Team651

Apparently Indiana is going to have a Right to Work for Less fight.

2011-01-21T10:22:00.003-05:00

Yay! It's an easy win, the message is simply that Right to Work is a misnomer. Ask someone to define what Right to Work should be and they won't mention a union, they'll mention the right to a job. Never say Right to Work, always say it's Right to Work for Less and that the state shouldn't participate in a Race to the Bottom. This messaging works, needs to get out on everything.

In Kentucky, we won this fight big time, with members of the GOP speaking against RTW at our rally.

The thing we didn't do? Use the tide to accomplish anything else. We went for a living wage, while that's a great idea generally speaking, it just didn't take.

Fedex CEO always makes Forbes List, workers make benefit cuts.

2010-09-07T06:43:00.000-04:00

Unions Need to Step Up in Media

2010-08-27T14:03:00.002-04:00

We all know of the BP ads about how they will be in the Gulf forever to clean up whatever remains. We know of their commercials from before about their investments in alternative energy - I emailed them and told them the amounts in the ads were lame. We know of other industries and companies in trouble with public opinion going on air with ads. This does two things, first, the ads themselves work on public opinion directly. Indirectly, the news and opinion people of the network are more willing to provide you with a favorable light.

I've heard an ad, on the radio, for a labor union, ONCE. I was traveling through Indiana and it was their trades union.

This blog post explains what's going on, but it doesn't talk about the lack of media use in labor unions:

http://lawprofessors.typepad.com/laborprof_blog/2010/08/why-is-the-public-suddenly-so-down-on-unions.html

It's a sad situation that must change.

The Ground War Between UPS and FedEx.

2010-08-27T13:55:00.002-04:00

http://www.pbs.org/wnet/need-to-know/economy/the-ground-war-between-fedex-and-ups/3095/

But for some, the “bailout” assignation is a below-the-belt rhetorical tactic. As Factcheck.org has pointed out, even some supporters of FedEx on the policy have balked at the use of the word “bailout” to describe the legislative measure. Conservative columnist George Will wrote last year, in a column supporting FedEx:

The sad part of this is that Kentucky is a UPS state. So Kentucky Congressmen should support UPS, and our Senators have not. Conway will.

McConnell stretches truth at best.

2010-08-23T03:30:00.000-04:00

http://wonkroom.thinkprogress.org/2010/08/03/mcconnell-bush-small/

Of course, less than two percent of the small businesses in the country make enough money to file in either of the top two tax brackets, which are the ones in question here, so Republicans have had to find ever more creative statistics to try and prove their small business bona fides. Today, during an interview with Bloomberg News, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) claimed that allowing these tax rates to reset to where they were under President Clinton would affect fifty percent of small business income in the country:

Mitch doesn't want you know who supports Rand

2010-07-28T00:11:00.003-04:00

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/07/27/disclose-act-faces-gop-fi_n_660461.html

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., said in a statement Monday that the bill is designed to "protect unpopular Democrat politicians by silencing their critics and exempting their campaign supporters from an all out attack on the First Amendment."

No Mitch, this bill is designed to allow voters to judge the source of people wanting to give them 'information' (read: lies). I know you need to protect your boy, but your insistence on keeping us ignorant is anti-democratic.

Bad court decision to go to SCOTUS

2010-06-29T13:05:00.003-04:00

Hopefully it gets fixed. It's rather obvious that retaliation is retaliation. It's against the law. Whether it is obfuscated by involving a third party or not, it's still retaliation. How 10 judges get this wrong is amazing to me and is another reason to always be distrustful of authority. Hooray for the six and the SCOTUS members who granted cert.

http://www.lawmemo.com/blog/2010/06/third_party_ret.html

Eric Thompson claimed he was fired because his fiancée filed an EEOC charge.

brownbailout is bullshit

2010-05-31T01:35:00.001-04:00

http://www.factcheck.org/2009/07/brown-bailout-hardly/

But does the legislative change that UPS wants amount to a bailout? Not in the traditional sense and certainly not in the way the American public has heard the term used in recent months. UPS isn’t seeking any money from the federal government because of financial losses. Even Washington Post syndicated columnist George Will, who is taking FedEx’s side in the dispute, says that what UPS is advocating doesn’t amount to a traditional bailout.

