• infinitesunrise@slrpnk.net
        link
        fedilink
        English
        arrow-up
        6
        ·
        edit-2
        3 days ago

        Police pensions are protected by police unions. Abolishing police pensions would almost certainly require kneecapping their labor rights. Sorry, I realize now that I left explanation of this logic step out of my first comment. What I am essentially asking is, how would you undermine police unions without also undermining all unions, and thereby all labor?

          • infinitesunrise@slrpnk.net
            link
            fedilink
            English
            arrow-up
            3
            ·
            edit-2
            3 days ago

            This has definitely been attempted, in fact I would reckon that the majority of police contract negotiations begin on the topic of pensions as it is one of or possibly the largest cost associated with running a police agency. But as no union worth it’s salt would ever budge on the one thing that is most important to it’s members - Teachers, longshoremen, delivery people, factory workers, none of them have ever given up pensions because it would be wildly against their primary interest - It hasn’t happened yet. What would you do differently to convince police unions to abandon their retirement plan (Or replace it with something that can be deducted from or penalized conditionally)?

              • infinitesunrise@slrpnk.net
                link
                fedilink
                English
                arrow-up
                3
                ·
                edit-2
                3 days ago

                So how would you do that? I’m reading conflicting opinions from your comments. One comment back your entire point was that you can negotiate with police unions to end pensions (Strong disagree from me). Now it sounds like you’re saying that you cannot negotiate ending police pensions as they will soft strike and stonewall (I do agree with this, they already react this way to much softer demands). I literally thought you were a new commenter just now until I read your username.

                So how exactly would you do it? How would you convince police to end their pension programs, ostensibly in exchange for greater accountability for bad behavior?

                  • infinitesunrise@slrpnk.net
                    link
                    fedilink
                    English
                    arrow-up
                    2
                    ·
                    edit-2
                    3 days ago

                    Hey, don’t underestimate my stupidity! :P But from your avoidance, I do think I understand what you’re suggesting. It’s righteous, but I don’t think it’s viable. Certainly not from a civil society standpoint. Cops are often sad angry people, they often have a lot less to lose than most active and engaged community members.

                    I really do think that getting more judges to reject QE is a better path, less ability for cops to retaliate and far fewer institutional hurdles to surmount. No risk to existing labor rights for workers in other sectors. And there is already the precedent of several judges speaking out against QE and deciding not to adhere to it. There is also the precedent of most other common law countries not adhering to QE.