tagged w/ Unions
-
Union bashing may the popular sport for Republican presidential candidates (click the link below). But a new report looks at some of the real stories about how unions and union members are having positive impacts on jobs, health care, education and their communities.
Beyond the Weekend by American Rights at Work (ARAW) reveals that when employees come together in the workplace, the benefits of their collective action extend far beyond themselves.
The reports key findings show that:
Frontline union health care workers are collaborating with hospital administrators to find real solutions that improve patient care and control costs.
Partnerships between union-represented teachers and school administrators are boosting student achievement in schools that serve disadvantaged families.
Union members’ pensions funds are financing public and private projects that create good American jobs.
Building trades unions are partnering with community groups to create new career paths for veterans, workers of color, and women.
Child care providers are gaining new skills and resources through their unions to improve how they care for children of low-income families.
Beyond the Weekend points out that:
In an era where employees’ basic rights to come together in the workplace are increasingly at risk Americans need to understand what is at stake if these rights and resulting opportunities are lost.
http://www.americanrightsatwork.org/dmdocuments/ARAWReports/beyondwfinallinks.pdfUnion bashing may the popular sport for Republican presidential candidates (click the... more
-
-
kvb1
-
added this
-
3 months ago
- |
-
I just read Santorum’s Gospel of Inequality By CHARLES M. BLOW. Mr. Blow has stated the obvious. Regressives are merely pandering to their own base, while they alienate the rest of the country. People realize that Ron Paul's Libertarianism will solve nothing other than ensure income inequality for all and a serf like condition for the middle class ans the poor. Santorum, on the other hand, is completely off the rails. He is so far off the rails that he begins to make Ron Paul look reasonable. Santorum somehow does not see the poverty that has been created in places like Detroit because of the economic meltdown caused by the greediest in this nation. Wealth should not be disparaged. However, wealth at all costs, at the expense of other human beings in this country, at the expense of jobs, at the expense of the destruction of the environment, that wealth should be condemned.
Detroit is a city that is in ruins. 90,000 abandoned homes or other structures. Neighborhoods retuning to the wild. Detroit, and this nation, has the opportunity to turn itself around, to rebuild and create the city of the future. Imagine a modern city with wild open spaces, with a modern public transportation system, with building that have style rather than uninspired glass rectangles. Detroit has the opportunity to build a European city with ultra modern conveniences; trams instead of buses; electric recharging stations for cars; trees and plants along the streets; places to congregate and relax; a place where business is not concentrated in just one area, but spread out in low rise buildings. Imagine Reims or Brugges.
As for Santorum's rant that “They [liberals and the president] are taking faith and crushing it. Why? When you marginalize faith in America, when you remove the pillar of God-given rights, then what’s left is the French Revolution. What’s left is a government that gives you rights. What’s left are no unalienable rights. What’s left is a government that will tell you who you are, what you’ll do and when you’ll do it. What’s left in France became the guillotine.” What more is necessary to show that he has no concept of reality? When more than half of the country has the same laws in place regarding the churches and contraception, a state's rights issues mind you, the president is merely following the majority. Many of these laws have been enacted by bipartisan legislatures and have been in effect for 10 years or more. Where were the protests from the church and the Regressives then? Why has it taken so long for them to make this an issue? The reason that this is now an issue is because the Regressives have lost the economic narrative. It was the only thing that they could point to that they had a chance to win in November with. But the economy is improving. The private sector has created more jobs in 3 years of Obama's presidency then they did in all of Bush II's presidency. Unemployment is going down, corporate profits are up, and the Dow is about to pass 13,000. That is the point at which Obama took office as the economy Bush left was crumbling. All that is left for the Regressives is social issues that are not important to most Americans worried about the economy.
Romney has not backed off his claim that we should have let GM and Chrysler go bankrupt. What?!?! GM has turned in the largest profit in it's history last year. Because of the deal that Obama struck with the company in order to save it from bankruptcy, the UAW become part owner. Each union member will benefit for that profit by about $7000 in bonus checks. Imagine, workers receiving a bonus because they helped make the company money. What a concept. Not to be left out, Santorum said recently, “My feeling was that we should not support — the government should not be involved in bailouts, period. I think that’s a much more consistent position.” We should have bailed out the banks the same way. Saving the auto industry was good not only for the economy, for saving jobs, not just in Detroit but all those supplier jobs, but also for the country. We took possession of stock in GM and we still own a good amount. We have sold some, and it has just about paid for our investment and the American people will profit for GM as their stock price rises.