A call for state legislative action?

2010-04-05T10:08:00.002-04:00

http://lawprofessors.typepad.com/laborprof_blog/2010/04/dill-on-restoring-unions-in-america-by-reforming-nonemployee-union-representative-access-rights-to-e.html

Abstract:

Unions have lost the once strong position they held in the American workplace. Academics have long debated how to restore the National Labor Relations Act’s relevance in today’s global marketplace. Congress’s preferred solution seems to be the Employee Free Choice Act, which would reform the unionization voting process, but this proposal does not strike at the heart of the matter. Labor is losing the debate on the benefits of unionization for the average worker because it is operating on an uneven playing field where employers can exert undue influence on employees to prevent them from organizing with no real opportunity for nonemployee union representatives to respond. True reform must focus on the ability of union representatives to access employer property, which is currently governed by the Supreme Court’s decision in Lechmere v. NLRB.
Recognizing the importance of access to employer property, Professor Jeffrey Hirsch has recently proposed changes to the Lechmere test that would eliminate consideration of state law from the analysis. However, Labor should actually embrace state property law as an answer to the access dilemma. In order to support this claim, this article presents a unique analysis of the different ways in which state property law can provide a means for nonemployees to access private property. Thus, the article concludes with a proposal to reform the Lechmere analysis by emphasizing state property law and also calls for Congress to eliminate discrimination against labor viewpoints in employers’ decisions to open their property to nonemployees.

I want to read this paper, wonder if my UK access points to academic journals still works.

Whoa... a pro labor Republican?

2010-03-27T21:14:00.004-04:00

I asked Todd Lally, candidate for Louisville House Rep. (3rd) if he was pro-labor and he replied with this:

I am pro-labor and I am a union member myself. I think FEDEX should be allowed to organize. It is unfair that their competitors have to play by different rules.

Todd Lally

Candidate

3rd Congressional District of Kentucky

502-459-9005 office

Win both primaries and you don't have to worry about the general, just be fat and happy. He isn't running against Yarmuth.... yet.

Thank Goodness Elections Have Consequences

2010-03-27T19:35:00.002-04:00

15 recess appointments from Obama coming...

http://www.whitehouse.gov/blog/2010/03/27/unprecedented-level-obstruction

Craig Becker and Mark Pearce were nominated to serve on the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB), which protects American workers from unfair labor practices. The five member board has been trying to operate with only two members. Becker and Pearce have been waiting for 261 days or over 8 months.

Thank you very much Mr. President.

hattip to WCN:oruacat2

CBS News Radio is only presenting British Airways POV

2010-03-19T13:04:00.002-04:00

There is going to be a strike at British Airways, and since public perception of unions is so important, it's very important to pay attention to how the strike is being reported. Listening to Ed Schultz, Thom Hartmann is better and I'm switching now that I think about it, on CBS Radio they are reporting that "offers were given by the manager" and playing his voice humanizing British Airways. They have not presented any argument for the strike, or any of the people involved.

Why?

Craig Becker's Rejection by Senate Shows Why the Senate Sucks

2010-02-11T11:09:00.002-05:00

We won.... sorta....

We knocked on doors for Obama and talked about EFCA. It helped get our base excited and got them out to vote.

Craig Becker is Change to Win, via the SEIU. He's basically a Teamster. The Senate didn't allow his nomination to come to an up and down vote. The GOP is holding him hostage.

This should be a big deal. Teamsters should be on the radio, in print, and on TV blasting the Senate for this. They are losers, the people that voted against him. They shouldn't be allowed to have a stranglehold on government. It's obvious that the economy needs demand economics to restore value to the middle class, unions do this, and they do it as a Non Government Organization. The anti-unionism that exists in the minority's circles is disgusting, and it should be brought out for everyone to see.

Here in Kentucky we see "I support coal" messages all the time, but there are few pro-union commercials, basketball team lodges, etc. I believe this is a grave mistake - as is bowing to a party that doesn't bow to you - two Democratic Senators voted against taking an up and down vote.

