Power of union politics
I find it strange how much credibility we give to candidates who receive the endorsements of the fire and police unions. After all, I don’t remember anyone running for office who didn’t want better protection for our homes and families.
To get these endorsements over other candidates, you need to convince the union reps that you will be a strong proponent for them when it comes time for contract negotiations.
This is the root of the problem. If you are voted into office by the taxpayers, aren’t you supposed to represent them and not the unions? Worse yet, the unions usually want higher pay and better benefits for their members. This cuts into the budget and lowers the number of new personnel that might be hired.
Firemen and policemen have my highest respect and deserve better, but even they don’t always vote the way the unions want them to vote.
Gary Johns, Madera Ranchos
This story was originally published June 1, 2016 at 1:29 PM with the headline "Power of union politics."