Rightwing, Fascist, Tea Partiers Vote To Restrict Public Union Bargaining Rights In....Massachusetts House??

With nary a hippie protester or union thug in sight.

The 111-to-42 vote followed tougher measures to broadly eliminate collective bargaining rights for public employees in Ohio, Wisconsin, and other states. But unlike those efforts, the push in Massachusetts was led by Democrats who have traditionally stood with labor to oppose any reduction in workers’ rights.

Unions fought hard to stop the bill, launching a radio ad that assailed the plan and warning legislators that if they voted for the measure, they could lose their union backing in the next election. After the vote, labor leaders accused House Speaker Robert A. DeLeo and other Democrats of turning their backs on public employees.

“It’s pretty stunning,’’ said Robert J. Haynes, president of the Massachusetts AFL-CIO. “These are the same Democrats that all these labor unions elected. The same Democrats who we contributed to in their campaigns. The same Democrats who tell us over and over again that they’re with us, that they believe in collective bargaining, that they believe in unions. . . . It’s a done deal for our relationship with the people inside that chamber.’’

It's unclear if the state Senate will pass this plan but apparently Governor Patrick is on board with something similar. It looks like the idea of saving money and not letting public unions rape the public fisc isn't just for crazy wingnuts anymore.

I look forward to hack liberals like Greg Sargent writing shrieking columns like this about Mass Dems.

posted by DrewM. at 03:43 PM

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