What’s In A Name
By Rabble Rouser Reverend Amy on March 13, 2009 at 9:45 PM in Bamboozling, Barack Obama, Current Affairs, DNC idiocy, Democratic Nomination, Democrats, Unions
A lot. One thing we learned from the Bush Administration - make up a name for a bill or act that is diametrically opposite of what the act wil actually do. Then, talk it up!
I am referring to the Employee Free Choice Act, the brainchild of the large unions in this country, who paid a whopping $67,500,000 (round figure) to elect Obama. And now they want their payback.
I hasten to add, as I have said before, I am NOT anti-Union. As long as the unions are acting in the best interest of their employees, and the industry in which they work. But I gotta tell you - when we are having to essentially bailout unions, and then find out they have spent over 67 MILLION dollars this past year to get Obama elected, or find out that AFL/CIO officials are meeting in a very swanky resort in Miami, it gets just a tad irritating. We are bailing them out, and they are hanging out by the pool at a resort which bills it’s CHEAPEST room at approximately $400 a night.
And now, the big unions, along with the help of President Obama, want to remove the secret ballot to determine if a shop becomes union or not. The following video highlights the problems with that:
To provide a fuller view, and to hear from the other side, there is this exchange:
Lou Dobbs also considers this issue on his program (as well as another union bill):
Here’s the thing. The right to vote in secret, without fear of threat or intimidation, is a fundamental DEMOCRATIC right. For Unions, and DEMOCRATS, to push to remove that option is hypocritical in the extreme, and a dangerous precedent.
The DNC already demonstrated May 31, 2008, that they do not give a damn about the rule of law when they took lawfully cast, certified votes from one candidate to give to another. The one receiving the votes declared it “fair,” which it was only to him, not the hundreds of thousands of people who did not vote for him. So, I guess I shouldn’t be too surprised that the Democrats are now pushing for even more unfair voting, in this case, a payoff to a group that gave them tens of millions of dollars. BUT - that is so far from the concept of free and fair elections, of the right to cast a SECRET ballot, as one can get. And it is flat out undemocratic, no matter how anyone wants to spin it.
What’s in a name? A lot, to be sure, but only when the name is accurate. The “Employee Free Choice Act” is not free, and not a choice.
(Release: November 13)
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Rev. Amy my sane half and I got into it over this the other day… After reading the bill I am still unclear as to where it states voting is not private.Employee Free Choice Act.
Mind you I am a union member and I am apposed to this measure.
the real question is where does it state that the voting WILL be private. if it doesn’t specifically say that the voting is private, it will be done in the open.
One problem is when unions merge with government and corporations. Unions become political powers that elect politicians and then the politicians are funded by the corporations and everybody is all cozy and in bed together and it’s just not about workers anymore, it’s about money and power.
It ALWAYS has been about money and power, don’t fool yourself into thinking that it was EVER something else. While unions like to claim the moral high ground, historically, that veneer of being champion to the oppressed is the primary camouflage for a relative few in the higher levels of unions to enrich themselves through extortion. I’ve worked union jobs and non union jobs. I am unshakeable in my belief that I had far greater control of my own destiny in non union situations. The only thing the unions offered me was a pension (the employer contributed $ for every hour that I worked toward this) that I would never collect, even though it was through MY work hours that it was collected by the union. My labor put tens of thousands of dollars in the union coffers, that I’ll never see, because I left the union to get my college degrees before I had been with the union long enough to collect. Unions suck BIG TIME!!! I was always more satisfied with the non union jobs where I struck my own deal, and wasn’t held back by the union mentality that dictates a work ethic of do as little as possible, take as long as possible, whine whenever possible, and constantly be on alert for even the slightest employer breach. Again, unions suck BIG TIME!!!!!
Instead of quitting the union you could have asked for you membership to be put in inactive status and remained a member even though you weren’t in a union shop. But then you couldn’t rail against the union then, could you?
