UC Is Like Wall St.

[CarlV]

They are complete failures at their jobs and want the big bonuses.
Dec.14
University of California regents approved controversial rollbacks in pension and retiree health benefits Monday, including raising the earliest retirement age for future employees to 55, to help plug huge financial gaps in the university's plans.
http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-uc-pension-20101214,0,4030938.story

Dec 16
Some lawmakers say UC's constitutional autonomy prevents the Legislature from holding university administrators accountable for how they spend public money.

"All we know is we dump money in and they come out short," said state Sen. Leland Yee (D- San Francisco), who requested the audit. "… Every time you ask UC what's going on, they say, 'It's none of your business.' "
http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-legislature-universities-20101216,0,7734577.story


Yesterday
Three dozen of the University of California's highest-paid executives are threatening to sue unless UC agrees to spend tens of millions of dollars to dramatically increase retirement benefits for employees earning more than $245,000.
Read more: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2010/12/28/MNDC1GUSCT.DTL#ixzz19cKUdS57

And Today
Gov.-elect Jerry Brown, state lawmakers and others minced few words Wednesday in condemning high-paid executives at the University of California who are threatening to sue UC unless it spends millions of dollars to increase their pensions.
"These executives seem very out of touch at a time when the state is contemplating billions of dollars in reductions that will affect people who are far less advantaged," Brown said.
Read more: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2010/12/29/BAH51H1GA1.DTL#ixzz19cME5y9H

Just amazing, and they have raised tuitions a little over 30% the last few years too.
Any dishwasher at a Marriott's could fail like they have for a lot less. :p

[BlueStreak]

Amazing; "....sue unless UC agrees to spend tens of millions to dramatically increase retirement benefits for employees earning more than $245,000."

If you're pulling down that kind of green, you don't even need an employer sponsered pension plan. You should be making your own investments with your own money. If I can do it at $60,000, a quarter what they make, they can certainly do it. It's just amazing how these people think their employers should continue to throw money at them.

Now, a high school teacher making $50k, I can see. A school janitor making $25k is the one who should have a decent pension. Heck, I think more of us lowly folks should have a pension plan looooong before these guy do, 'cuz we're the ones who can least afford to save. But, I guess my inability to understand why we throw money at those who already have it is what makes me such a Commie?

If this is the case, than I am proud to be counted as such.

Dave

[CarlV]

The regents have always voted themselves annual cost of living raises higher than the cost of living, laid off tens and maybe even into hundreds of thousands of workers in the past decade as well. Lowered enrollment and increasing out of state enrollment to cut costs, pretty pathetic but we do have a new sheriff so it is going to be interesting for certain.
No more take from the public schools and disabled to give to the corporations like Arnold did too. Of course if it wasn't for Enron we would have never had Arnold, we would have kept Gray Davis who probably would have been the next best governor to Jerry Brown the state ever had and not be in the state were in here - pun intended.

[piece-itpete]

Isn't Davis the one who changed the laws that let Enron et al screw CA?

Pete

[CarlV]

I do not personally recall anything like that and looking at wiki only states he was recalled without breaking any laws. I do remember that Bush refused government help in the middle of it all after a state of emergency was declared. But then it was his Texas buddies doing the screwing of the public to fill their pockets boat sank as it turns out.

[Charles]

Sounds to me like UC is simply trying to raise the tide for all boats.

After all, if the public sector raises the salaries for their employees, won't the private sector necessarily follow?

Chas

[piece-itpete]

Why was CA the only state it happened to?

Pete

[d-ray657]

Sounds to me like UC is simply trying to raise the tide for all boats.

After all, if the public sector raises the salaries for their employees, won't the private sector necessarily follow?

Chas

Yeah, if the private sector workers get their S##t together and figure out why the public sector employees are seeing compensation increase more than private sector employees. (36% unionized public sector, 7% private sector). Employees who are able to think of the workforce as a whole and form a sense of solidarity will indeed see a rising tide that lifts all boats. As it is right now, divide and conquer is working pretty well for the executive class.

Regards,

D-Ray

[CarlV]

Here is a wiki article, I really never much paid attention to other states at the time.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/California_electricity_crisis

[CarlV]

Yeah, if the private sector workers get their S##t together and figure out why the public sector employees are seeing compensation increase more than private sector employees. (36% unionized public sector, 7% private sector). Employees who are able to think of the workforce as a whole and form a sense of solidarity will indeed see a rising tide that lifts all boats. As it is right now, divide and conquer is working pretty well for the executive class.

Regards,

D-Ray
It sure is. Right now unemployment is 12-14% here, 14 where I live, and the people keep coming here for some reason.

[d-ray657]

Here is a wiki article, I really never much paid attention to other states at the time.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/California_electricity_crisis

Just another example of where the real power lies:(

In a speech at UCLA on August 19, 2003, Davis apologized for being slow to act during the energy crisis, but then forcefully attacked the Houston-based energy suppliers: "I inherited the energy deregulation scheme which put us all at the mercy of the big energy producers. We got no help from the Federal government. In fact, when I was fighting Enron and the other energy companies, these same companies were sitting down with Vice President Cheney to draft a national energy strategy."

