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9/24/2009
Ziegelbauer knows what he's doing
It’s easy to criticize and it’s tough to find the answers. Life is difficult where the rubber actually meets the road and the buck-stops-here guy makes a few tough decisions. You wouldn’t know it’s reality to read some of these newspaper editorials. They’re like naïve pablum We know this is a problem and that’s a problem, but gosh, isn’t there a way we could solve this thing and all just get along? You know the type. Sound informed, mollify most everyone, make nice and for gosh sakes, don’t stake out a black and white position.
A good editorial stakes out a position, explains why, works hard to reel you in and if you don’t believe by the end at least you appreciate the prose, hyperbole and ironies – or whatever it took to entertain you for a few hundred words.
Just like Speaker Mike Sheridan did, (geez, now that's another whole story), the Manitowoc Herald Times Reporter decided to take on County Executive Bob Ziegelbauer. Well kind of. Mostly, they waffled.
It's unfortunate that more people will lose their jobs due to line-in-the-sand stances drawn by two unions and [Manitowoc County Exec. Bob] Ziegelbauer. Well, yeah it’s unfortunate. But Ziegelbauer has been working on this since May, knowing the county’s fiscal position would be a difficult one and being very specific about the choices available to union and non-union workers. (In mid-August, I tried to document the goings-on here.) As I said then, union actions have consequences.
So this week’s editorial (after a particularly tough decision hit the fan) goes on to describe this scenario and that scenario, with such platitudes as “Tough times require shared sacrifice” – trying to point out I guess, that neither the unions nor Ziegelbauer are bad guys or they’re both bad guys or good guys or something like that. You figure it out - ??
In a nutshell, here’s the reality.
- Ziegelbauer thought very carefully through cost-cutting and proposed budget options - and knew he would need a 5% cut in wages, or layoffs to come anywhere close to balancing the 2010 budget.
- He remained consistent in his insistence on pay cuts and benefit concessions – or layoffs.
- When all six unions would not agree to wage and benefit cuts, Ziegelbauer actually did what he said he was going to do. He laid workers off. Imagine that.
So anyway, the newspaper’s editors end this waffling script with brilliant advice.
…we call upon the county executive to be as flexible as possible and to mitigate cuts everywhere he can. It's OK to adjust to changing circumstances. In this case it would be beneficial.
The more jobs saved, the better. Duh. Well of course. Do they think the County Executive didn’t think this thing through a million different ways? Do they think he likes making cuts? Ok, it’s nothing earthshaking or lifechanging or life endangering. But geez Herald Times Reporter, get thyself out of the ivory tower. Real life is difficult.
Jo Egelhoff, FoxPolitics.net
COMMENTS
Absolutely Jo, People at Tecumseh had the same union stumbling block standing in their way when they were gave an ultimatum, take cuts or we're out of here. Well the union unified and said no and Tecumseh left just like they said they would (good paying manufacturing jobs). Merc Marine same thing take cuts or we're outta here. No cuts in the first vote and they were packing their bags tne next day. Totally screwed up by the union leaders the workers got together and cast another vote yes we'll take the cuts. Merc unpacked it's bags the next day and started to bring hundreds more jobs to Fond Du Lac the next week. Hard times for everybody governement included. those who are taking the wait and see approach (wringing their hands and hoping that in the last quarter some big bag of money is going to fall into their laps) are going to than and only than give us the bad news that higher taxes are emminant because of the "unforseen shortfalls".
Mike (Thu Sep 24 08:19:24 2009)
Good for Ziegelbauer. I hope we can put more government leaders on that same pedestal in the near future.
Mike (Thu Sep 24 08:21:53 2009)
If Ziggy had been governor instead of Jimbo, WI wouldn't have the highest per capita deficit in the USA. Think about it!
My dad worked for Harley, and always feared the union would either strike or demand themselves out of jobs. The union hierarchy doesn't really care about their workers losing jobs, as they themselves will be OK. It's too bad more folks can't see through them (unions).
emily matthews (Thu Sep 24 16:02:14 2009)
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