NJ Democrats propose paying unemployment benefits to striking Verizon unionistas

Verizon's unionized workers voluntarily walked off the job, to demand higher pay and more lavish benefits. Now they're earning zero, and crying poverty. So naturally New Jersey Democrats want to bail them out with our tax dollars.

I wanna shake the hand of the person who voted "no."

"This legislation we obviously think is important for the thousands of workers who have really almost (been) forced to be off the job, walked off their job, because of the contract dispute and the way in which Verizon has negotiated this contract and what Verizon has asked their employees to do in order to maintain their employment," state Sen. Joe Vitale (D-Middlesex), who sponsored the bill along with state Senate President Stephen Sweeney (D-Gloucester).

Um, OK. Except Verizon didn't lock them out. They could be working right now, earning a paycheck, which as it happens, is already bigger than current telecom industry norms.

The unionistas voluntarily walked off the job.

Actions have consequences. And one consequence of walking off the job is that you no longer get paid.

Nicholas Sheola, a chief steward for CWA Local 1000, said that while CWA has a strike relief fund that pays out about $300 a week, IBEW members don't have the same benefit. To get by, he said, they're borrowing money from family and friends or "they're robbing Peter to pay Paul."

The IBEW doesn't have a strike fund?

Don't their members pay union dues? Where does that money go?

Oh, right, it goes toward campaign contributions to Democrats.

Which, of course, is why the Democrats are so eager to pander to them with our money.

"We don't know when we're going back to work. It's a big hit," he said. "A lot of us have families. We don't have medical anymore, so we may have to pay for Cobra or something like that. So another source of income would be good to have."

Yo, Chief, I know when you can go back to work.

Today.

Show up. Do your job. And amazingly Verizon will pay you!

But that's harder than taking a taxpayer-funded vacation, so it's obviously a non-starter with you wannabe socialists.

Fortunately Governor Chris Christie is almost certain to veto this insanity. So it's merely grandstanding by bought-and-paid-for Democrats for their gullible unionista donors. Vote Democrat, it's easier than showing up for your job!

Posted at 10:11 by Chris Wysocki   [/nj_politics]   Comments | Perm Link |
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