It amazes me how the uninformed think that unions hold companies, and in this case, the city at gunpoint and force their will. It's called collective bargaining for a reason. Pensions weren't established by the "evil" unions. It, along with pay, benefit packages, etc are all negotiated items that both parties have agreed upon. Employees are hired and offered these items as terms of their employment. And, while the city may (and in Jacksonvilles case, did) decide to take a "holiday" from paying their share of the cost because times were good and the market was booming, those same employees didn't have, or ask for that option. Their contributions continued being deducted, each and every payday, rain or shine. Is the current "plan" sustainable? Probably not. But to continually point the finger at the union workers for the citys inability to keep their financial house in order is simply ridiculous.
