CSSHEGEWISCH CMStPnP Shadow the Cats owner Here is how bad the local Teachers Unions are near me. The State of IL put a local school district on the Fininical Difficulty watch list meaning the Board of Education had to submit a budget cutting plan to the State in order to get its budget approved to open the school. Well one of the things on the cutting room floor was the Self Insured teachers Healthcare Insurance. They sent it out for bids to take it back to private run. Well they got the bids back in and they are going to save 800 grand per year. They only need to cut 400 grand a year to make the States mandates in budget Cuts. Guess who gave these benefits to the teachers Retired Teachers and Superintendents. One of them even tried to become a State Senator this year and got hammered over how she ran 2 districts into the ground. Oh yeah gotta love State Retriees here in IL that have Protected Pensions that can never be reduced. Their screaming bloody murder that the state is broke but heaven help the taxpayers that have to cover the shortfall in the obligations for their pensions. Lets just say IL owes close to 140 Billion in pension debt alone. Yeah we are that screwed. Yet all we hear from Chicago is higher taxes and more regulations that run businesses out of this state. My boss this year said if somethings do not change with the business enviroment in Springfield he will sell out. It's a big reason why EMD LaGrange is now Electro-Motive Fort Worth. They stated for the press it was because the largest client was BNSF but most of us know the financial reason had to do with taxes and cost of living. In Wisconsin's case the concern was rapidly expanding benefits vs rising pay and salary and the Unions were setting up insurance companies and making it mandatory their specific plan be used via collective bargaining. Too much graft there for Wisconsin Taxpayers to swallow. The State Employee right to collective bargaining is in the State Constitution and remains there unamended but it is restricted to pay only. It was extended to benefits via legislation by Democratic Governor Pat Lucy in the 1970's and has been increasingly abused since then........so the extension to include benefits was revoked. The Left just went ape crazy over the change because a LOT of those same Labor unions were contributing heavily to their campaigns (which you could make a case against as well being a conflict of interest). However, I am not aware after the laws that passed any union being busted financially or going broke. In fact they are all still there attempting repeatedly to overturn the legislation at every chance they get......which is also sad. Gotta bust those unions, gotta keep that workforce cheap and docile.
CMStPnP Shadow the Cats owner Here is how bad the local Teachers Unions are near me. The State of IL put a local school district on the Fininical Difficulty watch list meaning the Board of Education had to submit a budget cutting plan to the State in order to get its budget approved to open the school. Well one of the things on the cutting room floor was the Self Insured teachers Healthcare Insurance. They sent it out for bids to take it back to private run. Well they got the bids back in and they are going to save 800 grand per year. They only need to cut 400 grand a year to make the States mandates in budget Cuts. Guess who gave these benefits to the teachers Retired Teachers and Superintendents. One of them even tried to become a State Senator this year and got hammered over how she ran 2 districts into the ground. Oh yeah gotta love State Retriees here in IL that have Protected Pensions that can never be reduced. Their screaming bloody murder that the state is broke but heaven help the taxpayers that have to cover the shortfall in the obligations for their pensions. Lets just say IL owes close to 140 Billion in pension debt alone. Yeah we are that screwed. Yet all we hear from Chicago is higher taxes and more regulations that run businesses out of this state. My boss this year said if somethings do not change with the business enviroment in Springfield he will sell out. It's a big reason why EMD LaGrange is now Electro-Motive Fort Worth. They stated for the press it was because the largest client was BNSF but most of us know the financial reason had to do with taxes and cost of living. In Wisconsin's case the concern was rapidly expanding benefits vs rising pay and salary and the Unions were setting up insurance companies and making it mandatory their specific plan be used via collective bargaining. Too much graft there for Wisconsin Taxpayers to swallow. The State Employee right to collective bargaining is in the State Constitution and remains there unamended but it is restricted to pay only. It was extended to benefits via legislation by Democratic Governor Pat Lucy in the 1970's and has been increasingly abused since then........so the extension to include benefits was revoked. The Left just went ape crazy over the change because a LOT of those same Labor unions were contributing heavily to their campaigns (which you could make a case against as well being a conflict of interest). However, I am not aware after the laws that passed any union being busted financially or going broke. In fact they are all still there attempting repeatedly to overturn the legislation at every chance they get......which is also sad.
