New Jersey unions really are banking on the stupidity of members

Okay, yes, it sounds like it is the unions fault, but has the union thought about going back bargaining tables? Yes, the cost of living has gone up, and money is tight for everyone these days. Have you tried talking to your boss about getting a raise of just the holiday season, or do you have a sick buy back program? Meaning if you didn't miss any days of work or use any sick time, you can get money for not having missed any work or using any sick time?

My boss has no power to give raises. He isn't able to get a raise either while we're out of contract. Unfortunately there is no sick buy back program. If there were, I'd be rich since I never call in sick. Money is so tight in the county right now that when people leave or retire, we can't hire a replacement until all their sick and vacation time is cashed out. That means if someone has 2 months worth of saved time (and I've got more than that) you have to wait 2 months to hire a replacement. One person retired after 30 years in October of 2010. We couldn't replace her until June of 2011. Despite the fact that we're out of contract, I am still forced to abide by contractual restrictions though. That includes not working over 35 hours a week so I have no way of making extra money. New Jersey's not a cheap place to live either. I've been spending a lot of time job hunting in Florida in the hopes of moving back. Houses are cheaper, taxes are MUCH lower, and jobs pay about the same annually (with a 40 hour work week), and nobody can force you to join a union. Unfortunately unemployment is higher, so getting a job there isn't easy at the moment.

Wow, that sounds worse than Los Angeles County. The one thing that your county and LA County have in common is that once people leave or retire, no one is hired to replace them until someone is truly needed. I don't imagine that New Jersey is a cheap place to live in. I imagine that property taxes and sales taxes are higher in New Jersey. I know that they are in New York and in California. Getting a job anywhere doesn't seem like it's easy right now. I just got accepted to Graduate School. Awesome, but I am going because I know that I won't be able to find the kind of job that I want right now. I have tutoring jobs lined up, but I would not be able to get a teaching job, or any kind of federal job right now. You know, a job with health care benefits. I really do need a job with health care benefits.

That's the problem with this forced union crap. I've talked about this with my coworkers, most of which are democrats. They don't like the union and they know the union isn't helping us. There's just nothing we can do because the government FORCES us to be in a union. I really hope Chris Christie can actually end this crap.