CORRECTED: City appears to have reached agreement with employees union

"Details of the agreement with the Civil Service Employees Association have not been released."

Of course not, why would the people of Batavia need to know such things?

Don't worry though I'm sure I can trust the City of Batavia to give the union a raise. After all, why should the government worry, they will just increase the taxes again to cover it.

Remember, if you aren't working for the government, you are working to pay for the government. Anything they allow you to keep just shows their generosity.

"Prudence, indeed, will dictate that governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes; and accordingly all experience hath shown that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed. But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same object, evinces a design to reduce them under absolute despotism, it is their right, it is their duty to throw off such government, and to provide new guards for their future society."

Seems to me the train is getting longer...

Peter, all you've proven here is that you don't know what 'despotism' means.

The abuses have not lead to that yet. I do know what it means.

Meanwhile all you have done with your little organization is stop the unloading of a burden on the city. Thanks for wasting more of my money....

"The people will find a way to bring big government under control, to put a reasonable limit on how much of their income government may take in taxes. This idea will become a reality. It must prevail because if it does not, the free society we have known for two hundred years, the ideal of a government by consent of the governed, will simply cease to exist."

Posted by Peter O'Brien on April 8, 2010 - 3:16pm
The abuses have not lead to that yet. I do know what it means.

Meanwhile all you have done with your little organization is stop the unloading of a burden on the city. Thanks for wasting more of my money....

Peter,
Since when did the city own the County Nursing Home?
Or are you speaking of a different organization?
Still waiting for those pictures of all the empty city owned fire halls in the City of Batavia.

I think that all municipalities should release the final agreed upon version of a collective bargaining contract at least 48 hours prior to the final vote of the governing body. (council, board of trustees, supervisors, etc.) That should give the people time to review and dispute any major changes. I can understand, but do no agree with, the idea that contracts made with individual employees not be made public until after the vote (ie - Mr. Molino), but to say that the privacy rights of the collective CSEA would be violated is over the top.

Lets just hope that the council has the guts to say no raises in this contract....I don't think they will..The state is asking their employees to give up their 4% raise...When you give the city union employees a raise then you have to give management the same raise it turns into a never ending increase in taxes.....What is the average pay of a city employee...Whats the difference between a 2% raise and 1000 dollars.....All you do is give them their raise up front...

Sean,
The details are now out,about 84 hours before a vote (3 1/2 days).

This isn't too bad for a 5 year contract. Total cost is $79,000 and major concessions from the unions.

Peter,
I'm waiting for your pictures also.

Peter, then why make the quote? You're either using that quote from the Declaration to allude to the fact that our government is despotic in nature and needs to be deposed, which you have admitted is incorrect, or your human body has somehow evolved into a new form of living organism that breathes in Glenn Beck and excretes non-sequitors.

Collective bargaining means all the parties have to work together to come to an agreement or it is settled by an arbitrator. I'm sure that there was legal advice that was given that determined this was what could be expected through arbitration.

Giving no raise the first year is a good sign that the CSEA was willing to work with Jason. The CSEA was also the first union that was willing to work with the city during the last budget crisis. In my opinion the CSEA is a good union with good members and they deserve the contract.

I have listened to Glenn Beck maybe two times.

I never said the empty building that look like they were firehouses are still city owned. An example is at the corner of Ellicott St and Otis Street. It is easy for me as someone who just moved in to the town to see that this could easily have been a former firehouse.

Bea does the city reside in the county? Then do city residents pay taxes for the nursing home? Then it is a burden on the city.

In 1962, President John F. Kennedy planted the seeds that grew the modern Democratic Party. That year, JFK signed executive order 10988 allowing the unionization of the federal work force. This changed everything in the American political system. Kennedy's order swung open the door for the inexorable rise of a unionized public work force in many states and cities.

This in turn led to the fantastic growth in membership of the public employee unions—The American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME), the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) and the teachers' National Education Association.

They broke the public's bank. More than that, they entrenched a system of taking money from members' dues and spending it on political campaigns. Over time, this transformed the Democratic Party into a public-sector dependency.(For Chris and Bea the above is from the Wall Street Journal hope that doesn't ruin your search fun)

Get rid of the CSEA cut programs, freeze wages and reduce taxes.

Richard,
Then would you support the right of public employees to strike, a right other Americans have?

At least Richard is plagiarizing from the Wall Street Journal now. A much more reputable source than right-wing blogumns.

Chris the current budget crisis that New York is facing is the direct result of the public unions and democratic party politics. Protecting meaningless government programs, maintaining government jobs, and overpaid administrative positions when even you know severe cuts are needed. The public will not tolerate constantly raising taxes to save these government programs and jobs for much longer. The state needs to lower taxes particularly on large corportions to encourage private sector job growth so everyone that lives here isn't so dependent on the government to survive.

Richard, you can't just blame the Dems for this one. The NYS budget process has been the same no matter who has been in charge. The 'three men in a room' statement has been true no matter which party has been in power. It's stupid and it's one of the main reason that the NYS political process has been the butt of many a joke around the country for years now.