Shadow the Cats owner Here is how bad the local Teachers Unions are near me. The State of IL put a local school district on the Fininical Difficulty watch list meaning the Board of Education had to submit a budget cutting plan to the State in order to get its budget approved to open the school. Well one of the things on the cutting room floor was the Self Insured teachers Healthcare Insurance. They sent it out for bids to take it back to private run. Well they got the bids back in and they are going to save 800 grand per year. They only need to cut 400 grand a year to make the States mandates in budget Cuts. Guess who gave these benefits to the teachers Retired Teachers and Superintendents. One of them even tried to become a State Senator this year and got hammered over how she ran 2 districts into the ground. Oh yeah gotta love State Retriees here in IL that have Protected Pensions that can never be reduced. Their screaming bloody murder that the state is broke but heaven help the taxpayers that have to cover the shortfall in the obligations for their pensions. Lets just say IL owes close to 140 Billion in pension debt alone. Yeah we are that screwed. Yet all we hear from Chicago is higher taxes and more regulations that run businesses out of this state. My boss this year said if somethings do not change with the business enviroment in Springfield he will sell out.
Here is how bad the local Teachers Unions are near me. The State of IL put a local school district on the Fininical Difficulty watch list meaning the Board of Education had to submit a budget cutting plan to the State in order to get its budget approved to open the school. Well one of the things on the cutting room floor was the Self Insured teachers Healthcare Insurance. They sent it out for bids to take it back to private run. Well they got the bids back in and they are going to save 800 grand per year. They only need to cut 400 grand a year to make the States mandates in budget Cuts.
Guess who gave these benefits to the teachers Retired Teachers and Superintendents. One of them even tried to become a State Senator this year and got hammered over how she ran 2 districts into the ground.
Oh yeah gotta love State Retriees here in IL that have Protected Pensions that can never be reduced. Their screaming bloody murder that the state is broke but heaven help the taxpayers that have to cover the shortfall in the obligations for their pensions. Lets just say IL owes close to 140 Billion in pension debt alone. Yeah we are that screwed. Yet all we hear from Chicago is higher taxes and more regulations that run businesses out of this state. My boss this year said if somethings do not change with the business enviroment in Springfield he will sell out.
It's a big reason why EMD LaGrange is now Electro-Motive Fort Worth. They stated for the press it was because the largest client was BNSF but most of us know the financial reason had to do with taxes and cost of living.
In Wisconsin's case the concern was rapidly expanding benefits vs rising pay and salary and the Unions were setting up insurance companies and making it mandatory their specific plan be used via collective bargaining. Too much graft there for Wisconsin Taxpayers to swallow. The State Employee right to collective bargaining is in the State Constitution and remains there unamended but it is restricted to pay only. It was extended to benefits via legislation by Democratic Governor Pat Lucy in the 1970's and has been increasingly abused since then........so the extension to include benefits was revoked. The Left just went ape crazy over the change because a LOT of those same Labor unions were contributing heavily to their campaigns (which you could make a case against as well being a conflict of interest). However, I am not aware after the laws that passed any union being busted financially or going broke. In fact they are all still there attempting repeatedly to overturn the legislation at every chance they get......which is also sad.
Gotta bust those unions, gotta keep that workforce cheap and docile.
Got to keep the slaves working for their gruel. Keep them out in the fields, not up at the big house. Beatings will continue until moral improves.
Never too old to have a happy childhood!
Some "slaves." Some "cheap work force." When the truth is that public employees, as a category, have been largely shielded from the drastic adjustments -- including but not limited to lower real wages and reduced benefits -- that the private sector has endured for at least 30 years now.
I don't begrudge them anything but the occasional excesses, of which I count collective bargaining as one. (What percentage of private employees have that tool? Or the right to strike?) I just don't like to be filled full of B.S. about how poor and exploited they are.
dakotafredI don't begrudge them anything but the occasional excesses, of which I count collective bargaining as one. (What percentage of private employees have that tool? Or the right to strike?) I just don't like to be filled full of B.S. about how poor and exploited they are.
ALL employees have the RIGHT to organize. Private employees don't have collective bargining because they have not organized to be in a position to collectively bargin. They collectively have the power to organize and get their organization recognized and thereby bargin collectively with their employer. The organizations that are presently Unionized went through this process with all the hard feelings, harassment, violence and all the other actions that take place to defeat union formation. Unionization is not for the weak of heart. In most cases non-union employees ultimately enjoy many of the benefits that Union employees won through the collective bargining process.
CMStPnP It's a big reason why EMD LaGrange is now Electro-Motive Fort Worth.
GE moved to Fort Worth, not EMD.
An "expensive model collector"
dakotafred -- including but not limited to lower real wages and reduced benefits -- that the private sector has endured for at least 30 years now.
-- including but not limited to lower real wages and reduced benefits -- that the private sector has endured for at least 30 years now.
Which just about coincides with the drop in union membership in the private sector.
Jeff
CSSHEGEWISCHGotta bust those unions, gotta keep that workforce cheap and docile.
