Political columnists debate: Wisconsin union strikes (liberal view)

1. The union strikes in Wisconsin have brought back the endless debate on whether or not worker unions are valuable or harmful to this country. Do you believe that unions have a place in this country, or should they be banned?

I believe that unions have a very valuable place in this country. The unions have helped millions of workers receive adequate working conditions, benefits, pay and countless other necessary measures. Without unions in this country teachers would receive even less than their already inadequate salaries, coal miners would be forced to work in conditions that you and I find unimaginable, and police and fireman would not receive adequate health insurance. Factors like working conditions, pay, and health benefits are the main issues for the unions, and without them there is no telling how workers in America would spend their workday.

2. Democrats in Wisconsin fled the state in order to stop the vote of the governor’s bill from occurring. Should this be allowed, and is it right for a party to block a vote in such a manner?

State laws say that in order for a legislative vote to occur, there must be at least 20 voting members present. Considering how small the state is, republicans have a majority with only 19 voting members. If there were to be a vote, of 19-14 with the GOP winning, the bill would be passed. However, the 14 democrats fled the state in order for the vote to be stopped. This is no different than a filibuster in the U.S. Senate. If that’s what it takes to stop the vote, go for it.

3. The worker’s unions in Wisconsin are not independent unions, but rather state workers such as teachers and city workers. These are very valuable positions in the state. Do you believe this will make a difference because of their value compared to independent unions such as UAW?

I believe that it will make all the difference in the world. If it were a union such as UAW, there would not be as much national support behind the protest. However, the state government is trying to cut teacher pay, raise their premiums and cut their collective bargaining rights. Teachers are already severely underpaid and undervalued. So what does the state do to fix that? Cut their pay and benefits! It is completely absurd. This is simply an attempt to quiet the state workers and kill the power they have in the state. That is why this is so important; because these are state workers, their salaries are our tax dollars-they deserve rights.

4. The heads of the unions in Wisconsin have already agreed to the state’s monetary demands to raise their fees and health insurance; however, they will not keep the unions’ right to collective bargaining. This is the only issue still on the table, and neither side is ready to give in. Do you believe unions should have the right to collective bargaining?

Collective bargaining basically is the right to bargain pay raises, benefits and conditions as a whole body (the union) instead of by vote. If the bill passed, teachers would have to go through a vote from the public to receive it. This is beyond unacceptable; this is preposterous. It has proven time and time again any vote that increases money the state pays gets defeated. Teachers deserve raises more than anybody else and, unfortunately, if that is left up to the voters, it isn’t going to happen.

5. The police department and firefighters were excluded from this bill. Do you believe that it is right to exclude some state employees and not others from budget cuts and higher fees?

Police and firefighters have a different standard than most unions do. Unlike UAW or most public unions, police and firefighters cannot go on strike. It is federal law that workers who protect the safety of the citizens are not allowed to strike. Therefore, I understand why they were excluded.

6. The governor of Wisconsin claims this bill is going to balance the budget. The protestors claim that there are many other ways to balance the budget rather than ones that affect teachers and state employees. Should other options be considered, and, if so, what should they be?

 The governor is saying this is going to balance the budget to save face. He knows there are other, less invasive, ways to balance the budget than this bill. There are hundreds of other ways to cut spending other than this bill. Education is the most important aspect in this country, and it should be the very last program touched when it comes to cutting spending. Granted, this is not cutting spending directly to the school systems, but it is affecting the teachers, their pay and their rights. If teachers are treated this way, fewer young people will want to go into that field; therefore, it hurts students for generations.

7. Should the democratic senators be forcefully brought to convene? If not, should they be impeached for failing to fulfill their duties as elected officials?

Should republicans be impeached for holding a filibuster to stop the healthcare vote? This is a tactical method that has been used hundreds of times over this country’s history. As republicans say: let the people decide. If they are not happy with what they are doing, then they can vote them out of office next election. Until then, I applaud their decision; they firmly believe this bill is going to hurt their state and they are taking any means necessary to not get it passed. The governor will see that this bill is wrong. It hurts state workers, and it needs to be stopped. The democrats are taking a bold, honorable move that will make a difference-a good difference.