By Tom KandoSo the Republicans are trying to bust the unions in Wisconsin and elsewhere. A recent article by Charles Krauthammer (“Wisconsin GOP sees the debt and crosses the Rubicon,” Sacramento Bee, February 25, 2011) expresses all the evil and stupidity of this effort. Every one of Krauthammer’s arguments is easily refutable, yet the likes of him have managed to bamboozle half of the American public.
Krauthammer’s worn-out and false argument is that, in the private sector, the capitalist can’t afford to give away the store, but in the public sector, politicians always make sweetheart deals with lazy public employees, because it’s not their own money.
The truth: Without Unions, America would still be a Social-Darwinist society, with no middle class. Union membership is down to 7% of the private labor force, from close to 40% half a century ago. The only significantly unionized sector remaining, are teachers and other public employees. Without them, America would lapse back into a primitive and cruel society.
The reactionary hatred of unions, especially those which represent teachers and other public employees is (1) jealousy of a perceived advantage (more about this is a moment) and (2) a race to the bottom, to make sure that all of the labor force is paid less and lose its benefits. Let’s look at the facts:
1. Unemployment rates:There is a belief that the Great Recession has hit the private sector harder than the public sector. But what about the 800,000 public employees who have lost their jobs so far, with another half million predicted to follow?
There is a perception that public employees, who are more often unionized, enjoy greater job security. Temporarily, perhaps, since the start of the recession. And if so, this has long been the trade-off they have accepted in exchange for lower income.
But I don’t even concede this point. I am not sure that unemployment among (former) public employees is significantly lower than the 10% among the labor force at large.
And by the way, wasn’t it the private sector - the Wall Street and banking gamblers - which caused the collapse of the economy?
2. Income: Public employees make less than private employees. Look at the “big three” professions - teachers, lawyers and physicians. In America, teachers are underpaid, while lawyers and physicians are not. In Europe, teachers enjoy a status and an income that are much closer to those of lawyers and physicians.
While most lawyers are not public workers in Europe either, many physicians are. At any rate, it is surely not a coincidence that in America, the profession which earns the least - teachers - is the one that is largely public? (Those few lawyers who are public servants, e.g. public defenders and prosecutors, also earn less their private colleagues).
I was told many years ago: “If you want to make good money, don’t become a teacher.” To which I add: “...or a public servant.”
The government-haters and union- busters tell us that public employees have not suffered enough during the current recession. But what about the furloughs, which have reduced hundreds of thousands of state employees’ already small paychecks up to 25% - not to mention the million who have been laid off altogether?
3. Pensions: Reactionaries like Krauthammer froth at the mouth about “defined benefits.” Public employees’ pension systems still provide many of their members with a predictable monthly income in retirement. In the private sector, retirement benefits have been largely privatized, made into “defined contributions.” Now Wall Street can gamble with retirees’ money.
So the push is on to deny everyone the benefits of a small, but at least fixed and predictable income in old age.
The fat cats, with their golden parachutes and multimillion-dollar severance pays, want everyone else to rely on the stock market as well. But we have seen what happens to the small investor over the past 3 years: Same thing as in Las Vegas!
4. Health coverage: May public employees pay lower health insurance premiums than private employees, because the state picks up more of the premium.
So instead of trying to emulate this positive model in the private sector, there is now a race to the bottom. If I can’t have it, neither should you!
Premiums would not be astronomical for anyone if we only understood that medicine and health insurance should not be a for-profit business, but a public service. After all, the nation’s health is called “public health” isn’t it? (To be continued). leave comment here
11 comments:
Tom, this is a well considered, well written piece. When you feel like it, it would be great if you did a piece on the differences between for-profit HMOs and PPOs vs. non-profit health organizations like Kaiser. I would guess that a much greater percent of the money spent at a place like Kaiser goes toward actual health care including doctor and nurse salaries, as opposed to paperwork support and attorney salaries than at hospitals which are for-profit and take Blue Cross/Blue Sheild, etc. I remember a number a couple of years ago regarding the percent of money a typical HMO spends on attorneys which was something like 60%. I am unsure of the veracity but it wouldn't surprise me if they spend more figuring out how not to treat people than actually treating them. Go get'em, Tiger.
Don,
Thanks for your supportive comment.I am sure that you are right about the differences between for-profit and non-profit PPOs and HMOs. I have no idea whether that 60% figure is true or not.
I am trying to look at both sides of the issues raised about "unemployment rates, incomes,pensions,& health coverage" referenced in the Feb 28 blog,republican lies." Everyone is entitled to their own opinions but not their own facts. These issues can be investigated as scientific & verifiable and should be referenced as to "where does it say that" or what specific data support that view.
It has always bothered me that to a democrat any idea presented by a republican is always bad & any idea from a democrat to a republican is always bad. In most other areas other than politics each side sometimes has a good idea even if discovered only by accident. If I had my choice, any politician that NEVER voted for the other party's idea should be ejected from office for not being objective in judgement because either side often has a good proposal.
I do not agree with all your facts.
Addendum to response to Mar 1 blog:
In a previous response to Republica lies I said facts are not always verifiable. An excellent example of a verifiable articales' facts is "Oh, To Be a Teacher in Wisconsin", Wall Street Journal Feb. 25 in the Opinion section. The data about pensions comes from the Manager of planning for public schools and the collective bargaining agreements documents.No argument about facts here. As good researchers blog readers can easily review this and make a judgement about Wisconsin teachers pensions. Go ahead. Take a chance at seeing the other side.
Comparing teachers' versus doctors' salaries is not so simple. I have never heard of a teacher putting in 72 hour shifts in a cardiac cath lab where every case can be life threatening. Nor are teachers known for caring for their students 24hrs 360 days. In fact last week in the San Juan school district they had 9 consecutive days off for some cokamamie reason. Teacvhers will often get days off After a holiday vacation.