As I wrote, I have other issues with unions besides their love of extortion and theft.
Our economy, businesses, and productivity all respond favorably to efficiency and innovation. Over the years, union membership and influence have been waning despite the millions they spend (often contradicting the wishes of individual members) bribing government to produce and promote pro-union legislation. This is because unions kill efficiency and innovation, and the market is phasing them out as a failed concept. If unions were such a good idea right now, why do they need to petition the government to produce legislation to prop them up?
Unions have sucked the life out of every they latch onto. Our education system no longer responds to the needs of our children, it responds to the wishes of the teacher’s union. Our Auto industry? Governmental construction and infrastructure creation? You name it, unions either destroy the businesses they exploit, or they drive them off-shore. And everytime I see the union label, I wonder what percentage of the cost of that product will eventually wind up in the hands of organized crime.
“everyTHING they latch onto” pardon.
you said it Andrew; that has been my experience with unions as well. it’s sad because god knows that the working people in america are in dire straits indeed. unions are really no different than organized crime rackets, and you can believe that if they get the right to make people vote in public, there will be some serious intimidation and retribution for those who don’t get on the team.
i worked at a cement plant with a union a couple years ago and there was one guy there who had crossed the picket line on one of their strikes *20 years ago* and he was still considered to be a pariah by almost the entire plant (hourly workers).
he was actually a decent guy and one of the better workers, and he had to have some backbone to do that in such a small town. he paid for it, though, and how many other people would be willing to be ostracized for 20 years in order to go against the union?
RRRAmy, I don’t believe any bailout money went to the AFL-CIO. The AFL-CIO is not a union per se - it is the political part of unions and does the lobbying. They used to be two separate organizations and merged decades ago. Unions pay a per capita fee to be part of the AFL-CIO.
There has always been a card signing to join a union-I’m talking non-hiring hall unions/industrial unions. Those cards were kept secret from the company but were given to the NLRB. When 1/3 of the workers had signed the cards an election was conducted by the NLRB (National Labor Relations Board) and they verified the outcome. In the meantime avid union organizers in the company were intimidated, fired (many were not able to get the jobs back and if they did by filing charge with the NLRB, many did not get back pay. It was a long, laborious and heart rending fight), threatened, and the list goes on.
I worked for a large union for over twenty years. I witnessed many of these organizing campaigns. Many, many times, we already had over 50 percent of the employees signing up and then the company started the intimidation.
I’m curious why so many people are seemingly anti-union these days. May I recommend Norma Rae as a good film to watch to see what goes on during organizing campaigns and what tactics companies use? How about looking up Ronald Reagan’s union busting record and what he did to PATCO. I also suggest reading up on John Lewis and labor history, and the sweat shops, which still operate, and led to the LGWU.
BTW, I’m not saying all unions and union officials are great - some obviously aren’t, but this vitriol is puzzling to me. Also, for all you Wal-Mart shoppers, please read up on their anti-labor behavior and their sexist behavior, much like the DNC’s this past election.
Ever wonder about the pay of national union officers?
I do. I belong to a union that is a member of the AFL-CIO and our national union president is a multimillionaire.
The hypocrisy of union officials crying about private companies officer compensation is sickening.
Once upon a time in our country’s history unions were
a godsend to millions of underpaid, overworked employees who toiled away in unsafe factory conditions.
Today, they buy the Democrat’s political offices in return for enriching their own pockets.
Exactly AnneinPA. Unions were originally organized to protect workers from out right brutality by business. Workers were threatened, beaten, and even killed by businesses without repercussions.
It seems the original intents unions were established for have has been lost.
Man Amy you read my mind with this post. It’s the “Clear skies initiative” all over again. Only this time, they are messing with people’s lives and livlihoods.
Look for outsourcing to contractors to avoid have the magic number of employees that makes it ok to strongarm them into unionizing. Barring that, layoffs. If the magic number is 50, watch a boatload of small businesses go to 49 employees.
