Posts tagged state

    Op-ed / Commentary

    OP-ED: The Billion-Dollar Government Mandate You Probably Haven’t Heard About

    July 29, 2024 // All this benefits politically entrenched labor unions by eliminating their competition. But, as decades of data show, prevailing wage laws hurt everyone else. They’re notoriously difficult to implement in the field, forcing contractors to painstakingly track and classify employees’ tasks (for example, paying a general laborer as a “carpenter” if he happens to hammer a nail that day). They hurt employees, particularly entry-level ones, by making it punitively expensive and complicated to hire workers. The brunt of it falls disproportionatelyon minorities, immigrants, younger workers, women, veterans, and small businesses. And they cost taxpayers more by excluding qualified businesses from competing for public-works contracts and driving up costs (not only payrolls, but compliance costs) for those that remain.

    Arizona Biden administration construction industry DOL federal government mandate minorities Phoenix prevailing wage public-works contractors Regulations state Tucson

    Blog Op-ed / Commentary ● Labor

    OP-ED | A Better Approach to the Silver Tsunami

    March 18, 2022 // Too often, for unions, the customers are themselves rather than the public, which is why the state should be taking advantage of retirements by focusing on modernizing, reorganizing, retooling, and outsourcing as much as possible. The major advantage in choosing among hiring private employees/services is that change can be made quickly to accommodate the needs of customers. Not working well? Terminate the contract and find a better solution in the marketplace.

    401(k) Alan Calandro appropriated funds avoid active managing benefits better solution in the marketplace bonus bumping rights bureaucratic campaign donor Commission on Human Rights and Opportunities Connecticut cost recovery rates CT News CTNewsJunkie.com customer outcomes customer service defined benefit pensions defined contribution Democrats Department of Administrative Services employee skills employees fiscal years flexibility in operations funded annually government inefficiency governmental efficiency governmental necessity Governor Lamont grievance hazardous duty high-performing employees human resources governmental environment inflation legally tenuous long term planning management skills metro regions modernizing morale nation Office of Fiscal Analysis op ed Opinion outsourcing pay raise pension liability private employees private sector private services private-sector levels problem union employee profitability providing justice quality employee performance raises reorganizing Republicans Retirement retooling reverse incentive Salaries salary salary side signing timesheets silver tsunami solving the current budget staff development staff development funding state state employees. state union system state unions state workforce stress tentative deal Terminate the contract tied to profitability training unfunded union leaders union protections union representative unionized employees unionized state employees universal medical care upper-tier health benefits

    Op-ed / Commentary ● Labor Unions

    Sky didn’t fall with Iowa’s collective bargaining reform

    January 30, 2022 // But despite the angry claims from Democrats and their allies, the sky has not fallen. The vast majority of public bargaining units in Iowa have since recertified their unions, having engaged a true majority of members in the representation of their collective interests. Salaries continue to be negotiated. Employees continue to be represented. And Iowa’s workforce continues to rise to the occasion.

    AFSCME AFSCME Council 61 Althea Cole American Federation of State County and Municipal Employees cities collective bargaining counties Democratic leaders good faith bargaining Iowa State Education Association Iowa’s public employers ISEA PAC job classifications layoffs PEOPLE: Public Employees Organized to Promote Legislative Equality Public Employees school boards seniority staff reduction state taxes transfer procedures written intent