I will start by saying that I am pro union. I have been a member of IUOE #12 for 10 years, and I personally believe that unions make this country strong.

However, there is a power grab going on in California right now on the part of the public sector unions that is going to cut into my future lively-hood and will devastate my, and hundreds of others ability to make a living at our chosen work.

AB2966, Full text here Is a Bill to dissolve my small business, and over 800 other small businesses and convert them to state employee jobs. All because of one man’s lack of morals. His story (ABCNEWS) –

“I have cancer right now and I’d just like to clear my chest of past issues and things that I’ve done in my life that have been wrong. I expect to go to jail at first on fraud charges and conspiracy to commit fraud and now I’m not worried about it because I have not long to live,” Former hospital building inspector Tom Conway said.

ABC7’s Vic Lee: “So, you’re coming forward because you want to make peace with yourself before you die?

is a sad one, if true.

BUT, if it is true, why isn’t he charged with a crime or two? Why is he not in jail? And why is a bill being railroaded through committee this quickly?

Professional Engineers in California Government (sponsor)

American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees

California Nurses Association

Service Employees International Union

Full disclosure- I am an Inspector of Record at a southern California hospital, and I make a good living at it. I have never even been approached by an owner or a contractor to ignore, look the other way, or falsify a document. Nor have I heard of anyone that has.

This is a grab by the unions to boost membership, and increase the size of their coffers. The Bill suggests numerous cases of malfeasance, but all of their arguments arise from one case, that as far as is known is unsubstantiated,and the IOR in question has not even been brought to trial, or charged with a crime to the best of my knowledge.

And who is to say that simply because the state provides the paycheck, that the Inspector can’t be bribed? The crane inspector in New York was a state employee, and is now facing charges in the death of seven people, injuring dozens of others and causing widespread property damage.The New York Times

The cost to the taxpayers of this State will be immense, as a whole new arm of OSHPD ( Office of Statewide Health Planning and Development) will need to be added to oversee the hundreds of new employees, and the problems facing the builders of new health facilities by forcing ill-trained government inspectors onto their projects will cause the cost of health care to the people of California to rise even higher than it is now.

Please help by voicing your opposition to larger, less effective, and more expensive government control and a power-grab by state unions by clicking to this and vote and/or leave a comment. Go to this LINK and type in 2966, then leave a comment or a vote.