Public Sector Union Rapacity Has Peaked

When New Jersey Democrats are proposing bills to cap the rapacious public-sector union boondoggle of "accumulated sick leave payouts" then you know which way the wind is blowing in America today. Public sector pensions and benefits are bankrupting America, but up until just recently, nobody really knew it. Safe to say that now they know it.

The Dems thought they could limit the damage and negotiate with Gov. Christie, but he has not wavered on this one bit.

Fourteen months after Gov. Chris Christie nixed a Democratic proposal to cap public workers’ payouts for future unused sick time at $15,000 because he didn’t think it went far enough, Senate President Stephen Sweeney (D-Gloucester) has proposed a bill to end payouts for future accumulated sick leave altogether .

The measure (S1564) is not perfectly in line with Christie’s December, 2010 conditional veto of the earlier Democratic measure, but it’s much closer.

Democrats had previously wanted to cap sick leave pay for future accumulated unused days at $15,000, then offered to lower the cap to $7,500. But Christie has been steadfast to his opposition to any compromise, lambasting the Democrats’ proposals telling town hall gatherings “zero means zero.”

Christie is spending his political capital wisely. Of course, when you have examples like this

Lt. Edward Wall will be paid $363,415 during the next two-and-one-half years for the sick, personal and vacation days he did not use in his 28-year career, said Jasmine Lim, business administrator for the township.
...
The payouts, Christie said, could be massive and are sometimes referred to by recipients as a “boat check,” meaning it is sometimes used to buy a boat upon retirement. In Parsippany, Christie said, four police officers retired and the township had to write them checks that collectively totaled over $900,000.

your negotiating position is on solid ground.