When the labor movement was most successful, it had it's own party. It's time to do it again.

Agency Capture

2010-02-04T12:00:00.002-05:00

http://www.tnr.com/article/politics/the-quiet-revolution?page=0,0

I get a lot of hits for Google: Agency Capture because I mentioned it once and there doesn't appear to be many good resources for it. I am providing this link because it details a few egregious examples and so that students and scholars can find it.

Wake-up Call

2010-01-24T13:02:00.001-05:00

From Trumka. The Democratic Party needs to produce, NOW. EFCA NOW! Repeal of DOMA and DADT NOW! Make education cheaper and affordable NOW! They've been wheeling and dealing with Snowe for way too long. It's called reconciliation, and do it NOW for everything! Screw the losers!

Tea Baggers and “Populist Anger”

2010-01-17T19:33:00.000-05:00

Tea Baggers and “populist anger”

By BERRY CRAIG

I wish the media would quit saying “populist anger” is fueling the Tea Bagger movement. It's giving the real Populists a bad name.

The Tea Baggers are on the side of millionaires. The Populists of the 1890s weren’t.

from http://unionreview.com/tea-baggers-and-%E2%80%9Cpopulist-anger%E2%80%9D

16 Deaths Per Day

2009-11-15T22:21:00.001-05:00

We don't have Illegal Immigration, we have illegal employment!

2009-11-03T13:54:00.001-05:00

Why Mexicans Jump the Fence...

2009-11-03T11:21:00.002-05:00

If you follow this blog I repeat this post, about how the government in Mexico suppresses labor unions as the main reason for illegal immigration into this country. We protect our labor leaders... of course they make more money here.

They've done it again.

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/01/world/americas/01mexico.html?_r=1

The union leader, Margarito Montes Parra, 56, had built up a powerful organization spanning several states to demand land rights and press for government support of peasants. The group, the Worker, Peasant and Popular General Union, is based in the southern state of Oaxaca, and a leader there said Mr. Montes’s killing was linked to his work.

Hat Tip to Jonathon Tasini, Working Life blogger and candidate for Senate.

Trumka on PBS NewsHour

2009-10-28T02:09:00.002-04:00

	Labor's 'Bulldog' Trumka Challenged by Dwindling Ranks, Public Perception

	As AFL-CIO president Richard Trumka works to protect organized labor from the excesses of big business, he faces dwindling ranks, splits among union groups, and diminished public support. Paul Solman reports (link).

Cyberhillbilly blames Kentuckians

2009-10-14T02:08:00.004-04:00

culture (of eastern Kentucky) or the excesses of the welfare state. Much of the poverty in the region is generational and affects hundreds of families whose only experience with coal is its use in the stoves and stokers.

I would have figured it's goal would have been more to explain things from a justifiable right social culture of eastern Kentucky point of view... a "land that has given so many of it's son's and daughters to USA in WARS" point of view... that I'm mad at Cyberhillbilly for not being loyal to the state.

Where Ships and Workers Go to Die

2009-09-29T22:10:00.001-04:00

The G20 must support worker's rights through labor unions.

NAFTA sucked... (another "no wonder why Mexicans jump the fence")

2009-09-21T14:00:00.002-04:00

On the list of goods made with child labor just released by the US government, Mexican products appear 10 times.

NAFTA should have put labor unions at the center of Mexican labor, creating a middle class with nationalistic, hard-working, and most importantly law abiding attributes. Instead, it's a country where they killed 7 labor leaders in 2007. I'm sure it's against the law there, but with no middle class to draw it's base from, the police are the directed by corporate elitists and drug lords, who are often the same folk.

Warning to Ben Chandler

2009-09-11T16:32:00.001-04:00

Mitch McConnell on Why He is Against EFCA

2009-09-04T10:42:00.000-04:00

http://thinkprogress.org/2009/09/mcconnell-efca-enlighten/

Edward Kennedy on Labor

2009-08-26T02:52:00.002-04:00

A strong ally, and he will be missed for that and so much more. Edward Kennedy has died.

