Government Workers Tell Struggling Taxpayers: We'd Rather Raise Your Taxes Than Take a Cut in Pay or Benefits (They Like to Pretend Only the Wealthy Will Be Affected)

Union Rally Draws Thousands to Annapolis to Protest Pension Reform Sought by Maryland Gov. O’Malley

Union protesters descending on Annapolis illustrate the strong disconnect between union bosses and Maryland taxpayers. While the average Marylander grapples with record unemployment and 7,100 additional jobs lost in January, state union workers are set to receive a $750 raise and five extra paid vacation days financed by struggling Maryland taxpayers. Public employees in Maryland enjoy some of the most generous taxpayer-funded benefit packages in the nation and their faux outrage over modest increases in their personal benefit contributions is a slap in the face to taxpayers. - MDGOP Statement on Union Protests, March 15, 2011

March 14, 2011

Washington Post — Thousands of union members rallied before the State House on Monday night, vowing to protect their employee pensions and public school funding.

Protesters filled Lawyer’s Mall, immediately in front of the State House, where they stood among the shrubs planted in front of the governor’s mansion and packed Bladen Street.

Taking part were members of the state’s largest unions, including the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees and the Maryland State Education Association, which represents teachers. They rang bells, banged plastic thunder sticks and chanted “Keep the promise.”

Gov. Martin O’Malley has proposed changes to address a troubling $19 billion in unfunded pension liabilities and $16 billion in retiree health liabilities. It would require increased contributions from state employees.

“This is the guy that likes you, and look what he’s doing to you,” said Thomas Corkran, a retired corrections maintenance officer, who spent 21 years teaching Maryland inmates to do repairs on state buildings.

O’Malley, a Democrat, also cut $94 million from the state’s public schools in the budget plan he submitted to the General Assembly in January.

Those moves brought a mix of long-time state workers and teachers pouring in along Bladen Street Monday night.

But when cast against Wisconsin — where Republican lawmakers stripped collective bargaining rights for state workers — and states considering similar measures, AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka lauded O’Malley.

“Unlike the other places, like Wisconsin and Ohio, that are trying to destroy the workers’ right to sit down and collectively bargain this governor understands us,” said, in an interview before the rally.

When asked why he was joining in the protest against O’Malley and the Legislature, which is overwhelmingly controlled by Democrats, Trumka said it was “part of the process.”

The thousands of people who filled the streets was a departure for Annapolis, where protests have been frequent during this year’s 90-day session of the General Assembly, but much smaller.

“I’ve never seen anything like this,” said Department of General Services Secretary Alvin Collins, as he watched union members march from the Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium almost a mile away.

Patrick Moran, director of the Maryland chapter of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, said he expected more than 5,000 and as many as 10,000.

Officials did not expect to have a crowd estimate ready until Tuesday morning, said Sam Cook, director of the Annapolis Capital Region for DGS.

Video of Annapolis Protest - Taxes will have to be raised if public sector workers do not pay more toward their benefits.

Unions to 'Storm' Annapolis on March 14th - Counter Protest Scheduled

Public sector workers are the most protected and most over compensated group of workers in the world. They have the powerful, politically-backed unions on their side, taking away the voices and votes of the taxpayers who pay their salaries. Like typical government dependents, they display a sense of entitlement at the expense of others. They don't want to make the same sacrifices that the private sector is forced to make. It comes down to this: Either the government workers must contribute more toward their benefits or taxes will have to be increased.

March 13, 2011

Right Coast Conservative - The following is from Potomac Tea Party Report and I wanted to note that there is a counter protest scheduled at Lawyers Mall at 6pm Monday, March 14th.

This came to me from Cathy Keim:

I can take six people in my mini van. (she has four currently.)

I was planning on leaving from my house at 2pm. We are supposed to park and be down at the spot across from Lawyers' Mall at 5pm. I was going to park at the Navy lot and catch the shuttle down to Lawyers' Mall.

People can call me at 443 880 5912 if they want to ride with me.

Ann Corcoran from MD CAN wants people to wear some pink to go with the Code Stink theme. I am wearing a pink scarf. We are to bring signs to get our message across.

She also says that we should have signs (no poles) to hold to get our point across. They should be nice, but make our point. They also say flags would be fine.

Bring your cameras and video stuff in case we need to record what happens.

This is it folks—the perfect storm. This isn’t about some pension decisions in Annapolis. I see this as the desperation of the Far Left as they face a financial shortfall for Union political organizing as state after state begins to slash its spending.

Obama cannot be reelected in 2012 unless Union pockets are full of taxpayer money and dues from members who are coerced to join them (and voting union members who think he will give them stuff!).

Frankly, Obama and those behind him want to create chaos because they know chaos will lead to civil unrest. The people driving the Unions want civil unrest because then people look to government to literally save them. Believe me, what is going on in the Middle East is connected to what is happening here—they are the same agitators. Some of these Union leaders were in Egypt helping the Revolution along!

As we go into the next tumultuous weeks, keep in mind, the enemy of the Tea Party is not your average apolitical local teacher, fireman or policeman, but the Union leaders who are using regular folks as their foils for changing our form of government. Pensions are simply a pretense for creating division and strife.

Progressives (Socialists, Marxists, whatever you want to call them) know this is the best chance they have had in a century to “change” America and it is slipping away from them—Obama has less than two years (we hope it’s only two) to get it done! They know that and are desperate.

Their rally this week, here, was a piddling little thing so they want to do better on March 14th!
From the Gazette (Hat tip: Cathy):

ANNAPOLIS — The state’s largest and most politically active labor unions are coordinating what could be one of the biggest rallies on the State House in years.

Organizers hope to attract thousands of demonstrators to protest Gov. Martin O’Malley’s proposal to reduce Maryland’s massive pension and retiree health care obligations by increasing state employee and teacher contributions and slashing the prescription drug benefit for retirees.

“Our folks are extremely concerned that this is not a fair way to balance the budget,” said Sue Esty, assistant director of the Maryland chapter of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, one of the lead organizers of the planned March 14 rally.

The Maryland State Education Association, which represents 71,000 teachers and other school personnel, also is encouraging its members to descend on Annapolis in opposition to proposed flat-funding for education and O’Malley’s (D) pension reforms.

Dubbed the “Rally to Keep the Promise,” the demonstration is slated to begin with a march from Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium to the State House. The teachers’ union is trying to boost attendance by coordinating bus trips for affiliates from across the state.

Other labor organizations also will take part in the rally, including the State Law Enforcement Officers Labor Alliance, local chapters of Service Employees International Union, United Food and Commercial Workers, the Teamsters union and the Maryland State and District of Columbia AFL-CIO. Organizers also are reaching out to community associations and advocacy groups that have a stake in the funding and pension debate.

I repeat, this is not about pensions! This is about creating civil unrest and pitting neighbor against neighbor to bring America, as we know it and love it, to its knees!

Update: Be sure to see Blue Ridge Forum about an important “Right to Work” bill in Annapolis, here. And, see Apocalypse Speeding here.