The Regressive Party cannot even claim to be a fiscally responsible party. Statistic show that when they are in power, deficits increase (http://jimcgreevy.com/gvdc/Natl_Debt_Chart.html sourced from the US Dept. of Treasury). Regressives are bad for the economy, bad for civil liberties, bad for society in general. They are out of touch with most Americans and they merely pander to their base of 25%. The follow the British colonial rule of divide and conquer. They are a fringe that should stay well on the fringes of society where they belong.I just read Santorum’s Gospel of Inequality By CHARLES M. BLOW. Mr. Blow has... more
-
-
kvb1
-
added this
-
3 months ago
- |
-
I have a HOW IT’S MADE marathon on. The SuperBowl only interests me if the Steelers are playing, if they have a good halftime performer scheduled or I hear that the commercials featured will be cool.I have a HOW IT’S MADE marathon on. The SuperBowl only interests me if the... more
-
-
Original video included images of protest signs by members of the Madison, Wisconsin teacher's union that played a pivotal role in the anti-Walker protests last year. One sign features the union logo, another reads: “Care About Educators Like They Care for Your Child.” In the final ad, the union logo is missing and the “Care About Educators…” sign is replaced with one featuring an image of an alarm clock. Several other union signs are simply whited out.
http://veracitystew.com/2012/02/06/halftime-in-america-did-chrysler-delete-unions-in-super-bowl-ad-video/Original video included images of protest signs by members of the Madison, Wisconsin... more
-
-
"About AFTRA
The American Federation of Television and Radio Artists, AFL-CIO, are the people who entertain and inform America. In 32 Locals across the country, AFTRA members work as actors, broadcasters, singers, dancers, announcers, hosts, comedians, disc jockeys and other performers across the media industries including television, radio, cable, sound recordings, music videos, commercials, audio books, non-broadcast industrials, interactive games, the Internet and other digital media. The 70,000 professional performers, broadcasters and recording artists of AFTRA are working together to protect and improve their jobs, lives and communities in the 21st century. From new art forms to new technology, AFTRA members embrace change in their work and craft to enhance American culture and society. Visit AFTRA online at www.aftra.com.""About AFTRA
The American Federation of Television and Radio Artists, AFL-CIO,... more
-
-
She’s lived in Wisconsin for 55 years and never once been to Madison. Until last week. She was one of the many citizens from rural counties across the state that marched up to the Government Accountability office to deliver recall petitions with signatures, stripping bare the lie that the recall was entirely the work of liberals in Madison and Milwaukee. They came from places with little party organization and less party money, where the only party asset is the dedication of the people.
http://veracitystew.com/2012/01/27/the-historical-impact-of-wisconsins-recall-of-scott-walker/She’s lived in Wisconsin for 55 years and never once been to Madison. Until last... more
-
-
Amidst wreckage of Gov. Rick Scott's dark and stormy reign over Florida, a ray of hope emerges...Amidst wreckage of Gov. Rick Scott's dark and stormy reign over Florida, a ray of... more
-
-
If organized labor were to list the three worst things that could happen to it, one of them would surely be having the NLRB (National Labor Relations Board, established in 1935) close up shop. While the NLRB hasn't always performed to labor's satisfaction (indeed, its reluctance to act has been the source of consternation and heartburn), it has, nonetheless, proven itself indispensable.
When companies purposely sabotage union elections, or when they refuse to recognize a legal vote to join or form a union, or when they fail to enter into the collective bargaining process in good faith, or when they violate federal labor law by firing employees engaged in union membership drives, it's the Labor Board who hears the complaint. Without the NLRB, none of these ULPs (Unfair Labor Practices) can be addressed.
Yet, as critically important as the NLRB is, there's a chance it will be put out of business come the first of the year. Due to a 2010 ruling by the Supreme Court, unless the 5-member NLRB has a quorum (i.e., a minimum of three members), it is illegal for it to hand down decisions. In other words, unless there are at least three members present, the NLRB has no power to stop management from violating federal labor law. They can violate it with impunity. Without the NLRB, employees could vote overwhelmingly to join a union, and the company could simply ignore them. Who's to stop them?
Here's how it stands. Republicans have not only steadfastly refused to confirm President Obama's appointees (leaving the Board without a quorum), but they have threatened to strip the Board of its operating budget, basically wiping it out. No money, no NLRB. Incredibly, with the whole country watching from the sidelines -- with unemployment still high and the gap between rich and poor continuing to widen -- the Republican Party has audaciously and fearlessly declared war on America's working class.
As gutless as President Obama has been in regard to labor (e.g., backing away from the EFCA, abandoning striker replacement legislation, failing to respond to attacks on the teachers' union, et al), he's been caught in the middle of this NLRB deal. On the one hand, by nominating solidly pro-union people to the Board he has appeased organized labor, but on the other hand, he has mobilized Republican opposition.
