The Chicago Public School Teachers Demand 30% Raise

[Riot]

Originally Posted by Honu

OK I can agree to that. But what if there is no money to pay them the wage increase?

Then the taxpayers shouldn't have promised to pay them. That's what negotiation is all about. Negotiation goes both ways, and unions don't want their jobs to go away.

For example, in Wisconsin, the governor said there was no money, so immediately the unions agreed to a massive cut in pay, benefits and pension.

The union is simply a legal representative of all the employees, so each employee doesn't need to negotiate separately.

Teachers have negotiated - by the taxpayers - agreements for performance. If the teachers don't reach them, they can lose their jobs. It works both ways.

Demonizing unions is as silly as demonizing taxpayers.