In the real world, if managers have a need to fill, they send out employees to do the job. End of story.

This is why state and county managers are rightly up in arms about a bill that seeks to allow more micromanagement of government work.

SB 1642, which passed the Legislature but was vetoed by the governor, essentially makes a number of items a subject for negotiation in public worker contracts.

But it's too broadly worded and adds unnecessary complications to what should be simply a fundamental part of a manager's duties.

Some of the bill's provisions are reasonable enough. Certainly, nobody would argue against making procedures for demotions or terminations a matter for collective bargaining.

The problem is, the bill also includes transfers and assignments. That was the issue behind the 2005 Supreme Court ruling on the transfer of Pearl City refuse workers. The court found, correctly, that this lies within the purview of the city managers.

Of course it does. Managers are held accountable for assigning their workers appropriately and need that flexibility to get the job done.

Lawmakers defending the bill maintain that employees need consideration in such matters because, in this state, reassignment to another island can pose a major disruption to that worker and shouldn't be done willy-nilly.

That's a rational argument, but the bill goes further. If it becomes law, the protocol for any transfer, no matter how incidental, becomes a subject for the negotiation table.

Above all, it's disturbing to see the Legislature failing to see the greater public interest here. Lawmakers clearly are in the corner of the unions on this one, when they should be looking out for taxpayers.

County police chiefs have spoken out forcefully against the bill, maintaining that they need the freedom to protect public safety by deploying the force as they see fit.

And beyond safety, there's the question of expense. As currently worded, SB 1642 could ultimately make the work of government more unwieldy and costly. Pocketbook issues are of concern to taxpayers this session, more than ever.

The Legislature shouldn't waste its time and energy on fighting the veto of this bad bill.

Put the public interest first.