Labor & Employment Law

IAFF?s Schaitberger: ?Scapegoating Workers Won?t Solve Anything?

By Mike Hall

The attacks on firefighters and other public employees by state politicians like New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie (R) are ?like a tsunami rolling across the country….The attacks have never been greater, more serious or so vicious,? says Fire Fighters (IAFF) President Harold Schaitberger.

Today the IAFF launched a campaign exposing lawmakers and others (see video) who are aggressively scapegoating firefighters and paramedics for state and city economic woes. Says Schaitberger in an In These Times column:

An increasing number of governors are joining New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie’s anti-worker chorus. Too bad they’re all off-key. Wall Street’s recklessness, not public employee pensions, caused our nation’s financial collapse. Scapegoating workers won’t solve anything.

The IAFF also took a out a full-page ad in today?s edition of USA Today that slams lawmakers for their attacks on firefighters? pensions.

Fire fighters and paramedics are dedicated to protecting the lives of our neighbors. Whether it?s a natural disaster, terrorist attack or another tragedy, we answer the call.

We understand that many Americans are hurting because of the recession, but we will not apologize for putting our lives on the line, the dangerous work we do or the pensions we?ve earned.

Schaitberger says for years the state of New Jersey has failed to make its contributions to public employee pension plans while the ?workers made their payments without exception.?  The same is true many other states.

The governors and others who want to use the recession as an excuse to skewer public employee pensions are opportunists with little regard for the truth?.In an era of revenue shortfalls and budget deficits, fire fighters have become scapegoats of mayors, governors and corporate opportunists who have grossly misrepresented the facts in the public discourse over unfunded pension liabilities.

Schaitberger says, ?We are public servants, not public enemies.? The real debate in state houses and legislature, he says, should be ?about important issues that affect the middle class. We need to create jobs.?

Click here for more information on the attacks on public employees and facts on public employee pensions, and click here to visit the AFL-CIO?s new website States of Denial.

Full post as published by AFL-CIO NOW BLOG on February 09, 2011 (boomark / email).