More than 40,000 unionized state workers got a pay raise last Thursday, bringing to 7 percent the amount they're gotten since last year. These same state employees are in line for another 7 percent by next July 1, all at a cost of a half-billion tax dollars a year.
It's more than the virtually bankrupt state can afford, and some Republican lawmakers say the raises need to be rolled back.
This is criminal! Illinois is facing a budget deficit of about $11B for FY2011 and shiftless union slobs get a $500mm raise? It's not like they need 7% more dough to make it through deflationary times. I guess all those school teachers and prison guards are so hung up on sugar rushes from three daily servings of doughnuts in the break room that they feel the extra 7% is the baseline they need to fill their orders at the corner doughnut shop. Disgusting!
What is it with unions and their greed these days? Can anyone wearing the union label see past the fat wallets protruding from their fat behinds, or are they all dumb enough to think that economically productive taxpayers will take this outrageous behavior indefinitely? Union jerks won't voluntarily sacrifice for the public good because after years of getting their way unchallenged they think they are the public good!
Government employee unions are playing with fire. It's time for state attorneys general to open racketeering cases against government unions that get salary step-ups thanks to their campaign contributions. It's time for governors to do to their union dregs what Reagan did when air traffic controllers got out of hand: FIRE THEM ALL.
Full disclosure: No exposure to Illinois muni bonds.
