On Sat, 02 Apr 2011 08:56:01 -0400, Kurt Ullman wrote:

In article ,
" wrote:

The issue is "work rules". Police and Firefighter unions are allowed to
bargain work rules because of the nature of the work. Teachers and most
other
unions don't have the same issues.
With police and (especially) fire, a lot of the work rules are put
in place by others. Staffing on a truck, for example, is largely driven
by OSHA and The Insurance Service Organization (one city wanted to cut
back on staffing on the apparatus, ISO, said go ahead but if you do we
cut your rating and your citizen's insurance rates go up by 25% or more.
That tends to put a damper on somethings.).

Work rules have safety implications for public safety employees and the
(fire/police) unions will continue to have input into those. Teachers, not so
much. That's the point.