:20 PM:

" Do the words "Made in China" mean anything to you Bald Jim??? Unions have stripped this countries ability to compete internationally. Unions are nothing more than money hungry blood suckers. Unions and politicians are the epitome of corruption. Keep unions out of both the private and public sectors! "




Report Abuse

Taxed payer wrote on Jun 8, 2009 9:11 AM:

" You're already stuffing your face at the tax payer trough. Now you want to tell us that we aren't bringing the slop fast enought for you. If you don't like your job get another one. Good luck! "




Report Abuse

Get real wrote on Jun 7, 2009 10:42 AM:

" Half the work force of America are gov't workers? Like to see the proof of that melodramatic claim. Don't pay taxes? I paid federal income tax as i served in the US Army! If you think gov't workers don't pay any taxes you are very wrong. Go ask a post office worker. Quit listening to Rush. "




Report Abuse

truth hurts huh wrote on Jun 7, 2009 5:25 AM:

" the governing authorities are the people who pay your wages via taxes! thats us! all of you govt employees can go on strike and stay on strike, it would give ritter and obama all the money they need instead of taxing and feeing us into poverty. im glad you want the same constitutional protections as us, because we got none. half of govt jobs serve no purpose anyway, if we gotta start a volunteer fire dept, so be it. how dare you threaten the very people who pay your over inflated wages. "




Report Abuse

GET REAL wrote on Jun 6, 2009 6:32 PM:

" boy are you guys on the wrong end of the thought process here. your going to end up like a bunch of air traffic controllers under Reagan, fired and replaced. you think you can negotiate higher salaries at taxpayer expense? YOUR going to strong arm the govt? dont make laugh. pay cuts govt jobs are coming, because there isnt any money to pay you guys. when 1/2 of the working population is govt workers that are exempt from taxes, how do you pay the wages? welcome to the unemployment line, ohh yea, you dont pay unemployment insurance, step aside. "




Report Abuse