• LandedGentry@lemmy.zip
        link
        fedilink
        English
        arrow-up
        1
        ·
        edit-2
        4 hours ago

        When did I say get rid of labor rights? Show me, I really don’t understand how you got that from what I said.

        I said end police pensions (because they are choking city budgets), require better/more training, and pay them more. If we’re not going to get rid of police we should at least hold them to a higher standard and make the job more desirable. As it is it’s just a job for washed out bullies to go beat up minorities.

        Calling for a reduction or end to poorly thought out pensions is not the same as destroying labor rights. It’s a different form of compensation. You are beingvery myopic about this

        • infinitesunrise@slrpnk.net
          link
          fedilink
          English
          arrow-up
          2
          ·
          edit-2
          4 hours ago

          Police pensions are protected by police unions. Abolishing police pensions would almost certainly require kneecapping their labor rights. Sorry, I realize now that I left explanation of this logic step out of my first comment. What I am essentially asking is, how would you undermine police unions without also undermining all unions, and thereby all labor?

          • LandedGentry@lemmy.zip
            link
            fedilink
            English
            arrow-up
            2
            arrow-down
            1
            ·
            edit-2
            4 hours ago

            Here’s something crazy: they could negotiate an end to pensions. You’re the one using the word “abolish.” Not me. I said “end.” That’s a very open-ended word.

            I also do not agree that the fate of all labor unions rests with the fate of police unions. That is a very convenient excuse to never enter a tough negotiation or compromise. Police unions enjoy all kinds of benefits that other unions do not as it is - I don’t see that shit trickling down to other ones, so why would the inverse apply?

            • infinitesunrise@slrpnk.net
              link
              fedilink
              English
              arrow-up
              1
              ·
              edit-2
              3 hours ago

              This has definitely been attempted, in fact I would reckon that the majority of police contract negotiations begin on the topic of pensions as it is one of or possibly the largest cost associated with running a police agency. But as no union worth it’s salt would ever budge on the one thing that is most important to it’s members - Teachers, longshoremen, delivery people, factory workers, none of them have ever given up pensions because it would be wildly against their primary interest - It hasn’t happened yet. What would you do differently to convince police unions to abandon their retirement plan (Or replace it with something that can be deducted from or penalized conditionally)?

              • LandedGentry@lemmy.zip
                link
                fedilink
                English
                arrow-up
                1
                ·
                edit-2
                3 hours ago

                As somebody who has actually worked in municipal government, I can tell you that these conversations are dead on arrival because police unions start refusing to police the moment it’s even uttered. It’s a trump card they don’t mind playing in the slightest and it needs to stop.

                There cannot be any major changes until there are major revisions to or the total elimination of police pensions.

                • infinitesunrise@slrpnk.net
                  link
                  fedilink
                  English
                  arrow-up
                  1
                  ·
                  edit-2
                  2 hours ago

                  So how would you do that? I’m reading conflicting opinions from your comments. One comment back your entire point was that you can negotiate with police unions to end pensions (Strong disagree from me). Now it sounds like you’re saying that you cannot negotiate ending police pensions as they will soft strike and stonewall (I do agree with this, they already react this way to much softer demands). I literally thought you were a new commenter just now until I read your username.

                  So how exactly would you do it? How would you convince police to end their pension programs, ostensibly in exchange for greater accountability for bad behavior?

                  • LandedGentry@lemmy.zip
                    link
                    fedilink
                    English
                    arrow-up
                    1
                    ·
                    edit-2
                    2 hours ago

                    I’m saying how it historically is been and how we need to stop letting terrorists police unions dictate the terms out the gate or threaten to not do their fucking jobs. You can infer. You’re not stupid, that’s clear

                    It’s a difficult hostage situation that can be solved. But not if you admit defeat before even trying