Seems to me the Union Members that pushed for the Governor to intervene are happy with the change. Only ones that complained were the featherbedders and they had to import lots and lots of union folks via bus from other states because they could not find enough union members within the state of Wisconsin to mount a significant protest..........that itself should tell you something.
CMStPnP CSSHEGEWISCH Gotta bust those unions, gotta keep that workforce cheap and docile. Seems to me the Union Members that pushed for the Governor to intervene are happy with the change. Only ones that complained were the featherbedders and they had to import lots and lots of union folks via bus from other states because they could not find enough union members within the state of Wisconsin to mount a significant protest..........that itself should tell you something.
CSSHEGEWISCH Gotta bust those unions, gotta keep that workforce cheap and docile.
CSSHEGEWISCHProof, please.
Read the press reports.......I'm not your internet secretary. Nor is my job to find the truth for you.....thats your job as a informed citizen. If you want to bury your head on issues fine. Is it fair to ask me to waste my time attempting to unbury your head.....I don't think it is. The issue was brought to the table in Wisconsin and won by 55-45% via recent poll. Won a recall election. Won a Wisconsin Supreme Court Test (read what the justices said). Unions lost, the people won and get to keep more of their hard earned tax money. Has it impacted Union pay?.......nope. Has any union gone out of business because of the measure?........nope. The impact has been taxpayers can keep more of their money and the outright theft from the Wisconsin Treasury in this one area has stopped.
My Sister is a former union steward..........for Governor Walker's measure.
My Nephew is a state employee...............for Governor Walker's measure.
A good portion of my extended family is blue collar in Wisconsin........haven't met one that was against Governor Walker's measure.
People out of state. Different story as they have been told all sorts of nasty things about what happened and never bothered to dig deeper or research the issue.
Now if any of you Union Stiffs knew anything about your Union history you would know that George Meany, and other union Leaders in the Union glory days were against public employee unions not for them. It was not until the 1950's when some unions discovered how lucrative it could be to hold localities hostage that union opinions changed. About the time the Mob started to get intimately involved with James Hoffa and the Teamsters Union.
I guess that you believe that unions of any sort are bad for business since they allow labor to be treated more fairly, including a decent wage.
It's always been my feeling that unions are a mixed blessing.
There is no question that they improved working conditions.
There is no question that they improved pay.
But pay and benefits is an area where they went overboard. Taking Eugene Debs call for "More!" to heart, it wasn't a contract unless there were often sizeable increases in both, even if economic conditions as a whole didn't justify them.
And those increases filtered down. Even a non-union employee now needs more money to pay for the increases in prices of union-made items.
It becomes circular. And therein lies the problem.
Larry Resident Microferroequinologist (at least at my house) Everyone goes home; Safety begins with you My Opinion. Standard Disclaimers Apply. No Expiration Date Come ride the rails with me! There's one thing about humility - the moment you think you've got it, you've lost it...
CSSHEGEWISCHI guess that you believe that unions of any sort are bad for business since they allow labor to be treated more fairly, including a decent wage.
No I think some Unions when it comes to politics and their own good are pretty stupid at times. Look at how many union folks voted for Democrat John Dingal of Michigain all the while his heiress wife (Fisher Body Fortune) was collecting Millions of Dollars in bonuses from General Motors as an Executive while it was closing plants everywhere and moving jobs out of the country. Now Debbie Dingal they elected to replace her husband John in Congress...........smart move but she doesn't care one whit about Union Jobs or Union Benefits despite what she says on TV, she just wanted to be in Congress to work on other issues closer to her heart. So great move there and when I see that kind of thing politically I have to chuckle to myself.
Hari Kari move to elect her to Congress by organized labor.
After unions blew most of the decent-paying jobs -- look at what's happened to railroad employment, half of what it was when I railroaded 50 years ago, which was half of what it was 25 years before that -- they started going after public employees (paid by politicians with other people's dollars) and low-skill folks in the lettuce fields, restaurants and hotels.
Pitiful. And of course unions stuck with Democrats like Hillary Clinton because of the party label, no matter how poorly they performed for the working cause. And two-thirds of union voters dutifully followed -- pitiful again.
I heard railroad workers liking everything Barry Goldwater said 50 years ago -- then turn around and vote Democratic after their union mouthpieces, including Labor magazine, laid down the law.
Same with Obama in '08 and '12. If there's anybody you'd expect RR workers to dislike instinctively it's an Ivy League liberal like Obama who never got his hands dirty in his life -- a "community organizer," for the love of something or other. But when the union barked, they jumped thru the hoops like the puppy dogs they were.
