Unions Peeved as Massachusetts House Votes to Limit Collective Bargaining
04/27/2011 AP
BOSTON -- Union officials are furious at House Speaker Robert DeLeo after lawmakers backed a plan to sharply limit the collective bargaining power of public employees over their health insurance.
Massachusetts AFL-CIO President Robert Haynes said Wednesday that House members voted for the budget amendment "because the speaker of the House made them."
Haynes said it was "inconceivable" to him that the speaker could wield so much power.
The House voted 111-42 late Monday to approve the measure to dramatically strengthen the power of cities and towns to change public employee health insurance plans.
DeLeo says the move could save municipalities $100 million a year that could go toward education and other services.
Haynes says the vote is only "Game 1" of the process and unions will fight in the Senate to restore collective bargaining rights.
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