Union Dues

Nonunion state employees would be forced to join a union and pay dues under a bill being considered in the Maryland General Assembly. The bill would be unfair to state employees in Washington County, said Del. Christopher B. Shank, including the 1,652 employees working in the prison complex south of Hagerstown. Mark A. Vernarelli, spokesman for the Maryland Department of Public Safety & Correctional Services, said the department does not track how many of those employees belong to a union.

In the Maryland General Assembly session just passed, it wasn't the multi-billion dollar budget that caused the most controversy, but some smaller bills that could potentially affect citizens every day. The first, the speed-camera bill, would authorize placing monitoring cameras near schools and in highway work zones. The second, known as the "Fair Share" bill, would require all state workers to pay union dues, whether or not they're union members. The speed-camera bill mandates that those whose vehicles are traveling more than 12 miles above the posted limit be mailed a $40 ticket.

Washington County Water and Sewer Department employees will decide Aug. 26 whether to join the Teamsters union. The county and Teamsters Local 103 agreed to election terms Tuesday after meeting with arbitrator Ira Jaffe of Potomac, Md., said County Attorney Richard Douglas. The Washington County Board of Election Supervisors will conduct the election from 6 a.m. to 9 a.m. at three water and sewer locations. About 45 employees are eligible to vote. The American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME)

Job ruse sounded 'real good' By LAURA ERNDE Staff Writer Charles Selby was supposed to get a $26-an-hour job, but he ended up getting ripped off for $100. Now the Hagerstown man wants to make sure others don't fall for the ruse. This weekend, a man named "Buck" offered Selby, 30, a high-paying construction job. Selby thought it was a legitimate offer because he got the lead from his former boss, who said he knew the Duncannon, Pa., man seven years ago. On Sunday, Selby met Buck at a Hagerstown bar. Buck was very convincing.

County approves union contract The Washington County Commissioners on Tuesday night approved a contract with the county's approximately 85 union roads, landfill and County Commuter employees. The commissioners' approval came during a Tuesday night meeting at Williamsport Town Hall. The American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees Local 2677 had voted to ratify the contract on Monday night, said President Denny Embly. "The main thing that we got was a binding arbitration grievance procedure," Embly said.

Letters to the Editor 7/18 Think twice about the union To the editor: Many of you who read this will already know the steelworkers are trying to get into Grove Worldwide. And why not? Imagine the revenue for just one week. When the steelworkers went to Las Vegas last year for a convention, do you think they saved their own money and went? No, it came from the blood, sweat and tears for the hardworking people they were to represent. Let me tell you how unions work.

“The new jobs President Obama created repairing infrastructure were to be taken out of the first stimulus. Two months ago, he laughed and said his shovel-ready jobs didn't shovel out.” - Funkstown “I wonder if the drought and the fires in Texas are a sign from God, saying Rick Perry should get out of the race.” - Hagerstown “It saddens me to think that after 200-some years, some people are still...

Letters to the Editor 8/23 Teacher unions are not effective To the editor: Teacher shortages and teacher pay. Two main issues that the new elected School Board members must address. The question is, "What is the best way to attract and retain the best teachers?" One answer to this problem that I have come across is market incentives, that only a free market can provide. If market forces were unleashed in government education and teachers were treated like professionals, many would be paid over $100,000 a year - without an increase in taxes.

I guess the Wisconsin voters have sent a message of sorts to the rest of the nation, huh? There's a better way to do business instead of more of the same, which was leading Wisconsin into the abyss of economic chaos and failure. Other states with dismal economic futures should also begin looking for alternatives as well. California, especially, might benefit substantially if they look to save money by eliminating some of those exorbitant costs associated with employee union agreements.

“Concerning the issue of right to work, I am a proud union member who doesn't mind paying union dues. This small amount of money ensures that I have a living wage, health care benefits, safety improvements, and workplace equality. I wouldn't mind if a coworker didn't have to pay these dues, as long as he or she didn't receive the same benefits.” - Clear Spring “On CNN, Wolf Blitzer just made a great statement. He said he doesn't care how much the government raises the taxes on the 109 million people that work; they still can't support the 87 million people who don't want to work or who only work part time.” - Williamsport “Yeah, just because Maryland put, legalized same-sex marriage doesn't mean they have to keep putting it all over the news and putting it in the newspapers, because I don't want to read about it or see it. It's wrong.

Robert La Follette must be rolling over in his grave. “Fighting Bob” La Follette was the hard-charging Progressive Party governor and senator from Wisconsin in the first 25 years of the 20th century. Opposing big corporations and an advocate of increasing power to labor unions, La Follette was the epitome of progressive politics in his day, a very popular and successful political hero for liberals. His progressive legacy, especially in his home state, is legendary. Last week's election results in Wisconsin signal a turn of 180 degrees from the Wisconsin of 100 years ago. The success of Gov. Scott Walker in bringing historic, landmark changes in Wisconsin, and then surviving a costly and divisive recall election marks a new day of hope for fiscal sanity.  The jig might be up for public service unions in American.  And it is none too soon.

I guess the Wisconsin voters have sent a message of sorts to the rest of the nation, huh? There's a better way to do business instead of more of the same, which was leading Wisconsin into the abyss of economic chaos and failure. Other states with dismal economic futures should also begin looking for alternatives as well. California, especially, might benefit substantially if they look to save money by eliminating some of those exorbitant costs associated with employee union agreements.

TRI-STATE -- Today, they oversee a large jail, work in law enforcement, treat children, spearhead business growth, are a retired judge, advise farmers, and lead youth, Realtors and government. But ask them a simple question -- Growing up, what was your favorite summer job? -- and the decades fade away, taking them back to a time when they were teenagers. For this summertime story, The Herald-Mail contacted several Tri-State-area grown-ups whose names will be familiar to many.

In the Maryland General Assembly session just passed, it wasn't the multi-billion dollar budget that caused the most controversy, but some smaller bills that could potentially affect citizens every day. The first, the speed-camera bill, would authorize placing monitoring cameras near schools and in highway work zones. The second, known as the "Fair Share" bill, would require all state workers to pay union dues, whether or not they're union members. The speed-camera bill mandates that those whose vehicles are traveling more than 12 miles above the posted limit be mailed a $40 ticket.

Nonunion state employees would be forced to join a union and pay dues under a bill being considered in the Maryland General Assembly. The bill would be unfair to state employees in Washington County, said Del. Christopher B. Shank, including the 1,652 employees working in the prison complex south of Hagerstown. Mark A. Vernarelli, spokesman for the Maryland Department of Public Safety & Correctional Services, said the department does not track how many of those employees belong to a union.

Books make a better Christmas To the editor: Thank you for your generosity to create "A Better Christmas" for the 700 children of Terrytown Elementary. Because of the anonymous gift, in conjunction with Scholastic "Bonus Points," the Washington County Reading Council was able to purchase 240 new books for the beginnings of a new library. Many of the selected books were science and history books, which tend to be more expensive. The real treasure was the "Harry Potter" hardback collection.