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" What are you whining about? Why don't you get an education and find a better job? Isn't that the Republican mantra? Isn't it just that easy? "

" Everyone thinks that Government workers have 'cushy' jobs. It is simply not true. Sometimes there are no raises, pensions are cut, and there is a lot of overtime. My father is retired from the state and I know he did not have it easy. Although the DMV could put some friendlier people in the office... "

" AmerinIP bill way up. Nicor bill way up. Self paid health care way up(increased double in the last 4 years). Gasoline way up.Illegals get healthcare and handouts. Professional welfare recipients have cell phones and all their needs paid for.Anyone else see a problem with our politicians and the way goverment is being ran? Now Al Gore is worried about global warming and it's colder than ever this year. "

" Maybe we need to get rid of the union state jobs so there aren't so many deadbeats protected under a union contract. That would save the state tons of money. "

" But why pay a high schooler $6.50/hr and have him only work 4 hours a day and provide him with a safe working environment when you can hire a guy in China for 50 cents a day, work him 16 hours per day, 7 days per week, and not have to worry about his safety at all? Unions are a scapegoat for trade practices that are unfair to the U.S. worker. Try telling the (non-union) furniture and textile makers in North Carolina that the Union cost them their job. They'll say, "WHAT UNION???? We were making $10/hr." The sad thing is that most Americans get so caught up in scapegoating that they can't see that they're being taken for a ride. "

" You should think about Caterpiller, GM, Ford, Mitsubishi, and many other companies before you rejoice in your anti-worker joy. "

" The unions sign off on the massive GRT tax and then demand thousands of taxpayer funded jobs in return. Its the IL Democrats at their best, a.k.a. politics at its worst! "

" I don't belong to AFSCME, but I agree that the governor has abused state workers. We're an easy target for him. No one likes it when you don't get raises. No one likes it when staff is not replaced. I've worked in private industry as well as state and that's happened. It's no fun. What does the governor or his office know about working short handed in prisons? Bunch of lip service. All that said, I'm against the gross receipts tax because it's going to cause inflation on all our goods and services. Prices will go up, but will my wages? Doubtful. "

" Then they can pad their pockets with dues and try to regain a tiny portion of their lost importance. Unions were needed once upon a time, but they are a relic of the past. Unions now bring whole sectors to their knees (auto) with their wage-fixing practices. Of course jobs move overseas, why pay someone ~$50 (wages and benefits) an hour to do a job a high schooler could do! "

" Unions have lost the hearts and minds of the American people. Their last stronghold is in the government sector. If you exclude the government jobs, unions are practically extinct. "

" Union membership has declined because whole industries have gone overseas to China or south to Mexico to take advantage of their non-existant environmental regulations and exploitable labor populations. Note that the wages paid and working conditions are significantly worse than what is even legal and non-Union workers have been equally affected - see NONUNION furniture and textiles in the Southeast. Also, poor management and products at GM and Ford have hurt employment there and reduced Union numbers. Caterpillar is exporting mass quantities of Union jobs to third world countries. The list goes on. "

" It would be nice if those employee's would be United States citizens however,and not the non citizens the state for some unknown reason likes to hire at times for apprentices. "

" If this doesn't speak volumes of the troubles with unions. Why has membership plummeted? Because unions have outlived their usefulness. The need to continue to decline or our state, particularly Chicago, will go bankrupt with over-priced services. Add on to the already inefficient government sector more union jobs...you've got to be kidding! "