Exactly, Uppity - It’s astonishing that the Dems are continuing Bush’s Upside Down World, but they sure are…
And Teak, as I understand it, what the unions want to do is have a petition (card) that people will sign. That is the vote. If you don’t sign it, of course, everyone - EVERYONE - will know it. It’s a set up. Either way, there is tremendous opportunity for threats and intimidation, as well as coercion.
AnneinPA - isn’t that incredible abt the Union multimillionaire? It just seems to be the WORST of what unions can be - this kind of thing, along with the blatant buying of an election. The whole thing reeks of Chicago-style politics on a national level.
Gee RRR, that petition signing thing sure reminds me of the Democratic caucus system. Hmmmmm. No intimidation what-so-eva.
LOL - oh, no - none! In the first video, the guy was saying that they would come to your home, to your church, wherever they could try and nail you down to sign the petition. That doesn’t feel the least bit threatening! (Snark)
Thanks Rev. Amy. After reading the bill the parts I did not like are how the the Labor board will be required to “establish guidlines” and that to means Obama has a free rein to screw the unions AGAIN.
An with the current Labor Sec…watch out. I do not trust her.
Sort of like the “stimulus” bill, eh RRRA? Payback by any other name still smells the same, and more and more Americans are finding out it’s a smell they don’t like. It will be interesting to see how Obama walks the fine line between appeasing the unions and at the same time not appear to be supporting this very undemocratic bill which is being opposed by more and more Americans.
Obama Offers CEOs Corporate Tax Cuts:
President Barack Obama says he is willing to cut a deal with corporate America, telling business leaders he’d consider cutting the corporate tax rate if they cooperate with his overall agenda.
Obama met on Thursday with 65 CEOs from the Business Roundtable, a chief executives organization, and stressed that he wants the business community’s cooperation in promoting his agenda of overhauling healthcare and the energy sector, and expanding the federal role in education, according to The Wall Street Journal.
“Obama said he would be willing to consider lowering the 35 percent corporate tax rate as he closes other business-tax loopholes.”
http://moneynews.newsmax.com/streettalk/obama_corp_tax_rate/2009/03/13/191607.html
Let’s make a deal! Where’s Monty Hall?
I believe we learned in 2008 (not that we didn’t have a hint of it prior to that year) that the Democratic Party is no longer the party of the people. And by that I mean the little guy, not big money.
Hey, these are the same folks that know providing equal rights to ALL is the right thing to do, but they won’t because of ______________ (insert whatever the reason is for whichever state you reside in). In a nutshell, they are wimps.
CARD CHECK - aka - (not) Free (anymore and no) Choice Act is the last linchpin in Obama’s Socialist take-over by destroying American employment and economy in one fell swoop while also subjecting all businesses (which won’t agree to labor terms within 120 days) into Federal mandated arbitration - to tell companies what-according to the Feds - they must pay.
SEIU is behind it all (Service Employees INTERNATIONAL Union). Michelle Obama was their primary behind the scenes organizer. They are another more dangerous extension of ACORN. That is why the LCCR leader was one of CARD CHECKS chief “witnesses” proponents in the lopsided Capital Hill hearings this week. So well funded they have multiple websites and enormous propaganda machine. Ask where their huge funding is coming for and to achieve what ends???
Two meetings in last two weeks - first with Biden - held behind closed doors/No Press or Public allowed. This is NOT an American union; it is a Socialist takeover. 5% of American private businesses are currently unionized. SEIU goal is to invade, intimidate and break them all - just as ACORN did with the banks and housing industries (starting with Health Care where they will further inflate consumer costs.
Currently SEIU has MAJOR street demonstrations planned for March 19 in front of banks and corporations of cities nationwide - and that’s just the beginning.
