Is Massachusetts the next Wisconsin?

[The Northerner]

Earlier this week, the Democratic-controlled House in Massachusetts passed a bill limiting collective bargaining rights on health care for municipal employees. Unions are outraged; conservatives are cheering, but they agree: like Wisconsin, this blue state has launched an assault on unionized public employees. Democrats in the state say they’re both wrong.

The bill means that cities and towns could make alterations or cuts to municipal workers’ health care plans unilaterally. Unions would still get 30 days to discuss changes to their health plans with local officials, a last minute concession, but the local government has the final say. If union members object to the plan, they would get 20 percent of the savings for one year. Their new plans could not include higher co-pays or deductibles than the lower-cost Group Insurance Commission to which state workers and legislators belong without collective bargaining.

It doesn’t go nearly as far as Wisconsin’s law, which eliminated all collective bargaining for most public workers. Massachusetts unions don’t see ‘not as bad’ as a good deal; they fought hard against the legislation. Massachusetts AFL-CIO president Robert Haynes called the decision “stunning.” The bill passed 111 to 42, with 81 Democrats voting in favor. Unions supported many of those legislators, and they feel betrayed.

Democrats in state leadership are pushing back. “This is not Wisconsin,” said Gov. Deval Patrick in an interview on Wednesday. “I’m not going to sign a Wisconsin-type bill in the end. We’re going to have a meaningful role for labor, and we’re going to deliver on the savings for municipalities.” Patrick himself introduced a similar plan in January.

Read more: http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/the-fix/post/is-massachusetts-the-next-wisconsin/2011/04/28/AFaBR76E_blog.html

[LynneSin]

1. Thank goodness Massachusetts has a good governor

else they'd be screwed and by the home team at that

[joeglow3]

5. 111-42 seems to take the governor out of the picture

What does the Senate make-up look like?

[virgogal]

6. A good governor? He hasn't accomplished anything important

except make himself quite a bit of money with a book that he is traveling around promoting.

He also raised the cap on charter schools. Isn't that terrific.

[bbgrunt]

11. sounds a lot like his buddy-O

[-..__...]

7. Uhhhmmm....

Patrick defends House health bill

Governor Deval Patrick chided labor leaders yesterday for comparing the House plan to curb collective bargaining rights to a tougher law passed recently in Wisconsin.

“It’s very important that we dial down the rhetoric,’’ he said. “This is not Wisconsin. That’s not what the House did. I’m not going to sign a Wisconsin-type bill in the end.’’

The governor was speaking hours after House lawmakers approved a bill that would limit the ability of municipal employees to bargain over their health care plans, in an effort to save cities and towns $100 million.

http://www.boston.com/news/local/massachusetts/articles/2011/04/28/patrick_defends_bill_curbing_union_rights/

It's not as bad as the WI bill, but it's not like Patrick has the unions back either.

[Ian David]

2. I wonder if this could be a way to push back against many right-wing conservative mayors.

Giving them the rope they need to turn the unions against them.

[MasonJar]

3. What is going on up there in the BLUE state of Mass? First a GOPer

is elected Senator and now this. If this kind of illegitimate democracy can take place there, we're all screwed.

[politicasista]

4. delete

comment too divisive

[bigmonkey]

8. The problem is that the Democrats are so entrenched.

People vote against them (i.e. vote Republican) to "send a message". The corruption is associated with the Democrats, because they are in charge.

[bluerum]

9. rec'd for the guvs statements - he sure beats the riff raff that we had before

[fascisthunter]

10. idiot frauds... well, say good bye to union voters you morons!

[eilen]

12. Sounds like Mass is being abandoned

By DINOs.