"The Claremont Institute : Look Out for the Union Label" critique

2009-08-21T15:18:00.006-04:00

http://www.claremont.org/publications/crb/id.1647/article_detail.asp

The article starts with a discussion of Robert Reich's change in philosophy regarding unions. It doesn't really discuss why Reich's position has changed. Public policies take a long time to have an effect sometimes. Changes in power structures take a long time to have effects on public policies. Corporations and a small set of decision makers (think John Rockefeller, Cornelius Vanderbilt, and Andrew Carnegie) ruled the day in 1929. They screwed things up terribly and lost hugely in elections to... well... everybody else. So then things like Glass - Steagall and the NLRA were passed. In 1954, Taft-Hartley edited the NRLA to be beneficial to the robber baron types, but the effect wasn't seen until 1970 as union participation rates fell very slowly. The union participation created a larger ruling class that included labor. In about 1970, union particpation reached a breaking point to where they were not longer equals at the table of decision making. They still had a voice, until 1999. The repeal of Glass - Steagall happened because they no longer had a voice at all. The only people that had a say was the robber baron class, as evidenced by their take on all the growth of wealth from 1999 to 2008.

The next section of the piece details union power. It is mostly correct in this. "How much more a particular union can extract from a particular employer will depend on factors over which each will ordinarily have little control," is a correct statement. It is also correct in saying there are inherit problems in union's governing structures - they are controlled more by the current workforce and not by the future workforce which will be under the contract. Contracts do reflect that. While these criticisms are true, they can be mitigated and labor unions must figure out a way to do these things.

The next section, "Bitterly Adversarial", ends with a summary paragraph that is completely wrong and one that I do not see at my workplace. The union stewards do try their hardest "to collaborate with management on fashioning workplace reforms that are mutually beneficial". We all understand that it is easier to gain concessions from a successful company, and we should work to make the company successful whenever possible and whenever we are not the only ones paying a price.

The next section is titled "Being Naive". The labor movement does not have a very long history of being able to exert power. The "Right to Free Contract" kept unions from being able to negotiate the most important things in the workplace like compensation until 1937. It is simply wrong to think that a new player will know all the plays, their chances of success, the right routes to run, etc in football. It is wrong to think that unions are not in a learning process only 71 years later. 71 years after the beginning of the experiment of Democracy of our very own country, slaves still worked the cotton fields. It wouldn't be until a few later that the Civil War was fought. Women weren't able to vote for another 50 or so years.

Yes, "Which side are you on?" is a revived mantra for New Old Liberals like Obama, and myself. It is because the last 40 years have taught us a lesson in who should be invited to the table - all of us. All of us cannot be there unless there are economic units comparable to the robber barons like the Walton Kids and Cornelius Vanderbilt to sit across from them. The only group that can do that when liberal politicians lose - and sometimes they should as stability is corruptive - are labor unions. Robert Reich is right and has learned a lesson as we all do in this experiment.

Economy needs more labor union participation now.

2009-08-18T23:54:00.006-04:00

70% of the economy is sitting on the sidelines. It simply doesn't make enough money. It can barely pay bills... if that. It can make more money, maybe, but the powers that be won't let it! If it has money it spends it. Those powers that be want it all for themselves. There is only one proven way for consumers to make more money, and that's labor union participation.

It is not inflationary if productivity rises.

Healthcare and Labor

2009-08-17T13:15:00.002-04:00

Labor has been the major contributing force to the nations healthcare access. The other force before was doctor's goodwill - which I don't mean to put down in any way. The evidence for the first statement is employer provided insurance system we have today. In contract negotiations, healthcare is the first thing negotiated.

From labor's point of view, this system, employer based, should be continued. Since union members typically have better healthcare plans than those not in unions, it makes people easier to organize. Much like how unions always fight for minimum wage against their best interests, unions will fight for single payer, non-profit insurance companies, or even complete nationalization on this issue because we are cool like that. We are so cool, we get a whole 'Labor Day' (which is coming up soon, the right winger anti-labor nutjobs should have to work that day). Labor is the only political organization that works so hard to detrench themselves.... most try really hard to entrench themselves.