In truth, that's a bit of a false dichotomy. It is Obama's job to behave like a traditional, pro-labor Democrat, and, if anything, he has been woefully derelict in that regard. Also, despite the Republican's hysterical smear campaign, we shouldn't pretend that the people Obama has nominated are "radicals." In the 1960s and 1970s these same folks would have been considered "enlightened centrists," plain and simple. In the 1940s, they would've been considered "pro-business."
Unfortunately, some nominal "pro-labor" activists have publicly criticized Obama for not being more accommodating, for not being more pragmatic, more practical. They've criticized him for failing to appoint Board members who would automatically appeal to the Republicans, as if it were Obama's job to abandon America's working class in order to please John Boehner and his corporate sponsors.
But let's be honest. If the Republican Party had its way, there would be no NLRB, no OSHA (Occupational Safety and Health Administration), and, very likely, no Department of Labor. What prevented the elimination of those agencies was America's political landscape. But the contour of that landscape has changed dramatically.
In the 1970s the Republican Party wouldn't have dared suggest, not in its wildest dreams, that the NLRB and OSHA be dismantled. After all, it was a Republican administration that created OSHA. Considering the country's mood at the time, organized labor's influence, and, arguably, the respect working people still enjoyed, eliminating the Labor Board would have been considered, among other things, "unpatriotic." How things have changed.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/david-macaray/republicans-declare-war-o_1_b_1158394.html?view=print&comm_ref=falseIf organized labor were to list the three worst things that could happen to it, one of... more
-
-
The rules at present are as pro-prima donna as it gets. They favor isolations and make it very hard to defend a good two-superstar pick-and-roll system. How often do we hear about a player “taking over the game down the stretch”? That answer is closely related to how the game is marketed. We’re not encouraged to tune in as the Lakers face the Heat. We’re enticed by Kobe and the Lakers versus Miami’s Big Three. The Hornets don’t play the Clips, CP3 takes on Blake Griffin. The league has engineered its entire product around individuals, and it’s hard for me not to laugh myself just a little silly when the very star system they live by turns around and bites them in the ass, as it does every time a diva like Carmelo or LeBron holds a city hostage before finally taking their talents somewhere the lights shine a little brighter.The rules at present are as pro-prima donna as it gets. They favor isolations and make... more
-
-
-
Poor Mitt(ens) Romney couldn’t get noticed by the Republican party if he set his hair on fire and ran naked through Sarah Palin’s house. To add insult to injury, we thought it would be fun to highlight the reason why his own party hates him as much as the rest of us: he stands for everything and nothing.
http://veracitystew.com/2011/11/19/mitt-romneys-top-five-flip-flops-so-far-video/Poor Mitt(ens) Romney couldn’t get noticed by the Republican party if he set his... more
-
-
"Most of the GOP-controlled legislature, including the entire Ohio House, is up for election next year and might not be eager to be tied to a governor whose job approval rating has sunk to 36 percent, according to the latest Quinnipiac University poll."
"The implications are quite significant and they really go beyond this issue," Tokaji said. "It will be a sign of a re-emergence of the Democratic party which has used the referendum to fight back despite Republicans controlling state government."
WooHoo!"Most of the GOP-controlled legislature, including the entire Ohio House, is up... more
-
-
House Republicans have turned a routine complaint by the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) against Boeing into a “political and ideological circus,” says AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka.
He says a Republican bill introduced after the NLRB’s complaint, which accuses the aviation giant of retaliating against workers for exercising their legal rights,
is sweeping legislation that would gut the National Labor Relations Act and result in serious harmful changes to jobs and workers’ rights throughout the country.
http://blog.aflcio.org/2011/09/12/republican-nlrb-bill-guts-workers-rights-shields-boeing-other-corporations/
Earlier this year, the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) proposed some modest rule changes to streamline and modernize the way union elections are conducted. While those rules are still under review, Republicans on the House Education and Workforce Committee today approved a bill that would add months- or years-long delays to union elections.
http://blog.aflcio.org/2011/10/26/republican-house-bills-goal-deny-workers-a-voice/House Republicans have turned a routine complaint by the National Labor Relations... more
-
-
kvb1
-
added this
-
7 months ago
- |
-
Members of Stand Up Chicago voice their dissatisfaction with Wisconsin Gov Scott Walker who is nothing but a puppet to the Koch bros.Members of Stand Up Chicago voice their dissatisfaction with Wisconsin Gov Scott... more
-
-
Around 5:00 p.m. PST Oakland’s Mayor Jean Quan and her fellow officials held a press conference.
They said that the city had sustained minimal damage during the day’s protest, but that the police were calling in reinforcements from other cities anyway. She also said that the crowds preparing to march on the Port of Oakland were peaceful.
