On Mar 2, 11:49*am, DaveS wrote:

But in "representative democratic republics" workers
should take it or leave it?

If we say we really want democracy, yes. Otherwise, what we are saying
is that we want to balance democratic power with anti-democratic
institutions. I said they "should not" be needed, I didn't say our
society is in a state where they "are not" needed.

Further, you are not saying that whichever party elects its officials
should have the unfettered right to unilaterally set the conditions of
work, are you?

Last I checked, parties don't vote, people do. If it is the people's
will to give one party that much control over the government, then so
goes democracy.

And when another political party wins an election,
would the winning party get to reset the conditions of work, pensions,
health insurance etc etc?

If it is the people's will to hand that much control to another party.

Or should this be the sole province of
executive branch public managers?

Who work for the government, which was elected by the people.

Which ones of this sterling cast
would you willingly rely on for your family's health and welfare?
Sounds like a formula for chaos or at least instability.

Yes, it does -- IF you have no faith in the people. I'm just saying,
let's call that view what it is: anti-democratic. Perhaps, however, if
what you fear actually happens, the people would learn very quickly
not to elect governments that would change the conditions of work for
the teachers so willy-nilly. Perhaps they'd actually then pay
attention and elect governments that govern for the people and not for
other interests. Perhaps allowing the symptoms to cause (hopefully
short term) pain would be the best path to actually reaching a cure.
As it is now, we simply prefer to take our daily dose of painkillers
rather than figure out what causes the pain, and fix it.

Former member Local 2112 Carpenters, and AFSME
Retired reluctant and successful capitalist
Work Union = live better
AFL-CIO = the folks who bought you the weekend, with their blood.
I post this in remembrance of my fathers organizer half brother,
beaten to death by company thugs and thrown in a ditch, . . . in this
"representative democratic republic."

Hopefully you did not overlook my comment about private sector unions.

Take care,

Jon.