We MUST TAKE ACTION NOW - to inform others and wake up Congress. Sign NO CARD CHECK PETITION & FREE FAX your Congressmen at:
http://www.wam08.org/TakeaStand.html
What a crock of cow patties that Obama wants the union “cut free from the secret ballot”. Oh, really, Barack?? Well, how about your college grades? When are you gonna “free-up” those?
He is ten times more more secretive than Geo. Bush ever thought about being. What a class A manipulating, lying, phony!!
Woohoo!!! I’m right there with you RRRA.
But, like you said, when they aren’t doing what is in the best interest of the people….
I can give an example to THAT!
Like here in NM. A large state. Of course one of the largest employers is the state. I’m sure you’ve heard mention Billie Boy Richardson’s pay for play charges? Well, when Gov Richardson came in to power, he decided to Unionize all state employees. They were now being forced to give monthly dues for a Union they didn’t ask for…or want. But Gov Richardson was getting very nice contributions from the union for this act. And the employees even managed to vote to UN UNIONIZE, but Billie boy nixed that.
Yes, it’s quite amusing to have a Union for state employees that the Union has no bargaining power on what so ever. No pay, not holidays, not work conditions, NOTHING. Otherwise people might not be waiting a year for their raises.
Or, like, if a Union was there for them employees, they might help when the Gov puts a freeze on pay and hiring, but managed to appoint 109 positions himself in the 2 month freeze period and then claims they need more money for their budget shortfall and can’t take away any more time from the employees but come up with an idea to cut the retirement plan on the amount the state pays, forcing the employees to have to now cover an additional 3 percent making a huge burden at such difficult times.
Yep, if only the Unions and our Leaders were there for the people.
There’s a $120 million PR campaign underway to misrepresent the secret ballot issue central to the Employee Free Choice Act.
Here’s a quick explanation of the real secret ballot issue, and what the Employee Free Choice Act actually does:
http://www.americanrightsatwork.org/employee-free-choice-act/resource-library/lies–distortion-on-the-secret-ballot-20080730-596-84-84.html
And here’s a list of who’s behind the misrepresentation campaign:
http://www.americanrightsatwork.org/the-anti-union-network/home/anti-union-groups-spending-millions-against-employee-free-choice-act-20080731-602-230-230.html
Find out the facts, then make up your own mind.
WOW! I’m surprised I had to go down this far to read a defense of the free choice act.
Having been witnessed in a few organizing attempts in the work place and now working in a union shop, allow me a few observations.
As the law now stands all it takes is 50% plus one majority to authorize a union to be your collective bargaining agent. In reality, an organizer won’t approach management unless they have 65% to 75% of the cards signed. They know that the employer will dispute the cards and ask the NLRB for an election. Since elections can’t be scheduled in a timely manner the employer has free rein to root out and terminate suspected union sympathizers and brain wash the rest in captive audience meetings. If elections could be scheduled to take place within a week after the authorization cards were presented and disputed we wouldn’t need this act. But that will never happen.
I live in a “fire at will state” that means you can be let go on a whim and it is on your dime to prove discrimination. With a union I have a grievance procedure, if I was fired unfairly I get reinstated with back pay.
On the other side, I had to do fix a machine the operator destroyed by a careless act then fix it again less than an hour later for the same reason. Nothing happened to the operator because he went hunting with the assistant plant manager.
you *should* be able to be fired “on a whim,” outside of blatant cases of discrimination against protected classes. that whole “grievance” process is a bunch of bullshit that makes it impossible for a boss to do his/her job. it’s no wonder that no company with any options whatsoever will do business with a union.
What everyone needs to look at VERY carefully before declaring their opposition to this measure is to look at who exactly is opposing the Free Choice Act: The very same corporations and big business which oppose workers’ efforts to form a union in the first place.
How the hell can anyone stand with the likes of Wal-Mart and the US Chamber of Commerce in opposing the Employee Free Choice Act when these organizations oppose the very existence of unions in the first place?
