Jeff Schapiro of the Richmond Times-Dispatch explains why Wisconsin can’t happen here.  Virginia is a right to work state.  This status has only been reinforced through the years as this mini history lesson tells us.

 

Many of us are comfortable with Virginia being a right to work state.  Does that mean that that there is no collective bargaining with the private sector?  It is illegal for the public sector to have collective bargaining.  Would that make salaries higher if that trend were reversed?

6 Thoughts to “Jeff Schapiro: Why Wisconsin Can’t Happen Here”

  1. Bob

    I think a lot would be different if it were reversed, not just salaries. We might not have teacher student ratios that cause many elementary classrooms to have 30+ students. It becomes a daycare instead of a classroom.

  2. Wisconsin cannot happen here because there is no collective bargaining for public employees and never has been.

    What can be done to public employees in Virginia is more funny money with the pension fund. What is there legally to make Virginia pay back what they owe? It seems to me that much of the pay back is simply good will. Future sessions can just make the pay back null and void, especially if money gets tight.

    Had jurisdictions and the state paid as they should in recent years, the VRS would be just fine. Hand in the cookie jar. And it might happen today again, as Virginia finalizes its budget.

  3. You make a solid arguement for moving from a defined benefit to a defined contribution plan. I agree.

    1. Some people have both. Matching funds even. Eat your heart out! @ marin

  4. hello

    You bring up a good point about collective bargaining in the public sector and it’s legality. Here is an interesting article which talks about broad scale collective bargaining (specifically teachers unions) and how it’s more similar to an anti-trust violation than a ‘right’.

    http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704150604576166011983939364.html

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