Tea party and the construction strike

The International Union of Operating Engineers recently signed their members' contract to raises of 9.75 percent for three years (3.25 percent per year) which includes wages, hospitalization improvements and other benefits. Assuming the figures recently published are reasonably accurate, this indicates a new range of $36.34 to $46.55 per hour.

So, picking a mid-average figure, this equates to a yearly salary of $41,445. Not bad for working only 1,000 hours a year. Not mentioned are overtime hours, which can raise those salaries considerably, and often do.

Many private sector jobs require thousands of work hours a year for that kind of money. No one dares to compile the millions lost to delayed bridge and building construction, school and busing losses, not to mention the costly inconveniences to truckers and commuters to and from their jobs while the union members are on a "July vacation."

Does anyone remember the no strike clause during negotiations with public workers? Guess that's old hat these days. Road construction folks really are public workers and are under the umbrella of the Department of Transportation. Even many private jobs have contracts forbidding strikes while negotiations are in progress.

What happened? Politicians "buy" unions for votes. With the spendthrift Congress in D.C., which filters right down to state legislatures, here's the bottom line: all of the above-mentioned expenditures mean higher and higher taxes unless we put an end to career politicians, nationally as well as local.

Need I remind you, T.E.A. stands for "taxed enough already." Come this November, and 2012, vote right! Let's kick out these high-tax rascals and send them home to work for a living.

F.E. Lind

Huntley