thsas, the problem with your argument is that it ignores the fact and when it comes to renegotiation of contracts, both parties must agree. If you just start paying your landlord less money then you have broken your contract and no one would argue your landlord is wrong for seeking the rest of the money he or she is owed. The County of Sacramento has not said that this is a proposal that is subject to negotitation. Rather they are simply saying "we have the right to break the contract unilaterally." If the County wants to enter into negotitations it should change its stance. Currently, the County is stating that it's offer is take it or leave it. The unions, which are democractically run through an electoral process, has chosen to leave it. The County can't then just force the change on its workers. To use my prior example, this is a case where you have an agreement with your gardener that for the next four years you will pay him $50 a month to mow your yard. In year two things go badly for you and you ask him if you can pay him only $35 a month to mow your yard. He says no. You then send him only $35 and then demand he stilll mow your yard. Have you broken the contract? Yes. Can he take you to court and receive his expectation damages of $50 a month for the rest of the four year contract? Yes. Is he forced to agree to a renegotiation? No. Now substituted the County for you and the county workers for the gardner. This is what the County is trying to do. If the contract was a bad one from the County's prespective, then maybe the County should fire the person who negotiated it or at least offer the unions something in return if they agree to renegotiate the contract. But don't blame the workers for merely enforcing their contractual rights.

Terry Schutten makes approximately $550,000 in total compensation. It seems an extremely high salary and benefit package for a guy who lead the County into its greatest fiscal disaster in generations.

If I make an agreement with you that I will pay you $500,000 for you home. And then break that contract by only paying $100,000. What's wrong for asking to the other $400,000? If I make a contract that states that I agree to pay you $45,000. And then I break that contract by paying only $40,000. What's wrong with asking for the other $5,000. If appears that the County made a bad deal. The County should make sure that never happens again. The County is free to lay-off, they just can't break a legally binding contract. If the County wants to ask the Unions to agree to change the contract the County may do so. And the membership of the union, through its elected board, will make its decision as to whether the accept the county proposal or take the layoffs. The County, however, cannot just change the contract without meet and negotiating with the Union. This is why what the County is doing is illegal. There is a way for the County to get what they want legally, they just refuse to do it.