Working Families United

[Guest Guest]

The NJEA (teachers) have formed a group called The Working Families United for New Jersey and had another rally against the Governor and his constituents. On NJ.COM, it states that unionized employees are organizing with a warning to the Governor that they will drop their health plans when, not if, they ARE going to pay 30% towards their medical amongst other cuts being formulated at this time. It's a done deal, thats it. That would save the state multi-millions of dollars and it's taxpayers a great deal of money. It's hard to believe that the unions have not researched how much a good family health plan costs if they go on thier own. The more that opt out the better. The towns can hire back the laid off employees at more reasonable salaries, pension contibutions, and eventually higher percentages towards medical costs and pensions. That is my opinion only of what the state needs. NOT higher paid union employees but rather MORE that do not have runaway train raises and benefits. The laid off workers will be thrilled at having their jobs back with the new regulations instead of having no job at all. If the residents of these small towns in NJ, such as Harrison and to a small part Kearny, would elect new Mayors and Councils that have the same mindframe as the Governor they would prosper. The appointed nepotism and patronage jobs are the real threat to the unionized employees, but the unions show no interest or desire to eliminate these extremely high paying jobs. Most of these jobs are not needed. They are a gift to someone. The people re-elect the same politicians that are breaking their backs thinking they are going to be rewarded somehow. In Harrison for example, does the town have employment applications? In many years in Harrison, I have NEVER seen a job opening posted anywhere (newspaper, town hall) to submit an application for the job thru a resume and interview so that ALL residents have a fair shot. It's all appointments just like the PVSC. The unionized employees should start addressing that injustice to right the wrong. Without the nepotism and patronage jobs, Harrison could cut somewhere in the area of at least 25% of the town budget.

[Guest guest]

The NJEA (teachers) have formed a group called The Working Families United for New Jersey and had another rally against the Governor and his constituents. On NJ.COM, it states that unionized employees are organizing with a warning to the Governor that they will drop their health plans when, not if, they ARE going to pay 30% towards their medical amongst other cuts being formulated at this time. It's a done deal, thats it. That would save the state multi-millions of dollars and it's taxpayers a great deal of money. It's hard to believe that the unions have not researched how much a good family health plan costs if they go on thier own. The more that opt out the better. The towns can hire back the laid off employees at more reasonable salaries, pension contibutions, and eventually higher percentages towards medical costs and pensions. That is my opinion only of what the state needs. NOT higher paid union employees but rather MORE that do not have runaway train raises and benefits. The laid off workers will be thrilled at having their jobs back with the new regulations instead of having no job at all. If the residents of these small towns in NJ, such as Harrison and to a small part Kearny, would elect new Mayors and Councils that have the same mindframe as the Governor they would prosper. The appointed nepotism and patronage jobs are the real threat to the unionized employees, but the unions show no interest or desire to eliminate these extremely high paying jobs. Most of these jobs are not needed. They are a gift to someone. The people re-elect the same politicians that are breaking their backs thinking they are going to be rewarded somehow. In Harrison for example, does the town have employment applications? In many years in Harrison, I have NEVER seen a job opening posted anywhere (newspaper, town hall) to submit an application for the job thru a resume and interview so that ALL residents have a fair shot. It's all appointments just like the PVSC. The unionized employees should start addressing that injustice to right the wrong. Without the nepotism and patronage jobs, Harrison could cut somewhere in the area of at least 25% of the town budget.

I started in 2005 at the sheriffs office. I didn't know anyone, and my family is not politically connected. My starting salary was 24,000 a year. I paid for my gun, my uniforms , and all my gear including my bullet proof vest. You read the paper and see the names of officers making over 100 grand a year, because the paper and the governor chooses officers from bergen county, or chooses the TOP paid departments in the state. I didn't see any advertisements for the job either. I took the state test like everyone else did to get the job. So don't tell me about shared sacrafise. My family is barely making it by, yet my tax dollars with everyone elses is handed to Harrison to pay for your children to go to school, and enjoy all the other benefits of your town being a distressed town. So lets not have the pitty party for you just yet. Everyone is suffering, and not because of the public workers, its because of the elected officials , that you keep electing.

[Guest Guest]

I fully agree with you. Maybe it didn't come across that way, but the problem in these towns or Kingdoms is the outrageous pay of nepotism and patronage jobs. Some are no show, some are no work for like $125,000 and a guy like you busts his chops for a much smaller piece of the pie. I wasn't insulting any Police Officer, I think the Cops are way underpaid, believe me, but the people for some reason keep voting in these same Dictators as Mayors and ruin it for everybody. Like Harrison, which was mentioned, they re-elect a Mayor who has the town on the brink of bankrutcy from when he was first put in 1995 and he rewards his faithfull servants, who almost all live out of town, with continued raises and backstabs the residents by subverting the 2% property tax cap. I should have made it clear that I wasn't talking about the Plice Officers. These small towns cry poverty, like Harrison, but it still gives a school superindent, who is also a councilman, $270,000.00 a year to manage three grammar schools and one high school. He should get $70,000, not $270,000.00, but nobody says a word. There are guys wiping off parking meters with rags making $75,000.00 a year, and I could go on and on...throw these **holes out of office and maybe the attack on the unions willl ease-up, but it's all talk and no action.