2011 | Dukakis Center for Urban and Regional Policy

Special Report on Labor-Management Relations in Public Education

By admin On October 20, 2011 · Leave a Comment · In 2011, Barry Bluestone, Labor, News, Public Employees

How to Bring the Jobs Back: Freeze Public Wages

By admin On September 8, 2011 · Leave a Comment · In 2011, Barry Bluestone, economy, Labor, News, OpEds, Public Employees

New York Times Op Ed | September 7, 2011 How to Bring the Jobs Back: Freeze Public Wages By Barry Bluestone IN the face of this economic crisis, the federal government has all but declared unilateral disarmament. The Federal Reserve chairman, Ben S. Bernanke, has vowed to keep real interest rates near zero, but even at that level few are borrowing. Over at the White House and on Capitol Hill, the pursuit of deficit reduction has taken on a religious fervor just when the economy needs a stimulus. What can President Obama do? Many are suggesting another try at increasing infrastructure investment, but that would do little to provide a quick boost. Here is a wildly conservative, yet refreshingly liberal, alternative. Mr. Obama should first call together the leaders of all public- sector unions and ask them to pledge to a two-year freeze on federal, state and local public employee wages and benefits in return for a commitment to no government layoffs.

Read Full Article →

Collaborative Research | Innovative Approaches | Practical Solutions ▪ A "think and do" tank based at Northeastern University

Special Report on Labor-Management Relations in Public Education

How to Bring the Jobs Back: Freeze Public Wages

Recent Research Reports