Government layoffs: At UC Davis hospital over a 13 year period in a department of about 300 people we had annual budget reductions in talk; but,the positions eliminated were always vacant positions and not one single person ever was let go. That is government style layoff. Is this a surprise? I hope not.
A UC professor,in that department, at one time the highest salary professor in the entire UC system had as his last year a sabbatical.
What is the purpose of a sabbatical?
The average salary for a full professor at one of the top ten PRIVATE universities is $171 thousand.
The average salary for a full professor at one of the top ten PUBLIC universities is $134 thousand. Let's try to compare apples with apples.
I thank anonymous for taking the trouble to comment.
1. We can=t do justice to the question of the accuracy of my facts, or anyone else=s, at this time. I have stated what are facts, to the best of my knowledge.
2. On the mutual demonization of Republicans and Democrats, i.e. the Right and the Left: I suppose I am quite partisan at this point, I won=t deny it. My perspective is partly because I see America ON THE WHOLE as a very conservative society. If you are a Acentrist@ in this country, that puts you somewhere between the moderate right and the extreme right. By the standards of many other parts of the world, President Obama is a conservative.
3. About the relative income of teachers, doctors, professors, and their relative contributions to society. This is all very complicated. We can all come up with anecdotes. Do doctors work harder than teachers? I have no idea. Some do and some don=t. Are some professors overpaid and lazy? Sure, as are members of any profession.
4. But what frustrates me the most is that American resentment and envy are often directed at fellow workers who are also struggling, notably teachers, public employees and others - MOST of whom live on very limited means.
Anonymous, I am replying to some of your comments about Tom's Mar. 1 blog. Generally speaking, I have found Tom's research to be pretty complete and accurate. However, I don't think he intended to emphasize salary differences between teachers and doctors. Personally, I have known both teachers and doctors who were not especially well-paid. Comparisons between the highest-paid individuals in different professions does little to elucidate these issues. As a retired full professor, my highest salary was nowhere near the $134 thousand you state for the "top 10" public universities--just as the large pensions paid to some city officials in Bell, CA are way above the average pensions paid to public retirees in CA--about $12,000. I am currently a Democrat, but I don't rule out all Republican ideas. In times past, Republicans have suggested a flat income tax with loopholes eliminated, restrictions on earmarks, an a balanced budget--all good ideas. More recently, their ideas to deregulate all private enterprises, privatize social security, and take away worker's bargaining rights are very bad ideas. Will the good Republicans please stand up and be counted!
I thank anonymous for taking the trouble to comment.
1. We can’t do justice to the question of the accuracy of my facts, or anyone else’s, at this time. I have stated what are facts, to the best of my knowledge.
2. On the mutual demonization of Republicans and Democrats, i.e. the Right and the Left: I suppose I am quite partisan at this point, I won’t deny it. My perspective is partly because I see America ON THE WHOLE as a very conservative society. If you are a “centrist” in this country, that puts you somewhere between the moderate right and the extreme right. By the standards of many other parts of the world, President Obama is a conservative.
3. About the relative income of teachers, doctors, professors, and their relative contributions to society. This is all very complicated. We can all come up with anecdotes. Do doctors work harder than teachers? I have no idea. Some do and some don’t. Are some professors overpaid and lazy? Sure, as are members of any profession.
4. But what frustrates me the most is that American resentment and envy are often directed at fellow workers who are also struggling, notably teachers, public employees and others - MOST of whom live on very limited means.
Going back to Leon Festinger, social psychologists have studied people’s COMPARISON LEVELS: people tend to compare themselves with others who are NOT TOO far above or below them.
We are angrier with, and more jealous of, our neighbor, or our colleague, or a teacher who makes $5,000 more per year than we do, or who has a slightly better pension, than we are at people who make ten, hundred or THOUSAND times more that we do. We don’t fret about NBA and Hollywood stars making $10 or $20 million a year, or corporate executives making $100 million.
Is it right for ONE person to earn as much as entire TOWNS do? Especially at a time when millions are descending into poverty?
The rage of the Tea Party is so misguided. The teacher is now the bad guy because she earns more than the hamburger flipper at McDonald. Wooptido! Meanwhile, the Billionaire gets a free pass. This is moral confusion.
Anonymous, I am replying to some of your comments about Tom's Mar. 1 blog. Generally speaking, I have found Tom's research to be pretty complete and accurate. However, I don't think he intended to emphasize salary differences between teachers and doctors. Personally, I have known both teachers and doctors who were not especially well-paid. Comparisons between the highest-paid individuals in different professions does little to elucidate these issues. As a retired full professor, my highest salary was nowhere near the $134 thousand you state for the "top 10" public universities--just as the large pensions paid to some city officials in Bell, CA are way above the average pensions paid to public retirees in CA--about $12,000. I am currently a Democrat, but I don't rule out all Republican ideas. In times past, Republicans have suggested a flat income tax with loopholes eliminated, restrictions on earmarks, an a balanced budget--all good ideas. More recently, their ideas to deregulate all private enterprises, privatize social security, and take away worker's bargaining rights are very bad ideas. Will the good Republicans please stand up and be counted!
I liked your blog (both parts), so forwarded it to some people. Here is my sister-in-law, Susie's, response:
Thank you from a retired, defined benefit recipent who worked 38 years in a profession that offered no bonuses for exemplary work, no comp-time, no parachutes, golden or otherwise, but did, thank G-d provide us a retirement to live on and that includes health benefits! Amen for the brotherhood/sisterhood of public school teachers!
Aziza
Thank you for helping to propagate our blog. We are doing better all the time, getting several thousand hits by now
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