[Vision2020] Union Shouldn't Hinge on Fear

[Tom Hansen]

>From today's (April 28, 2006) Moscow-Pullman Daily News with a special
thanks to Virginia Henderson

-------------------------------------------------------------------

Union shouldn't hinge on fear 

Virginia Henderson, for the editorial board 
Published: 04-28-2006 

Fear of other city employees wanting a union should have nothing to do with
whether Moscow police get one. But Moscow Mayor Nancy Chaney said she is
afraid other city employees might want to form their own unions if the
police win a collective voice. 

The city's administrative committee Monday rejected the police officers'
unanimous request to send the question to the full council. Once again, the
officers are being patted on their heads by an arbitrary decision that needs
to be revisited. 

Police repeatedly have asked for standardization of salary structure,
benefits and redress of grievances. Most law enforcement agencies in the
region have unionized in response to similar needs. 

Not in Moscow. For years, the Moscow police officers have found themselves
at the whim of the council of the day, with past promises conveniently
forgotten. 

The lone dissenting vote in the 2-1 tally belonged to Councilman Aaron
Ament, who repeatedly brought the committee's discussion back to the union
when it digressed into ideas about how to address police concerns by other
means. 

"The police have asked for a union, that's what we're dealing with," Ament
said, calling for a direct vote. He wasn't satisfied with Councilman John
Weber's assertion: "What we have is working quite well." 

It's working so well that the department suffers high turnover and
consistent morale problems. 

This isn't about the police department. It's about power and control, as
comments Monday from the mayor, city attorney and city supervisor
demonstrate. 

It's natural for the people who have power to want to hold on to it. That's
no excuse for blocking the police officers' request for consideration before
the full council, some of whom support the union. 

The police say there's a problem. That ought to be reason enough to treat
their request with the respect it deserves - with public input in addition
to full council review. 

Limiting it to a committee vote, effectively shutting down the police, is a
power play. 

City officials need to ask themselves what they are so afraid of. 

-------------------------------------------------------------------

Standardization of salary structure, benefits and redress of grievances?

Sounds like something everybody should be entitled to, ESPECIALLY OUR LOCAL
POLICE DEPARTMENT.

Seeya round town, Moscow.

Tom Hansen
Moscow, Idaho

********************************************

"It doesn't require a majority to prevail, but rather an irate, tireless
minority keen to set brushfires in people's minds"

- Samuel Johnson  [1709-84]

********************************************