One angle I have not seen discussed much regarding the ongoing labor struggles in Wisconsin and other states is the obvious attempt by conservatives to foment a brain drain from state and local government. It has become rather obvious to me that this is one of the prime reasons Tea Party-backed governors are taking aim at public sector unions.
While the end of collective bargaining, as we know it, will have many serious repercussions, one of the most obvious is that it will make public sector employment a lot less attractive. Not only will many long-time public employees head for the exits, but it will make it that much harder to recruit seasoned replacements.
Public sector employment will become the bastion for new college graduates. They will look at these jobs as stepping stones to better paying jobs -- the few that are left -- in the private sector. This means that, at about the time they become fully competent in their public sector job, they will be preparing to jump ship. They will then be replaced by new greenhorns who will repeat the process in a few months or years.
Now why would conservatives want to pull the best and brightest away from public service? That's easy to answer. Their mantra is "limited government". If government grows less efficient because it has lost a good deal of its professional expertise, this will provide conservatives with the needed ammunition to proclaim that the people would be better served if many government services are turned over to the private sector.
This offers yet another reason that we must fight to preserve public sector unions. We want and need the best and brightest working on behalf of the citizenry, not working against us for the OTHER side.
While the end of collective bargaining, as we know it, will have many serious repercussions, one of the most obvious is that it will make public sector employment a lot less attractive. Not only will many long-time public employees head for the exits, but it will make it that much harder to recruit seasoned replacements.
Public sector employment will become the bastion for new college graduates. They will look at these jobs as stepping stones to better paying jobs -- the few that are left -- in the private sector. This means that, at about the time they become fully competent in their public sector job, they will be preparing to jump ship. They will then be replaced by new greenhorns who will repeat the process in a few months or years.
Now why would conservatives want to pull the best and brightest away from public service? That's easy to answer. Their mantra is "limited government". If government grows less efficient because it has lost a good deal of its professional expertise, this will provide conservatives with the needed ammunition to proclaim that the people would be better served if many government services are turned over to the private sector.
This offers yet another reason that we must fight to preserve public sector unions. We want and need the best and brightest working on behalf of the citizenry, not working against us for the OTHER side.
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