The Republicans had their three men in a room for years and when the Dems took over, instead of saying 'Good, now we can fix this,' they simply decided that it was their turn to ruin the budget process. Eventually, power will shift again but nothing will change.

Chris,
While true that this broken process has been in place for years, it is not true that "the Republicans had their three men in a room", at least not for decades. The Republicans had the State Senate and about half the time the Governor's office. But Democrats have had the Assembly.

The Democrats control everything right now and had a great chance to wipe out the Republicans in NY. But with the circus show now in Albany, they just might give the State Senate back to the Republicans again.

I wish I could argue in good conscience John but I can't. This state needs politicians who remember that they've been put in office to do the work of the public. More and more it seems that both parties present candidates that are only concerned with broadening their party's power and control of government instead of offering up individuals who have been called to public service to (get ready for it) serve the public.

Howard, I said 'much more reputable' not 'reputable':)

Brett Baier reports more factual information than Sean Hannity, but that doesn't make him any less of a shill.

Chris,
Do you think Keith Obermann is more factual?

Olbermann and Maddow report facts in a way that support their opinions. Fox 'news' analysts report opinions that support their opinions.

Man that Koolaid must taste great...

Just my 2 cents here. I love these heated political discussions back and farth and the what not. However, there will never be any winning for anyone, ever. Truth of the matter is that it doesn't matter what we think. It hasn't mattered for a really really long time. The government will do what it wants to do, small town or nation-wide, doesn't matter, because it would take a complete overthrow to change anything or a terrorist attack 10 times bigger than 911. Either way I would be happy. America sucks. Plain and simple.

Maybe you should move to Haiti, Dade or how bout North Korea or maybe Ethiopia let us know how the food tastes, what your wage is and what kinda a bicycle you be driven. America is still the greatest country in the world.

Dade said " Just my 2 cents here. I love these heated political discussions back and farth and the what not. However, there will never be any winning for anyone, ever. America sucks. Plain and simple. "

Try expressing that same opinion in 95% of the rest of the world, and see where it gets you. America as a whole most certainly does not suck. A small minority of power hungry, greedy and egocentric asswipes out there are creating your perception.
Now, please make sure if you see a serviceman in uniform, thank him for allowing you to be a douchebag. I'll do the same for allowing me to address a douchebag. God bless the USA.

Dade,
All you have to do is look at the way health care was forced upon us. First its an appropriations bill that was started in the senate. Thats not allowed according to the Constitution. They got around it by amending it to say it started in the House which it clearly did not. Second was the special election in Mass. that would have prevented the garbage. They got around that by dumping the original bill in the house.

Also look at the debate that occurred a few summers ago over amnesty for illegal aliens. The people were heard.

Look at the rise of conservatism. The people are being heard.

What really needs to happen though is people need to become engaged in local politics. The national news scene is much more pronounced which focuses people attention away from things they can directly impact such as school boards and local governments. Thats where change and be most effective.

White noise. White noise. White noise. At least you all don't give up hope and I was able to bring different thinkers together. Truth remains that this country has more wrong with it than health care and if I could move, I would. America, like it or leave it. I would leave it, again, if I could. People aren't being heard. Well, not the right people anyway. A website like this is a prime example. You have your opinion, I have mine. Calling me a d-bag isn't going to make you look as smart as you'd like us to believe you to be and I believe it is against the forum rules here. But thank YOU for being the typical inept waste of space I've come to get used to dealing with on a daily basis. Let me correct myself. America doesn't suck, but New York sure as hell does. As far as the thanking the guys in uniform thing goes, 90% of them can kiss it. They're part of the problem most of the time because of the power trip they're all trained to have, military and law enforcement alike. God bless America!

Umm....where did I call you a name?

As for thanking me for my service, you don't have to I did it because I wanted to.

But please do leave when you can.

Stand down Dade or prepare to defend yourself...your dealing with a trained killing machine

Hoo Rah!

Sorry I missed the other comment.

No problem Peter. Def wasn't directed toward you in any way. I'm not one for fighting there Richard lol. But I will arm wrestle you any day of the week.

Tuesday night at Kelly's bring lots of money. I'll bring some ex delta force, green berets and navy seals dudes that would love to party with someone named Dade.

Party like......I didn't think that was allowed in the military???? Stop it, you're making me hot you big strong man.

Posted by Richard Gahagan on April 9, 2010 - 3:29pm
Tuesday night at Kelly's

Interesting that you picked Kelly's. Did you know that they consider people who post to thebatavian.com, busy bodies? Walk in there and say you are a regular poster to the site and you'll cause a stir.
Ironic, they don't believe anyone who just reads, but doesn't post to the site, a busy body.
Had to share that. I think it's funny.

I notice you had nothing to say about the building that looks like an old firehouse bea....

Peter, that firehouse across from Kelly's is real. No reason to make a comment. It it wasn't for the quick action of those in that fire house, someone I know might have died at the curb after leaving Kelly's and going into an alcohol induced coma.
No reason for funny remarks about a real fire hall.

An example is at the corner of Ellicott St and Otis Street. It is easy for me as someone who just moved in to the town to see that this could easily have been a former firehouse.

That's what I said earlier in the thread, nothing to do with Kelly's.