by Ron DeLord | Jan 10, 2017 | Collective Bargaining, Fire, Labor, Pensions, Police, Politics, Public Employees (Non-Sworn), Unions
Cities and states across the country are facing public employee pension debt that is challenging and, in some cases, crippling their budgets. But some municipalities are experimenting with ways to solve that problem. In San Jose, California, voters passed a set of...
by Ron DeLord | Jan 10, 2017 | Fire, Labor, Pensions, Police, Politics, Unions
STARKVILLE — As we saw earlier this month, it’s rather difficult in December to escape the life lessons from Charles Dickens’ “A Christmas Carol” — nor should we. The Dickens novella confronts greed, foregone generosity, poverty, plenty, class warfare, regret, guilt...
by Ron DeLord | Jan 10, 2017 | Collective Bargaining, Fire, Health Insurance, Labor, Pensions, Police, Politics, Unions
Memphis Mayor Jim Strickland says he is confident more police officers will want to come to this city. He points to what he says are big improvements in salary and retirement health benefits. Ask the heads of the Memphis Fire and Police Associations whether...
by Ron DeLord | Jan 10, 2017 | Collective Bargaining, Fire, Labor, Politics, Unions
Thanks to Hartford firefighters for doing their part to smother some of the financial embers threatening the city. They’ve agreed to pay freezes for four years and other concessions the city badly needed. If more unions did the same, Hartford would be looking at...
by Ron DeLord | Jan 10, 2017 | Collective Bargaining, Fire, Labor, Pensions, Police, Politics, Unions
At least one state senator is not satisfied with the progress Omaha has made in resolving its pension problems, and he’s looking at major changes in benefits for future Omaha and Lincoln firefighters and police officers. Omaha has been grappling with its underfunded...
by Ron DeLord | Jan 10, 2017 | Collective Bargaining, Fire, Labor, Police, Politics, Unions
DALLAS — Decades ago, Dallas voters approved a pay raise for emergency workers. But did the city stiff the rank and file? That’s the central question of a lawsuit that hinges on the legal interpretation of three key words written on a ballot almost four decades...