Maybe this last election marked the beginning of a change. Or maybe not. We've seen "Reagan Democrats" before, but the awakening didn't last.
dakotafredSame with Obama in '08 and '12. If there's anybody you'd expect RR workers to dislike instinctively it's an Ivy League liberal like Obama who never got his hands dirty in his life -- a "community organizer," for the love of something or other. But when the union barked, they jumped thru the hoops like the puppy dogs they were.
C'mon Fred, there hasn't been a presidential candidate in the last couple decades that ever got their hands dirty. That argument is downright stupid. You do realize that many railroaders out here do actually have higher education and are not mindless drones? We can actually vote for our candidate of choice. We also know that while the unions aren't perfect (far from it) it would be a hell of a lot worse (and less lucrative for us) without them. I mean, there's plenty of $10/hour non-union shortlines one can get a job with if they so desire.
The opinions expressed here represent my own and not those of my employer, any other railroad, company, or person.
zugmannpresidential candidate in the last couple decades that ever got their hands dirty
More than a few decades, I believe.
C&NW, CA&E, MILW, CGW and IC fan
schlimm zugmann More than a few decades, I believe.
zugmann
Not sure how y'all can say that with a straight face
I didn't vote for him, and I didn't care for many things in his administration, but I won't sit idly by and have him accused of not working, or caring about things that matter.
And his mother, Lillian, was one of the ten finest people I've ever met -- she raised him right.
Farming was not his main career. I for one, think he was a fine man and was glad to speak briefly with him in Atlanta. Probably too honest to be a politician. But he's been out of office almost 36 years.
schlimmFarming was not his main career.
I wasn't referring to the peanut farming; I was referring to the homebuilding. His hands 'got dirty' on a very regular basis with Habitat. That is not the same thing as hammering out a living with hard physical work, I'll grant you, but I have no question that Carter could, and would, have done that if it were necessary.
RME schlimm zugmann More than a few decades, I believe. Not sure how y'all can say that with a straight face I didn't vote for him, and I didn't care for many things in his administration, but I won't sit idly by and have him accused of not working, or caring about things that matter. And his mother, Lillian, was one of the ten finest people I've ever met -- she raised him right.
Believe it or not - it has been several decades since Carter.
A Federal Railroad Administration official said Thursday the agency is committed to working with the state of Illinois to complete a passenger rail connection between the Quad-Cities and Chicago.
Meanwhile, a state official said a much anticipated agreement between the state and the railroad that owns much of the track between here and Chicago has been signed.......
http://qctimes.com/news/local/government-and-politics/bustos-trump-administration-committed-to-q-c-rail/article_9a183aac-4b1e-56f5-85d6-e6af354c3af7.html
Victrola1 "...A Federal Railroad Administration official said Thursday the agency is committed to working with the state of Illinois to complete a passenger rail connection between the Quad-Cities and Chicago. Meanwhile, a state official said a much anticipated agreement between the state and the railroad that owns much of the track between here and Chicago has been signed....... " http://qctimes.com/news/local/government-and-politics/bustos-trump-administration-committed-to-q-c-rail/article_9a183aac-4b1e-56f5-85d6-e6af354c3af7.html
"...A Federal Railroad Administration official said Thursday the agency is committed to working with the state of Illinois to complete a passenger rail connection between the Quad-Cities and Chicago.
Meanwhile, a state official said a much anticipated agreement between the state and the railroad that owns much of the track between here and Chicago has been signed....... "
The linked article does quote Rep. Bustos (D-Ill) but while seeming to be 'upbeat' also mentions an apparent lack of support for the Rail link between Chicagoland and the Quad Cities.
Here is the quote from the linked article by Victrola1:
[FTA] "...The federal government awarded $177 million to Illinois in 2010 to establish the connection between here and Chicago. But after seven years, much of the work is left to be done. [emphasis added]
)Rep) Bustos noted the commitment comes even as the Trump administration has proposed cuts to Amtrak.
"Securing passenger rail for the Quad-Cities has always been among my top priorities, and I'm pleased the Federal Railroad Administration is committed to bringing this project across the finish line," she said in a statement.
It's not clear when work will begin on upgrading track to accommodate passenger traffic.
The state of Illinois has been working toward an agreement with the Iowa Interstate Railroad that would allow the railroad to be reimbursed for costs associated with planning on the project, such as for engineering and environmental studies..." [added emphasis ]
Sounds like the Folks in the Quad Cities are anxious for the 'Commuter Rail Service' to begin, but the State of Illinois ? (Maybe, not so much?).
