Projo 7 to 7 News Blog

Let there be no doubt in anyone's mind now who controls this state - the unions!!!!

This is an absolute outrage. The General Assembly is choosing to protect unions over our schools and our children. Let's remember this vote. Any legislator who voted for this is a union hack. Every single one. The House convenes at 2 pm to vote. Please call your representative now. Unbelievable.

no choice but for the cities to declare bankruptcy.this bill should be investigated this was a union bill from the beginning.how many donations did the union have to make.once again ga gives no thought to the taxpayer

I can't believe our legislature is dumb enough to pass this! They are going to force our cities and towns into bankruptcy. There is no end to the pandering and stupidity in this state.

I love RI, grew up here and moved back after living in MA for a while. But I don't know how long I can afford to live here, especially when there are no jobs while businesses flee from the ridiculous taxes, or if I want my children in its complacent, non-competative school systems.

I can't believe that anyone would be against this. This bill stops school committees from forcing slave labor on working people. Try going in to work tomorrow and have your company say to you that you are taking a $10,000 cut this year. Wise up people, non union employees will be treated much worse if this isn't nipped in the bud.

I do not understand the outrage. Every muncipality with the exception of East Providence has honored expired contracts until a new one is negoitated. Providence has, they even are running under the last negoitated contractr for the fire department. Tiverton honored the provisions of the last contract for over 3 years while they negoiated. This law doesn't change anything - it just ensures that School committees bargain in good faith. Just think of all the legal fees ($500,000) East Providence could have saved.

To Bill below. The idea of a town declaring bankruptcy to get rid of the contracts no longer works when it becomes law to continue the last contract forever. Bankruptcy no longer is within the jurisdiction of the courts (judges cannot overturn any law).

This legislation does nothing more than hold cities to a standard of fairness in negotiations. Which has been past practice in most jurisdictions.

Without this, many so called leaders would not deal in good faith in contract negotiations and your kid would have someone who is unqualified to flip burgers at a fast food joint teaching them.

Good job to all you whiners who want to bash public employees and union people because you are not one. I am not a teacher but I see your angle. You folks want to take from others, because it may help keep you from losing something yourselves. You are greedy and it shows. You dont care about anything but paying less taxes, and your comments on contract law underscore your ignorance.

Thump your chests, point your fingers, and don't dare look in your mirrors.

Its the unions! its the unions! its the unions!

Excellent they are falling for it.

Signed,

Your elected officials who are laughing all the way to the bank.

The Rhode Island Legislature has, is, and will likely remain , as far as the eye can see a wholly owned subsidiary of the teacher unions. Unless and until this state changes its collective bargaining law, taxpayers will be hit up repeatedly to fork over more and more of their assets to public sector unions. Meanwhile, there has, is, and will continue to be a shrinking of the private sector. The ridiculous federal boondoggle masquarading as "stimulus" won't continue indefinitely. Will someone please explain, how an unaffordable collective bargaining model won't bankrupt the state and local governments. I certainly don't expect our useless, worthless in the tank state legislators to figure it out.

Mary - There is no issue with "slave labor" being forced on working people. Teachers have the same rights as everyone else in the workforce, if they don't like the job, they can leave. They can go get jobs in the private sector with 40% co-pays, 52 week work schedules with 10 days vacation, and a 401k plan. Then they can sit at their desk in August and remember just how good they had it. And Mary, I have taken a cut in take home pay in excess of $10,000 over the last 2 years. I just stay thankful to still have a job the pays the bills.

JD...Were you not allowed to enter the ss program? Are you not allowed to get part of your spouses ss when eligible or all of it when spouse passses away?...were you given a pension plan that you had to contribute 9.5% of your pay then be threatened with it being reduced?......do you have no right to strike?.....who walks away from a job after putting in over 20 years.. These jobs were taken with pension rules and procedures in place and now they are trying to change them ...that is bull...you may have taken a $10,000 cut, but I bet you reaped in the harvest when times were good, teachers didn't...know all the facts before you speak.