State Of The City Address

Today's Journal....

"Protestors plan rally at Middletown mayor's State of the City address
The AFL-CIO will protest before mayor’s address because of his ‘vocal support’ of Senate Bill 5".

"Andy Richards, spokesman for the AFL-CIO, said organizers are choosing to hold the protest before Mayor Larry Mulligan’s State of the City address due to the mayor’s “vocal support” of portions of the bill".

"Mulligan said he will likely focus on the city’s accomplishments in the past year, such as the opening of the Pendleton Art Center where the speech and rally will be held".

Pendleton hasn't really gotten off the ground as yet to call it an accomplishment, has it mayor? I suppose you are going to name Cincy State as an accomplishment also and it hasn't even been formalized as yet. They're still shopping around aren't they? Nothing set in stone on either of these "projects" but you're going to call them successes on Thursday? Who is fooling who here, Mayor Mulligan?

"Councilman A.J. Smith plans to stand with the protesters Thursday. He said he believes Mulligan supports “big corporations and CEOs” and not “the middle class and working class.”

No AJ, you still don't get it do you? This is about saving the city some money and the unions not breaking the bank on their negotiations. Most cities(Middletown excluded in some cases) and states are cash starved, are cutting back on people and expenses and are desperate to save a buck. The feds aren't passing the money down to the states and the states aren't passing it down to the cities. Got nothing to do with supporting "big corporations/CEO's over middle/working class. You have been brainwashed by your union buddies. That has been their slogan for decades suggesting corporations/management is shafting the workers. Job security is no longer in the workplace and the union people are still operating in the 50's/60's who think so. Why do the union folks think they are immune to layoffs like the rest of us have faced for the last 20 years? Why don't they think they should be paid on merit as opposed to automatic raises no matter what kind of job they do? They aren't in a special category. Some of us working taxpayers who foot their salaries and most of their benefits/retirement packages want some financial accountability and a level playing field on shared bennies/retirement costs, no "step increases" and reasonable wages. Bottom line... We're taking a hit out here in privateland. They need to share the hit in publicland as well. Just asking for a little balance between private/public. JMO

AJ is wrong.  As an elected city official, he should do the right--and respectable thing--and attend the State of the City address.  His views can differ from that of the Mayor's, but he is an elected representative.

 I totally agree with the postings of SWO and midres.

AJ why don't you go find yourself a real job and try working for a living, maybe then we could respect your view on organized labor.

If AJ addends this protest and tries to disrespect the Mayors speech, it should be demanded that he resign effective today. Whether agrees with the Mayor or not, this is not the time and place for these actions. He should get a full time hjob so he can pay his $43000 in fines. He has now proven he has no qualifications for ghe job. He only does what he thinks is necessary to promote AJ. The citizens and city are 3nd place in his mind. jmo

There might be some misunderstanding here--very understandaber(lol). I would expect Mr.Smith to attend the Mayor's address, as an equal voting member of Council, with no attempt whatsoever to disrupt the event.

acclaro - unions can still be productive but they, like everything and everyone, must change. We can agree to disagree about public sector/private sector pay. My contention is that for most public service jobs, the educational requirements are higher and the demands are greater. Formal education is not always a necessary requirement for a private sector worker; skill, smarts, determination; these things have turned people without a college degree into millionaires. Public service jobs do not offer the possibility of that kind of advancement.

As I was reading the article on the MJ about Middletown being one of a handful of cancer clusters in the US, I was wondering what new impact this revelation will have on the wonderful city? Is our water supply contaminated and provided by Middletown knowing it was mixed with potential toxins from Dick's Creek? Is this rate of incidence much higher than other areas...I think so, or it would not be named a cancer site. This is really an alarming article that begs much deeper and thorough investigation. Take note how quickly the MJ made a wowful attempt to retract the report, after it was already referenced by the Senate floor. This pronouncement is far more damaging to Middletown than a Laura Willaims outburst or a woman dressed as a cow running down the street. Dead city by Forbes, now a cancer cluster revelation. Not positive news. 

I agree on the house impact bill. that will sure impact Middletown's desireability which is nill anyway. this is Three Mile Island, an Erin Brokavich type deal, contaminated water causing brain cancer. All the specific details and correlation the Ohio Department of Health said was they could not conclusively show correlation. That was because 11 cases of death in a short period. What will it be in 5 more years/ or 10? Frightening to be candid.

TonyB- I need to comment on some of your thoughts on workers in unions versus non-union environments...

"The right to strip workers of any say in their working conditions? The right to ASK for a decent wage? It's take what we give you and be happy but, by the way, you'd better perform or we'll take some more from you"
Private industry doesn't take any money away from you, they just terminate you if you fail to perform)

I have worked non-union shops all my life. Eight to be exact. I have never had a sayso in my working environment. When you accepted the job, you accepted the working environment.Usually weren't that bad to be honest other than overly political. Never had a sayso in the wage either. Again, when you accepted the job, you were told the pay range of the job and you could always opt out in accepting it. And your comment "take what we give you and be happy, but, by the way, you'd better perform or we'll take some more from you"- said a little differently, we'll find someone who will do the job if you don't perform and you can leave the company. Saw this alot in private industry. They would transfer the person or start the documentation to terminate with a verbal warning, then written and finally, out the door in private industry, unless you signed a contract, (which most are not offered), the company can get rid of you anytime they wish. Likewise, you can leave anytime you wish. The union environment protects the worker a little better than this, even the poor workers within their ranks. You're on your own in the private sector. How many times have you or your public sector friends been downsized? I lost my P&G job in 1994. My General Cable job in 1999 and my Thermo Black Clawson job in 2002. How many times has a public sector person lost their job since 1994? Until now, the public sector was the place to go to accrue longevity on the job. Job security went out the window for the private sector twenty plus years ago. The public sector has been lucky.....until now.

Viet Vet - it's an honor to respond to to your sincere and honest comments, this is how understandings are forged and consensus on actions are reached. I find your comparison of the union-non union work place interesting. Individual workers are always at a disadvantage in an industrial setting; that's why unions had their beginnings in factories. They give a worker some protection from the situations you describe. It is unfortunate that the protection for good workers turned into protecting membership in the union. My father worked for GM for 30 yrs and he did not always see eye to eye with the union. He also did not want to advance up the management ladder because he was reluctant to give up those union guarantees. Being downsized is a common occurance in private sector jobs. That, supposedly, was the advantage to a public sector job; the job security. I agree that those days are numbered given the continuation of present trends.

TonyB, I concur with al your points well made. i respectfully agree to disagreewith your last point on the scapegoating of public servants. What has occurred is that segment has been in a position there has evolved a very close association between the office seekers and the unions (public servants). What is presently under attack is the cost of pensions, as we have 50 year olds retiring on 90% of salary, and enjoying it for 25-30 years. The financial burden in these conditions is just unsustainable. Hence, there is no deliberate scapegoating, there is a mandated need to face the economic facts projected over a relatively short period of time. Such projections indicate both state, municipalities, and of course, the country, will be immenient danger of the collapse of the system associated with overwhelming debt. When that occurs, it makes every community, state, and our country unstable and subject to greater harm than what could be caused by terrorism or a massive natural disaster akin to what hit Japan. The scapegoating some may call it, it an evaluation of financial reality on the horizon.