Drivers and workers for Waste Management in the Milwaukee area were on strike due to Waste Management making offers that attacked the benefits they had won in previous contracts.

With the current credit and financial crisis, and the threat of hiring Permanent Replacment Workers by Waste Management --- the striking workers were left with no choice but to capitulate and accept a junk contract from Waste Managment.

The five-year contract cuts back on wages and healthcare benefits and establishes a new 401k program for the workers.

BTW retired workers will also be affected, as the new 401K program that Waste Management insisted upon will cut benefits for current retirees.

Have you ever  wondered what the constant pounding that the Middle Class is taking from all sides --- Factory Relocations to Foreign Countries, Diminished Health Care Benefits, Lower Wages, Privatizing of Public Services to Companies that will pay a Fraction of the current wages, Union Busting Techniques such as those used by Waste Management --- means to you ?

 If you are a Teacher, don't hold your breath waiting for better wages --- the Middle Class is running dry.

 If you are a Doctor or Dentist, you will see fewer patients as the Middle Class can't afford your rates or the Insurance Company Co-pays.

If you are an Engineer --- don't be surprised if you can't find work at local manufacturers --- those factories are gone, and if not they are outsourcing your work overseas on the internet --- or bringing in Cheap Foreign Engineers --- because they can't find enough qualified Engineers here (wink, wink immigration laws)

 If you are a Shopkeeper --- when your Customers have less money --- they go to Wal Mart and buy goods from Chinese factories.

If you are a Police Officer --- your job prospects will look good in the short term, as the differnence in the "haves" and "have nots" grows --- but don't get too comfortable, a lot of folks will do your work for a lot less --- and the 'haves" can live in cheaper tax districts in Gated Communities with Rent a Cops who make a fraction of your pay and get no benefits.

 Hopefully I think the point is made ...........

A vibrant Middle Class is what Makes Life Good in the USA !!

When Shorewood's contract with Waste Management comes up for renewal --- maybe we can find a company that respects their workers and compensates them fairly.

WHAT DO YOU THINK ?  YOUR COMMENTS ARE WELCOME !!

Read all about it on my Google Blog at   

Yes, Yes, Yes ---- I know that Bureaucratic and Lunacy is  redundant ---- and most other local municipal governments will give Germantown a good run for its money for this dubious distinction.

In the Metro section of today's Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, were two articles that put Germantown in the current lead. 

On page B1 was an article about the dangers of backyard pools for little kids.  It was noted in the article that:

"Fencing and other safety measures are recommended by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission for large inflatable's as well as conventional in-ground and above-ground pools"

Further noted in the article:

"Safety standards vary widely, and their enforcement is far from vigorous in some communities".

Giving an example:

"Capt. Craig Evans of the Germantown Police Department said his department lacks the resources to patrol neighborhoods for compliance with a village ordinance that requires fencing around any pool with water deeper than 18 inches".

SO - if enforcing the pool ordinance to protect youngsters from drowning is too time consuming for the Germantown police - what would be more important ??

Going to the next page in MJS Metro section, we find out that CELL PHONES IN SCHOOLS WILL SOON BE A POLICE MATTER IN GERMANTOWN.

Per the Article on page B2, :

"The Village is considering an ordinance that would allow police to issue tickets to students if they violate rules about the use of cell phones and other electronic devices in schools"

"Police chief Peter Hoell said he thinks the ordinance would be used only a couple of times a year"

"The Village Board is expected to approve the ordinance Aug 18, given that is was unanimously recommended this week by the board's Public Safety Committee"

SHAME ON THE SCHOOL BOARD FOR WANTING TO TURN MUNDANE DISCIPLINE PROBLEMS TO THE POLICE ---

SHAME ON THE PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE FOR ITS RECOMMENDATION

SHAME ON THE VILLAGE BOARD IF THEY ACCEPT THIS SUBSTITUTE FOR THE SCHOOLS DOING THEIR JOBS

AND SHAME ON THE POLICE FOR ENDORSING BIG BROTHER IN SCHOOLS WHILE NOT HAVING THE TIME TO ENFORCE AN ORDINANCE TO PROTECT --- AS IN PROTECT AND SERVE !!!

Helpful Hint to Germantown Police ----- Check out Google Earth ------- maybe one of your officers could be dragged away from doing the school's discipline duties, go on Google Earth and identify each house in Germantown with a pool, and then take a drive by them to verify their compliance.

WHAT DO YOU THINK ? 

MAYBE YOU HAVE A BETTER EXAMPLE OF BUREAUCRATIC LUNACY YOU WOULD LIKE TO PUT INTO CONTENTION FOR THE PRIZE !

YOUR COMMENTS ARE WELCOMED BELOW: