by Ron DeLord | May 17, 2016 | Collective Bargaining, Fire, Labor, Pensions, Police, Politics, Public Employees (Non-Sworn), Unions
There are 13 city retirement systems that have become codified in state law by our Legislature. The state has positioned itself between local taxpayers and their representatives, hindering local control of a major public policy matter in these communities. It...
by Ron DeLord | May 17, 2016 | Collective Bargaining, Fire, Labor, Police, Politics, Public Employees (Non-Sworn), Unions
House members, on Wednesday, overturned Gov. Jay Nixon’s veto of House Bill 1891, the so-called paycheck protection bill, which would bar public employee labor unions from withholding dues from workers’ checks without their written permission. Democrats argued...
by Ron DeLord | May 4, 2016 | Collective Bargaining, Fire, Labor, Pensions, Politics, Public Employees (Non-Sworn), Unions
Are American governments making promises that American taxpayers can’t keep? The answer may well be “yes” when it comes to public pensions. Unfunded pension liabilities, or the difference between what’s been promised to future retirees and what’s actually on hand to...
by Ron DeLord | May 4, 2016 | Collective Bargaining, Fire, Labor, Police, Politics, Unions
Evanston officials said they predict difficulties in upcoming union contract negotiations due to the state budget crisis and lack of pension funding. Three of the four major public unions in the city have contracts up for negotiation at the end of the year. In these...
by Ron DeLord | May 4, 2016 | Collective Bargaining, Fire, Labor, Pensions, Police, Politics, Unions
Now that the Long Beach primary election is past, campaigns for and against the Measures A and B sales tax increase on the June 7 ballot have ramped up. Bolstered with a war chest of more than $150,000 donated by the Long Beach Police Officers Association ($100,000...
by Ron DeLord | May 4, 2016 | Collective Bargaining, Fire, Health Insurance, Labor, Pensions, Police, Politics, Public Employees (Non-Sworn), Unions
CHERRY HILL — Gov. Chris Christie on Wednesday assailed Democrats and warned the state’s business community that “the animals are at the gate” and are prepared to pounce on their wallets. Boasting economic gains in the state under his administration,...
