Jun 12 2011

“Public employees have become targets of anger and criticism.”

(2 pm. – promoted by ek hornbeck)

Cross-posted at Daily Kos.

The quote “Public employees have become targets of anger and criticism” that was followed by “and that’s leading to a growing number of them calling it quits,” came from Lester Holt last night on NBC Nightly News.

John Yang reported from New Jersey where public worker retirement jumped 60% and nearly doubled for teachers in 2010. But it is not just Governor Chris Christie “mocking teacher benefits” who deserves all the credit. The report shows many states where politicians downgrading the value of public workers has become too much for the good government workers to continue. In 2010 California and Colorado each reported a 20% rise in retirees from the public sector. This year Ohio has reported a 34% increase and after the assault from Scott Walker public worker retirement in Wisconsin is up 96%.

One New Jersey teacher was the focus of the segment. Judy Cinnamond who has decided to give up teaching. This highly respected educator sums up the situation with “All of the sudden the teachers are the enemy and I don’t want to feel that way. Having dedicated my life to this job, I just don’t want to feel that way.”  

At first I didn’t understand why John Yang claimed “For Judy Cinnamond it is with a sense of satisfaction.” The satisfaction in her retirement is because she can still remember “getting up coming to work feeling like I’m doing something valuable” and now with  so many elected officials dedicating so much time to causing stress and anxiety for hard working teachers, she is finally getting a break. The segment ended with “One more experienced teacher joining the growing ranks of public workers deciding to call it quits.”

NBC understood that there was much more story than they could squeeze into the nightly news and this web only follow up gives Judy Cinnamond more of a chance to share her wisdom. She stresses why older teachers are so important in the public school system. Her explanation of why it will be good to get out is a reflection of these times, “It’s gotten to the point now where I just need to retire. I need to rid myself of all the rhetoric, rid myself of all the negativity that goes on as far as contract negotiations and I need to, you know, go on to my next job.”  

And in this video the principal of West Windsor Plainesboro High School, parents, students and other teachers who worked with Judy Cinnamond try to explain the loss that politicians don’t value. “The knowledge that she has from the teaching of mathematics, from the teaching of kids and from getting kids to learn, when she walks out the door we lose a lot of that. We lose almost all of it.”

It is also not just Republicans. Did you see this weeks news from across the river? Cuomo Urges Broad Limits to N.Y. Public Pensions. After the previous give backs, Cuomo is still very concerned about New York City public pensions. I guess the “Democrat” missed when the City Comptroller Said pension costs will fall after 2016. I know his ears are plugged when constituents shout “Tax the rich!”

Judy Cinnamond had a history to remember and recalled once being valued in is a story that ends with rejection. Our students, our teachers, the people who pick up our garbage, our firefighters and police officers are no longer good enough for out elected officials. Public workers seem to be running out of supporters and children are going to be the biggest losers.

NBC can stand up for those workers and point out that we are losing our good government workers. Republicans hate the workers and the Democrats, not much better.  Thank you Lester Holt. Thank you John Yang. Thank you NBC Nightly News. And especially thank you Judy Cinnamond.  

4 comments

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    • Eddie C on June 12, 2011 at 05:02
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    • #

    You don’t hear any responses from Democrats but the news is really getting out there.

    “For too long, we’ve been left after Election Day holding a canceled check, waving it about-‘Remember us? Remember us? Remember us?’-asking someone to pay a little attention to us,” recalled Trumka, who like many union leaders was frustrated with the failure of the Obama administration and Democrats in Congress to pass the Employee Free Choice Act and other needed labor law reforms. “Well, I don’t know about you, but I’ve had a snootful of that shit!”

    There was no way to misread Trumka’s message for Democrats who have strayed on issues ranging from EFCA to trade policy to mounting an absolute defense of Medicare, Medicaid and Social Security.

    “When it comes to politics, we’re looking for real champions of working women and men. And I have a message for some of our “friends.” It doesn’t matter if candidates and parties are controlling the wrecking ball or simply standing aside-the outcome is the same either way,” he explained. “If leaders aren’t blocking the wrecking ball and advancing working families’ interests, working people will not support them. This is where our focus will be-now, in 2012 and beyond.”

    Trumka chose exactly the right setting in which to deliver that message. The NNU (which also welcomed this writer as a speaker at its gathering) has long advocated for a more miltant stance when it comes to politics, as evidenced this week by the union’s mass protest outside the headquarters of the US Chamber of Commerce. As the nurses blocked traffic, NNU executive director Rose Ann DeMoro led the crowd in chanting “Our street!” and then pointing at the Chamber building and shouting “Wall Street!”

    ‘I’ve Had a Snootful of This Shit’ too!

  2. the retirement at gunpoint theme from private industry is extended to the public sector.

    Planned and organized global depression since 2008.  Loss of talented workers yes but also workers who lived in far better and far more just times.  

    • Xanthe on June 17, 2011 at 20:02
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    Sun Time re Rahm, Mr. Privatize Man, in Ek’s diary.

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