My question is: If Illinois is 'teetering on the brink of Insolvency'...How can they provide funds for relief, where this particular project is concerned? The Media stories concerning the solvency of the State of Illinois, and its leadership; currently, seem to paint a pretty bleak picture of the future of its financial solvency.
I would guess those holding Ill. State Pension Plans should be really concerned?
samfp1943 The linked article does quote Rep. Bustos (D-Ill) but while seeming to be 'upbeat' also mentions an apparent lack of support for the Rail link between Chicagoland and the Quad Cities. Here is the quote from the linked article by Victrola1: [FTA] "...The federal government awarded $177 million to Illinois in 2010 to establish the connection between here and Chicago. But after seven years, much of the work is left to be done. [emphasis added] It's not clear when work will begin on upgrading track to accommodate passenger traffic. The state of Illinois has been working toward an agreement with the Iowa Interstate Railroad that would allow the railroad to be reimbursed for costs associated with planning on the project, such as for engineering and environmental studies..." [added emphasis ]
In fact, NONE of the work has been done. Distilling these items down, the Feds put up $177 million 7 years ago. They (the Feds, IL, IA or some comgination of the above?) now anticipate entering into an agreement with the railroad to figure out what capital investment will be required in the fixed plant to support the service.
Seven years to come to a relatively simple agreement that says basically "We will pay you to do a traffic and engineering study to figure out what fixed plant investments we need to make to your railroad." The threat of this boondogle coming to fruition seems mercifully low.
Mac
Excerpt from Feasibility Report on Proposed Amtrak Service Quad Cities-Chicago
http://www.passengerrailok.org/memberfiles/AMTK-IL-QuadCitiesFULLREPORT.pdf
It should be understood that the current car supply situation at Amtrak is extremely tight and it is likely that equipment for this service would have to be generated from our bad order storage inventory, and scheduled for heavy repair in a car shop, thus requiring significant initial rehabilitation expenditures and time.
Excerpt from QC Times
http://qctimes.com/news/local/senators-ask-amtrak-to-get-rail-cars-ready-for-q/article_c5239a39-648b-5f91-a535-01b78d4bac86.html
Iowa and Illinois lawmakers are asking that Amtrak move quickly to prepare rail cars in the event Amtrak connections between Chicago and Iowa are built.
U.S. Sens. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., Barack Obama, D-Ill., Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, and Tom Harkin, D-Iowa, made the request in a letter dated Tuesday.
wanswheel Excerpt from Feasibility Report on Proposed Amtrak Service Quad Cities-Chicago http://www.passengerrailok.org/memberfiles/AMTK-IL-QuadCitiesFULLREPORT.pdf It should be understood that the current car supply situation at Amtrak is extremely tight and it is likely that equipment for this service would have to be generated from our bad order storage inventory, and scheduled for heavy repair in a car shop, thus requiring significant initial rehabilitation expenditures and time. Excerpt from QC Times http://qctimes.com/news/local/senators-ask-amtrak-to-get-rail-cars-ready-for-q/article_c5239a39-648b-5f91-a535-01b78d4bac86.html Iowa and Illinois lawmakers are asking that Amtrak move quickly to prepare rail cars in the event Amtrak connections between Chicago and Iowa are built. U.S. Sens. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., Barack Obama, D-Ill., Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, and Tom Harkin, D-Iowa, made the request in a letter dated Tuesday.
How are an eight-year-old study and newspaper article relevant to today's situation? Both are from 2008.
schlimm How are an eight-year-old study and newspaper article relevant to today's situation? Both are from 2008.
Kind of ironic, it seems to me, that an entire two-term 'Amtrak friendly' presidency passed without a train through or to Quad Cities, since Senator Obama was supportive, according to the 8-year-old article from 9 years ago.
wanswheel schlimm How are an eight-year-old study and newspaper article relevant to today's situation? Both are from 2008. Kind of ironic, it seems to me, that an entire two-term 'Amtrak friendly' presidency passed without a train through or to Quad Cities, since Senator Obama was supportive, according to the 8-year-old article from 9 years ago.
Excuse me! Nine!! Nice try to excuse your dated post by rationalizing post facto. You know very well that State-supported corridors require the states' participation and initiative to make them happen. And Illinois is a leader in that endeavor.
I'm surprised you didn't post a five-page spread from the 1850s and Mississippi riverboats or from WWI or WWII and the Rock Island Arsenal's weapon production.
https://archive.org/stream/officialbookoffo01rock#page/n9/mode/2up
Wanswheel with the 20 foot jump shot! Takes the lead.
Miningman Wanswheel with the 20 foot jump shot! Takes the lead.
Although historical posts are Wanswheel's thing and may be interesting, these are totally irrelevant to the subject.
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