Many times have I heard union negotiators quoted saying protecting jobs is a major goal. It’s particularly acute with public service unions. A city like Hoboken that has gentrified and had a vast number of it’s older properties updated has less need of the level of police and fire staffing they had historically, but the unions fight tooth and nail.
My mayor is on the patrolman’s shit list for doing his job and negotiating for his constituents rather than rolling over for the unions in the name of “supporting” them. They refused to negotiate, refused to accept the arbitrators decision, then sued, and now refuse to accept the judges decision that the contract is in line with other city contracts. These guys make well over $100k with their expected OT plus the usual lavish Bennie’s and early retirement.
