| Author | Message | ||
     Blake |
Yet another outrageous turn of events by our far left administration? http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20110114/ap_on_re_us/us _unions_secret_ballots Exceprt... By SAM HANANEL, Associated Press Sam Hananel, Associated Press – Fri Jan 14, 4:58 pm ET "Solomon says the amendments are pre-empted by the supremacy clause of the Constitution because they conflict with employee rights laid out in the National Labor Relations Act." So according to this fascist, anything congress passes pre-empts state law. LOL! That is true only if the law passed by congress is constitutional. | ||
| Gentleman_jon |
This country only has one enemy that is capable of crippling its economy, and intent on doing it. That would be the Obama administration. | ||
| Court |
Union membership was over 20% the year I moved to NYC. It's now running about 12.4%. Last year was the first year, since the 40's I think, that showed a slight increase. That was likely due to the tremendous amount of hiring done by the Federal government. A local union has been in the news here this week. Randi Weingarten, the just retired head of the NYC Teachers Union, collected her unpaid sick days for the tune of $194,188. She was, while working making well over $500,000 a year for years . . she became a multimillionaire watching teachers loose their jobs. The funds available, in the city budget are finite, and 5 teaching jobs will be eliminated as a result of paying the $194,188. Court's note: This payment is PERFECTLY legal, just like the NYC librarians who are making 165,000 per year and the firefighters getting the $150,000 per year pensions and the Staten Island Ferry mechanics who made over $150,000 in overtime last year (note: that is under investigation since 2 of the workers it was discovered were turning in 29 hours a day.) We'll either change or do ourselves in. http://www.bls.gov/news.release/pdf/union2.pdf EDIT: Add source for Randi Weingarten - http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703791904576076272235367188.html (Message edited by court on January 15, 2011) | ||
| Two_seasons |
i'm a union member, local 1916 of the IAM. Our dues are above 1% of our gross. Not outrageous but in the last five years has almost doubled. Current representation is agreeing with two-tier hiring which pits the old against the new employee. Absolutely bad policy. CARD CHECK ALLOWS THE UNION THUGS AMONGST US TO CARRY OUT INTIMIDATION, plain and simple! If abortion can be found by the US Supreme Court as a protection under the privacy clause in the Constitution, then too should the right to a secret ballot! From what i've seen and read, the SEIU is the most thuggish of them all. And a lot of their "representation" is in the un-skilled labor sectors. This current congress, the 112th, better grow some and deal with the last 50 years of legislative ruin that we've seen in our beautiful REPUBLIC. (Message edited by two_seasons on January 15, 2011) (Message edited by two_seasons on January 15, 2011) | ||
| R100rs |
i'm a union member (local 100 sheetmetal worker)and i don't know as i can continue as such much longer.unions are pushing to be exempt from the health care bill,dues going to the party of death,the list goes on and on.  | ||
| Ourdee |
Court, Sounds like the Staten Island Ferry mechanics may have been failed by the Teacher's union.  | ||
| Buellkowski |
The pending Employee Free Choice Act legislation is the reason for this disagreement between those states and the NLRB. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Employee_Free_Choice_ Act Business vs. Unions. Same old story. | ||
| Ft_bstrd |
I don't think it is business vs. unions. In this case, the unions are seeking to be able to KNOW how people are voting so that they can apply pressure to those voting against unionization. If unions are needed at a particular employer, needing to apply pressure to get the votes needed isn't necessary. The law specifically protects workers rights to organize. This law is harmful to workers and limits worker choice and freedom. Proponents of this law fail to understand that the loss of the anonymity in the balloting process allows EMPLOYERS to know how workers are voting as well. This is bad law. | ||
| Spatten1 |
i agree with Jeremy. If the union is offering a positive and helpful service, why would they need to strong arm voters? | ||
| Pos90 |
I guess businesses never strongarm or threaten to fire their employees for even thinking about going union. I'm in the IBEW and have worked nonunion in the past. | ||
| Aesquire |
Just so I understand. The Feds are suing because of a law that does not yet exist? ( proposed, promised, and ran for election on the demand for, yes, but not yet a law? ) | ||
| Dalton_gang |
The main function of a labor union is to stand with a worker who is being cheated or mistreated. So with that in mind how does allowing the BA and the company to look over your shoulder during an election benefit the worker. It sure helps the BA and the company figure out who they don't want in the election (future elections too) and sets the worker up for trouble if he decides to vote against the popular collective. This is an attempt to snuff out personal freedom and is intended to further control people. I don't see anything good that comes from this unless you like communism. No matter which side you're on, we need to stop taking freedom away and need to stop giving up our freedoms. | ||
| Ft_bstrd |
What happens if the vote doesn't pass the first time? If you are the employer and you don't want a union shop, you just make sure that you keep firing the employees pushing for and voting for unionization. Secret ballots are for the workers to have the ability to vote for what they feel is the best for them without fear of retribution from either side. Don't just look at this issue from one side. | ||
| Buellkowski |
The AZ constitutional amendment appears to take away the card check entirely. That's against the NLRA. No wonder there's a threat to sue. Arizona Proposition 113 | ||
| Ft_bstrd |
Looks like a possible 10th Amendment showdown. | ||
| Court |
