Are Public Service Unions Still Relevant?

Item: VIA Rail Canada has announced that its representatives are currently negotiating with the Teamsters Canada Rail Conference union, which represents some 340 locomotive engineers. Earlier today, the union gave notice to the Corporation of its intent to go on strike on Friday, July 24, 2009 at noon.

Item 2: Two Toronto union groups representing about 26,200 workers, including garbage collectors and office staff, went on strike June 22 to protest proposed cuts in benefits and sick pay. Toronto residents have been taking garbage to 19 temporary sites in parks and hockey arena parking lots during the labor action.

On top of this, a recent survey showed that public service workers receive an average of 17-19% pay remuneration more than their private sector counterparts. Taking benefits into account, that difference becomes a whopping 30%.

We the taxpayers who pay for these "services" and these workers; we are quite often the target of strikes and labor disruptions in order for the unions to get their way - make it difficult for employers and the general public who are forced into capitulating to excessive demands or risk further inconvenience.

I like the way Ronald Reagan handled the air traffic controllers back in the 80's - fire the lot of them and bring them back into our world if they still want a job, but under our terms (equal wages and benefits to the private sector)