Regards,

D-Ray

[Charles]

Towards the first of the article it states that under the deregulation scheme, only the wholesale price of electricity was deregulated, the retail price remained regulated.

Kind of a dumb assed move in my estimation. I'd also like to advance the notion that electricity wasn't deregulated, is was regulated WRONG.

Doesn't sound like Wilson's finest moment.

Chas

[Charles]

Yeah, if the private sector workers get their S##t together and figure out why the public sector employees are seeing compensation increase more than private sector employees. (36% unionized public sector, 7% private sector). Employees who are able to think of the workforce as a whole and form a sense of solidarity will indeed see a rising tide that lifts all boats. As it is right now, divide and conquer is working pretty well for the executive class.

Regards,

D-Ray

Tell you what Don, let me cut a deal with the Fed like the government has and I'll go out and hire 100,000 people at $200,000 a year.

Only cost 20 billion, which is a drop in the bucket anymore.

Not sure what the population of the US is at the time, but I estimate it will only cost everyone app $60...I just need the Treasury to back me.

Back to reality. I have nothing against the unions, but don't you need a job before you can organize for better wages?

Chas

[d-ray657]

Tell you what Don, let me cut a deal with the Fed like the government has and I'll go out and hire 100,000 people at $200,000 a year.

Only cost 20 billion, which is a drop in the bucket anymore.

Not sure what the population of the US is at the time, but I estimate it will only cost everyone app $60...I just need the Treasury to back me.

Back to reality. I have nothing against the unions, but don't you need a job before you can organize for better wages?

Chas

Ten percent unemployment means 90% are working. For those who do not have the protection of a contract, their terms and conditions of employment are pretty much at the whim of management. If everyone was as conscientious as you about your crew, things would work out for most people. Hate to break this to you though, but you're not one of the masters of the universe, who get to pay their bonuses with other people's money. Those bastards wouldn't think twice about laying off 1,000 people to get a bump in their bonus.

Regards,

D-Ray

[BlueStreak]

Ten percent unemployment means 90% are working. For those who do not have the protection of a contract, their terms and conditions of employment are pretty much at the whim of management. If everyone was as conscientious as you about your crew, things would work out for most people. Hate to break this to you though, but you're not one of the masters of the universe, who get to pay their bonuses with other people's money. Those bastards wouldn't think twice about laying off 1,000 people to get a bump in their bonus.

Regards,

D-Ray

You know something, though. I work for a family owned Italian company. Make no mistake, it's a big company, (About 20,000 employees worldwide.) but still family owned. Anyhow, they have done everything they can to hold on to people through this recession. American management wanted to dump people at one point, but the owner in Italy wouldn't let them. We did let go of a few temps, but full time employees were held onto, even though we didn't really need them. He held onto us, even though we lost money for several months.

Maybe it's a European thing, I dunno, but I think I have something to be thankful for here........really.

Dave

[merrylander]

You know something, though. I work for a family owned Italian company. Make no mistake, it's a big company, (About 20,000 employees worldwide.) but still family owned. Anyhow, they have done everything they can to hold on to people through this recession. American management wanted to dump people at one point, but the owner in Italy wouldn't let them. We did let go of a few temps, but full time employees were held onto, even though we didn't really need them. He held onto us, even though we lost money for several months.

Maybe it's a European thing, I dunno, but I think I have something to be thankful for here........really.

Dave

Maybe they were looking at the cost of hanging on to good, trained employees against the bad feeling and cost of training replacements when the time comes.

[d-ray657]

Rob and Dave both have valid points. Even if ownership's actions amounted to enlightened self interest, at least it was enlightened. The American management was taking a short-sided look, the same as many of those who favor short-term stock gains over long term growth or stability. The move by ownership had the effects Rob mentioned, as well as creating some loyalty among the work force.

Regards,

D-Ray

[Charles]

You know something, though. I work for a family owned Italian company. Make no mistake, it's a big company, (About 20,000 employees worldwide.) but still family owned. Anyhow, they have done everything they can to hold on to people through this recession. American management wanted to dump people at one point, but the owner in Italy wouldn't let them. We did let go of a few temps, but full time employees were held onto, even though we didn't really need them. He held onto us, even though we lost money for several months.

Maybe it's a European thing, I dunno, but I think I have something to be thankful for here........really.

Dave

Well, they are Eyeties.

Give 'em some wine, some pasta with a tomato, some wimmen, a Lamborghini, and they're happier than a pig in...well, you know what makes a pig happy!!!

Myself, I'm Irish/German...which means with some taters and cabbage and something with a cork and I'm good to go.


Gotta have some vacuum tubes as well, but that's an acquired taste.

Chas

[piece-itpete]

I have nothing against the unions, but don't you need a job before you can organize for better wages?

Chas

ROTFLMAO!

Blue, I worked for a Sicilian for many years, he never laid us off even when it was tough.

Cheap as hell, but loyal in his way.

I've also had dealings with an Italian privately held firm, a big company.

When I tried to explain to his royal fancysuitness that his product was 100% price driven - and it is - he got mad and said baloney. And refused to adjust accordingly. He's not in this market anymore.

I've seen more of that too. My take, there's a lot more hand washing the other over there (which the owners sure love) and less price competitiveness, which makes everything more expensive, which it largely is.

Pete