This is the unions trying to, and perhaps grasping at the last straw, to regain some control over their rapidly diminishing membership. There is still, at least here in NYC, some serious strong arming that goes on. The paper today carried two stories of mobbed up union activity. If you are told to vote FOR and vote, in full view of everyone, AGAINST . . . you may be unpopular in Des Moines. In Queens . . you'll be dangling wrapped in barb wire in an elevator shaft on 44th terrace. It's bad law, it's dangerous law, it erodes freedom of choice. P.S. - I confess I'm a bit out of touch with what's going on as my former boss has left to do time in the Federal penitentiary for fixing union contracts and passing the business agent off to allow non-union workers to be hired at a fraction of the going rate. | ||
| Kc10_fe |
Some unions are alive and doing just fine. Court, if someone chooses to hang somebody in an elevator shaft I will be pissed. Anything on the other side of the hall door is my work. IUEC  | ||
| Court |
I've been an I.B.E.W. member since 1969. It's allowed me to see the entire complexion of unions and union membership change. My Grandfather was an organizer and my Dad an Assistant Business Agent. | ||
| Kc10_fe |
The US Chamber of Commerce wants everyone to continue to focus the blame on unions while they push for more "Free Trade". Maybe in the end when everyone is unemployed and US manufacturing has died, we can organize a new union at the unemployment office or the Chinese reeducation camp.. | ||
| Ft_bstrd |
When I see unions supporting a pro-business tax structure, I'll believe that they have the workers best interest at heart. Until then, all the "free trade" propaganda is just red meat. Why do the unions not support candidates whose tax policies incentivize companies NOT to outsource? Between income tax rates, payroll tax rates, and corporate tax rates, why WOULD a company do business at a loss to stay here? | ||
| Kenm123t |
Union membeship pretty much insures your job is in Danger. The bs I have hadto deal with with a union I was a member is unbelievable | ||
| Dalton_gang |
"Some unions are alive and doing just fine" While that may be true, there are some unions that have very serious issues. Can't you see if this card check passes it will just be one more tool to be used against the American worker? If you disagree try to explain how you think I'm wrong. | ||
| Kenm123t |
card check will be the death of whats left of american industry. Doj show up with Union thugs its called this place is closed and the assets auctioned off. Its cheaper to do that and rebuild else where than lawyer up and then deal with internal destruction by ( GOOD UNION men That just want a living wage for thier familes) Im from coal country my grandfather was at the Battle of Blair mountain where airplanes dropped bombs on Union miners. Ive been a Union member myself they are not unions any more the membership isnt in control its a protection racket | ||
| Ft_bstrd |
I'd like to understand, from a union perspective, why Card Check is a good thing. | ||
| Aesquire |
Well, simple card check lets you organize quicker and with less hassle from the company. Not all companies treat their workers right. Thuggery is not a Union exclusive. Some companies exploit unfairly their workers in many ways. Illegal's are threatened with deportation, Citizens & Legals are threatened with Illegals, etc. I'm for secret ballots myself. Cuts down on the beatings. | ||
| Reindog |
I was a member of Teamsters Local 278 and would vote at the union meeting. Big dudes named Cheech provided "security" at these meetings. Even with "secret" ballots, we knew that it might be a good idea to vote the way we were told. CardCheck makes it easier to meet Cheech. | ||
| Ft_bstrd |
Wouldn't you want, as a worker, want to vote anonymously the way you felt best, for or against, without fear of reprisals from either side? | ||
| Kc10_fe |
My question is why in the first place. Does the Chamber of Commerce see something on the horizon that has it scared? My union is tiny compared to the IBEW, UA and Tin Knockers and such. You want to be an elevator guy you join the union and they get you hired into a signatory company. You don’t/can’t work for the signatory company unless you belong to the union. The signatory companies only hire from the local union. Many of the signatory company’s management are former union elevator men. Everyone completes an apprenticeship of 4.5 years. If someone turns out to be a hack it’s because they chose to work like a piece of chit and probably shouldn’t be working to begin with. That being said many companies don’t give 2 chits about much aside from profit and schedule. This is especially true in the larger companies like Otis and Schindler. But that’s life everywhere except for the shoestring mom and pop outfits that are family owned, operated and probably struggling. In 2011 if there are "union henchmen" running around that union must be pathetic to start with. I’m not versed in the ways of unskilled labor practices. It’s pretty obvious that unskilled cleaners, laborers and fruit pickers are easy to take advantage of. The fact that they might be here illegally makes me want them catapulted over the border anyways ASAP. If it is in fact just the way for the AFL-CIO to help Honcho and Sancho surrender money they made illegally in the first place then I say to hell with them all. What I find interesting is that this issue is happening in right to work states. I wish I knew the full connection. Life is going to become interesting in a bankrupt nation with bankrupt ideals where your federal government has become so fat and inept that it can’t see its toes. The nation is faced with so many issues and no solutions. (Message edited by kc10_fe on January 16, 2011) | ||
| Toona |
Illegal's are threatened with deportation As they should be. Actually, the ILLEGALS should be more than just threatened, they should be deported. Businesses that knowingly hire ILLEGALS should be prosecuted as well. | ||
| Kc10_fe |
"As they should be. Actually, the ILLEGALS should be more than just threatened, they should be deported. Businesses that knowingly hire ILLEGALS should be prosecuted as well." Thats part of the problem in the first place. Nanny state where nobody has the balls anymore to enforce the nations laws. |
