Rahm Emanuel Takes On the Unions

In February 2011, Chicago mayoral candidate Rahm Emmanuel took aim at Wisconsin governor Scott Walker's moves against the public sector unions, saying that  he should act in a "cooperative" manner while maintaining "understanding and respect."

Emmanuel promised that "We're gonna deal with our fiscal issues by being honest with each other, straight forward and on a level of respect to work out the agreements that are necessary to put our fiscal house in order so our economy can grow." Unfortunately for Emmanuel, he later found out that public sector union pursuits of self-interest at the expense of the public respect no political lines.

Now he finds himself defended and praised by the likes of Congressman Paul Ryan, vilified by other Democrats, and abandoned by the man he helped to become president.

Emmanuel asked the teachers of Chicago to accept a few major concession.  First, they needed to accept a two percent pay raise instead of  four.  Yes, you heard that.  He was going to raise their salary! Cuts would go towards addressing a $700 million debt and an overall debt of over $3 billion.  Yes, billion with a B. 

In the past few days, union leaders have shifted their focus away from the diminished pay raise towards the problem of basing job performance evaluations on standardized tests. According to Karen Lewis, president of the Chicago Teachers Union, forcing accountability based upon standardized tests represents a "fight for the very soul of education."

Yet it is these very standards that form a major part of Obama's "Race to the Top" education initiative, embraced at one point very warmly by many liberal elected officials.

Standardized tests represent a notoriously poor way in which to evaluate schools and teachers.  Some populations score lower because of biases in the testing.  In other cases, students out of principle or spite intentionally sabotage the testing by doing poorly on purpose.  Teachers fear judgment based upon such an arbitrary measure affected by so many variables.

Then again, statistics show that schools have not done well teaching basic skills either.  1.7 million students per year, according to Complete College America, must take remedial courses in their first year of college.  Changes must occur, but teachers unions have offered few solutions outside of stay the course and spend more money.  That tactic has failed miserably.

Another issue at stake is Emanuel's desire to lengthen the  city's school day, estimated as one of the shortest in the nation.

Public sector workers should never strike because those who depend upon the services have no immediate alternative.  Rahm Emanuel should follow the course laid out by Ronald Reagan in the air traffic controller strike and give an ultimatum.  Those who do not return to work within a certain time period will no longer have a job.  Period.  Many will come back.  Some will not.  But Chicago can do without them.

The contentious strike, which affects hundreds of thousands of children and parents, has made its way into national politics.  Vice presidential nominee Ryan asked who Obama supports, "Does he stand with his former Chief of Staff Mayor Rahm Emanuel, with the children and the parents, or does he stand with the union?"

Recommended viewing:

Reason Magazine Teacher Union Video

If Rahm Emanuel was a kitten and he had just been cold-shouldered by Obama, he'd look like this