Right-to-work is a beautiful thing

Right-to-work is a beautiful thing

Re “Justices should follow precedent, side with labor” (Editorials, Jan. 12): I grew up in a right-to-work state, but as a college kid, I got a summer job in California. The Teamsters forced me to join their union or lose my job. So I did. The week after I joined, my job was eliminated. No refund and never another word from the Teamsters.

The Bee suggests that the U.S. Supreme Court should follow precedent. If precedent were always followed, slavery would still be legal. But if you’re OK with forcing people to pay monthly dues for a job, maybe you’re OK with slavery, too.

Why is Friedrichs so anti-union?

Rebecca Friedrichs clearly is a puppet for anti-union groups. I wonder if she has thought through the implications of her suit.

Does she believe she and other teachers are overpaid for what they do? If so, why does she undervalue teaching yet continue to teach? Is she prepared to negotiate alone for her salary? Is she prepared to turn down a raise obtained by the union? Why is she biting the hand that feeds her?

Teachers union is too powerful

The idea that unions limit corporate overreach is not applicable to public-sector unions. These unions use their power to elect like-minded people to local, state and federal offices. That creates incestuous relationships with unions.

The California Teachers Association is in business to promote the union’s interests and viability. The CTA does not accept a diversity of opinion within its ranks and works to shield low-performing teachers. The CTA is harmful to the education of all children in California. This situation needs to be addressed and changed.

Not all unions are created equal

Public service unions, especially those representing firefighters and police, are hardly representative of what unionism Franklin D. Roosevelt had in mind. These unions don’t have to compete with market forces. They don’t negotiate with the people who pay them – taxpayers. They simply leverage their power with politicians – also paid by taxpayers.

Now that cities are going bankrupt by financing more retirees than working employees, unions are under attack. They’re the ones who killed the golden goose.

Good teachers don’t need a union

One of the worst moves in the history of California public schools was the adoption of the closed shop favoring the California Teachers Association. This organization was not formed to benefit the students in our public schools. On the contrary, its purpose is to improve wages, benefits and working conditions, and to protect the jobs of its most senior members.

Teaching is a calling. Successful teachers of all ages are dedicated. They often give of their own time and money to help students. By considering only years of service, the union protects the weakest and least dedicated.

High court’s ruling could kill unions

Re “Unions face big test before top court” (Insight, Jan. 9): The U.S. Supreme Court’s Citizens United ruling that corporations were people and can spend unlimited amounts of money to buy elections and legislation wasn’t enough to crush unions, I guess. Now the court is ready to kill unions altogether.

The Supreme Court said many years ago it was a constitutional right to form unions and bargain collectively. It will still be your right, but the unions will have to work for free. How soon will the court take even that right away?

Greed of NBA is just as bad as NFL

Re “Forgoing fans for greed is wrong call for NFL” (Editorials, Jan. 10): Thanks for the hilarious editorial about the greedy NFL. It’s funny because you could have written virtually the same editorial a while back and substituted the NBA, the Kings, Sacramento and Seattle for the NFL, the Raiders, Rams and Chargers and Oakland, St. Louis, San Diego and L.A.

In the end, the Kings didn’t move, but Sacramento taxpayers will be paying a lot to keep them here. For a while anyway.

This story was originally published January 13, 2016 at 9:00 PM with the headline "Right-to-work is a beautiful thing."