Most importantly, she said there were only around 4,500 marchers. According to pictures, and reports from other media outlets, to us, that estimate seems low.
From here in New York, we at Business Insider watched the protests escalate from a peaceful demonstration, to a powerful show of frustration from police, occupiers, and Oakland residents. There were fires, there was tear gas, and there were people who got very badly hurt. You can see it all in these photos from the Associated Press.
Last night the Occupation showed that it is a force to be reckoned with. That, if it so desires, it can put enough people on the street to cause chaos. Bodies, after all are power. But that power comes at a cost, not just to the city of Oakland, but to the public’s perception of the occupation.
Listen: stay peaceful.Around 5:00 p.m. PST Oakland’s Mayor Jean Quan and her fellow officials held a... more
-
-
"ABOUT A YEAR ago, the Pew Research Center looked looked at the sources reporters used for stories on the economy. The White House and members of Congress were often quoted, of course. Business leaders. Academics. Ordinary citizens. If you're under 40, you may not notice anything amiss. Who else is missing, then? Well: "Representatives of organized labor unions," Pew found, "were sources in a mere 2% of all the economy stories studied."
"The strength of unions in postwar America had a profound impact on all people who worked for a living, even those who did not belong to a union themselves." Wages went up, even at nonunion companies. Health benefits expanded, private pensions rose, and vacations became more common. It was unions that made the American economy work for the middle class, and it was their later decline that turned the economy upside-down and made it into a playground for the business and financial classes."
Read more of at great article at the link above. We researched with lots of links to emphasize the points."ABOUT A YEAR ago, the Pew Research Center looked looked at the sources reporters... more
-
-
kvb1
-
added this
-
7 months ago
- |
-
@LucyKafanov: Closer to the #OccupyOakland plaza...
I am seeing a lot of these signs for morning of 1st #GeneralStrike in US in 65 years
http://twitpic.com/79vq6m@LucyKafanov: Closer to the #OccupyOakland plaza...
I am seeing a lot of these signs... more
-
-
LOrion
-
added this
-
7 months ago
- |
-
PCW Politics is War on P-SPAN- Hour 1 Recap
Ohio University Convocation Center
Athens, OH
Friday October 28th, 2011
Host: Johnny Suave
The PCW ‘American Heartland Tour’ continues in Athens, OH. Suave welcomes everyone to the show.
MATCH #1
Magnum P.O.’d (R) w/Robyn Masters vs. Andy Riley (D) of the Bureaucrats w/Jordan Metzger (D)
Suave talks with the members of the OWS (Occupy Wall Street): Nate, Shane, and Adam and asks them about their recent tour of rich people.
MATCH #2
‘The Self Proclaimed Savior of the Middle Class’ Big Labor/James the Jeep Worker (D) w/Richard Trumka vs. Charlie Blackwell/Mike the Mechanic (I) vs. Paul Ryan’s Raiders: Nick Ray and Kevin Collins (R)
-special appearance by Joe the Plumber (R)
During the match, Joe Biden (D) comes out with a mic and takes aim at GOP targets from former PCW CEO George W. Bush to Florida’s Rick Scott to “obstructionist” Republicans.
Jason Mattera of Human Events 'ambushes' Biden during his speech and all hell breaks loose.PCW Politics is War on P-SPAN- Hour 1 Recap
Ohio University Convocation Center... more
-
-
A Very Out of the blue decision made my Qantas CEO Alan Joyce wich will effect thousands of people, and have long term inpacts on the Australian Airline.A Very Out of the blue decision made my Qantas CEO Alan Joyce wich will effect... more
-
-
Everyone knew it was a losing battle, but everyone showed up anyway. In an uprising virtually unprecedented in its size, scope and diversity, malcontents united across Greece to push back against the government's assault on working people.
This week's 48-hour strike drew workers from both public and private sectors, students, the unemployed--just about everyone about to get smacked with the austerity measures that the Parliament has approved under pressure from IMF and Eurozone officials. With tens of thousands of civil service jobs to be downsized, pensions and wages to be gutted, and labor and civil rights under siege, the people's upheaval has proven as severe and persistent as the fiscal butchery that politicians keep ramming down their throats.
People took to the streets because they had nothing to lose.
As one protester, civil engineer Vagelis Filezis, told CNN, "We have no hope. The only hope we have is the strength of the people.”
Sound familiar?
http://www.unions.org/home/union-blog/2011/10/21/greece-strikes-the-people-rise-global-economy-teeters/Everyone knew it was a losing battle, but everyone showed up anyway. In an uprising... more
-
-
kvb1
-
added this
-
7 months ago
- |
