Bay State unions have shown willingness to compromise

HERE WE go again — another round of union-bashing. The Globe editorial board writes that “unions have steadfastly opposed efforts to grant government more flexibility’’ (“By overreaching, Wis. governor hinders reforms in all states,’’ Editorial, Feb. 25). On the Op-ed page Charles Chieppo says unions have “unchecked clout’’ giving them “perks that would be unimaginable elsewhere’’ (“Unions must adjust to the new economic realities,’’ Feb. 25). Chieppo has cherry-picked some seemingly egregious deals from various contracts across the state, implying there is some big, bad, monolithic union beating up on the poor towns and the entire state of Massachusetts. The truth is, however, that someone sat across the table from the unions and represented the town or state agency that granted those “rich public-sector benefits.’’ Now, as towns and unions have slowly woken up to the reality of health care costs, they are negotiating and bargaining their way to reasonable solutions one by one.