Sorry, but these conservative right-wing scare tactics are just that. They don’t want any unions at all, and so they’ve decided to couch their union-busting efforts in “employee-supportive” terms, intended to do nothing but weaken the power of unions in general.
I want to point out something that far too many people seem to overlook. Numerous companies have been managing to thwart union efforts over the last 20 years, even WITH a secret ballot. The reality of the Free Choice Act is to allow people wanting to become union to show their support for a union without fearing they’ll lose their jobs. And, quite surprisingly, many workers in these past 20 years HAVE been threatened with job loss if they support unionizing efforts–with NO recourse against harassing employers through the courts.
Anyone who opposes the Employee Free Choice Act without thoroughly looking at the UNION’s side of the matter (instead of taking the employers’ side at face value) IS opposed to unions. I don’t care how much you claim to be pro-union. When you take the side of cheating, lying, manipulating employers and pro-business lobbyists, you ARE anti-union. Reagan made it so easy for business (and their biggest lobbying group, the US Chamber of Commerce, as well as local Chambers of Commerce*) to cripple the unions, and this opposition to the EFCA is just more anti-union activity.
*Ask a small business what their local Chamber of Commerce does for them if they don’t actually join the organization. Most small businesses cannot afford to join the local CoC and without belonging to the group, you DON’T get references to your shop or business in the mailings these CoCs send out to recruit other companies to come in. With most local Chambers, their only real function is to work against unions and union-organizing efforts (and most have special committees specifically designed to help businesses fight union organizing).
Who are you kidding?
Yep.
By the way, the American Chamber of Commerce was also the primary lobbying group that got E-Verify removed from the stimulus package, and is the primary lobbying group attempting to block its renewal as separate legislation.
How does that inconvenient bit of information grab people having traditional, grassroots, pro-American conservative values?
Pro-America means pro-American worker, folks. America was built by Americans who build things.
America was built by Americans who build things…
…and, I’ll be quick to add, by millions of hardworking immigrants, who play by the rules and are destined to become as much Americans as any of us.
The vast majority of us can trace our roots to people who came from somewhere else.
i don’t care if hitler himself is against unions; so am i. and if you’ve read very many of my posts, you know that nobody is more against the fat-cat corporations and corrupt politicians that exploit the working people in america, but unions are not the answer. they make the work environment absolutely unbearable, IMO, for both workers and management.
BTW, we might ask ourselves What’s In a Name? with regard to a couple of the really big contributors to the Employee Free Choice Act disinformation campaign.
Do a few minutes of online research on The Coalition for a Democratic Workplace and The Employee Freedom Action Committee. They’re nothing but fronts for anti-union coalitions that are deliberately attempting to hide their actual intentions and identities. Don’t just take my word for it. Look them up for yourself.
Anti-union coalitions? Well…… THUMBS UP!!!
Careful. Your true stripes are showing, and they might not be seen by everyone as entirely red, white, and blue.
The union bosses are multimillionaires-END OF SUBJECT!
I don`t care about the union bosses and I don`t care about the corporations. I care about the people and, THE PEOPLE ARE GETTING SCREWED!
Really?
Could you link to a financial disclosure statement that unions are required by law to put out every year and send to their members?
Those statements list the amounts collected in dues and other fees, the salaries paid to officers, the amount spent on lobbying and campaign contribution down to the last paper clip.
Would that corporations were held to the same standards.
My husband worked in a union shop and was a member. He never received any such information. Under the Constitution our elected representatives are required to listen us and abide by our wishes.
That ain’t working out too well now is it?
(See, Obama, Barack, Nancy (impeachment’s off the table) Pelosi, the 2000, 2004, 2008 elections)
From what I have heard, this issue is supposed to be one of the “battles royale” on the Hill.
Of course the republicans are out-gunned, so we will have to see how long they can hold their ground.
We were never union members, but make no mistake, their existance over the years, raised wages and benefits for all workers!