So, what should happen? There are three options as stated above sorta. We could nationalize everything. All the doctors, nurses, etc. would then become government employees. This is preferable to our current system because... well... the statistics say so. Canada and Great Britain beat us in just about every statistic except cancer survival and transplants. Those things are good things to win in, but they aren't the largest killer for any population. Heart disease beats cancer. We suck at that. Cancer still kills the second most Americans, and our rates suck because we don't do a lot of early detection and prevention, it's cancer survival that we do well in. View the top ten list. Thing is, it's a dramatic jump and creates a lot of problems.

Less dramatic would be price books and single payer. This is found in Asia, and has been adopted by countries facing the same issues we are facing today there. They kick our butts in health statistics. But what about all these insurance companies? Are they inherently evil?

Germany has insurance companies, they just aren't allowed to make a profit. If an insurance company takes in too much in premiums in a cycle, they lower the premiums the next. This wouldn't be very dramatic. A right friend asked, "but then they won't be able to invest, are you prepared to lose their investments in the markets?" Hell yeah! I trust Americans to make long term financial decisions way better than people who are trying to game the system with short term investments. It leads to better job security when people aren't investing short term. When they do that, it leads to mergers and company sell-offs. I think that's what happened to the oil market not to long ago.

In the end, of the three, non-profit insurance companies are the best. Government can subsidize those who have trouble with it, they do that in Germany. But no matter what, picking any of the three is better than what we have now.

New Posts this week.

2009-08-16T17:46:00.003-04:00

I haven't posted a lot of posts on the blog in a while, I have added youtubes lately, and when the page had too many posts to view I'm sure it was a bit annoying.

This week I plan becoming more active.

CO: Jim Hightower to CWA - Employee Free Choice Act is Critical - Get Active

2009-07-31T22:25:00.001-04:00

AFL-CIO NOW BLOG | Findlay, Ohio, Chamber of Commerce Kills Parade Because Unions Backed It

2009-07-24T13:31:00.001-04:00

AFL-CIO NOW BLOG | Findlay, Ohio, Chamber of Commerce Kills Parade Because Unions Backed It

Shared via AddThis

Just another cog in the machine

2009-07-10T15:32:00.001-04:00

PowerLine Calls Ricci Egregrious Racism

2009-06-29T10:14:00.002-04:00

Are you kidding me? That case is pretty simple. There were two directives in the law and the city couldn't decide what to do. It felt that either way it violated the law. It didn't do anything... literally. So that's somehow egregious? You can tell that these folks don't have any experience with racism, because something as mild as doing nothing is called egregious.

Eight States Tell Fred to Quit Classifying their Employees as Contractors.

2009-06-27T16:06:00.003-04:00

“FedEx can’t hide from its responsibilities to its workers,” said Ken Hall, Teamsters International Vice President and Director of the Package Division. “Federal and state agencies are taking action to make sure FedEx doesn’t skirt the law and pays its fair share. Thanks to officials like these attorneys general, FedEx and CEO Fred Smith won’t be allowed to profit from this scheme at the expense of its work force and the American taxpayers.”

UnionReview.com <- click for more

UPDATE: Here is the announcement from Attorney General of KY Jack Conway.

Michael Jackson - Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough

2009-06-26T02:02:00.002-04:00

This song was his, he wrote it, and I think it's really strange. He was strange. It's definitely one of my favorites of his. I think it offers a true insight, because the song is awesome, but weird, into the kind of person he was. I think the criticism really took him down, and he wasn't the same. He wasn't able to write a song like this, perform it, and really entertain us later in life. While his death was sad, the death of his artistic abilities was sadder and it happened years ago.

Imagine a World Without Nurses...TV Ad

2009-06-17T15:01:00.001-04:00

Could someone look at Lexington area hospital nursing staffing levels?

Aren't they all non-profit too? Are any union?

PowerLine recalls Reagan's support for a labor movement...

2009-06-16T17:26:00.001-04:00

Of course, it wasn't in this country,

When the Polish government declared martial law to crush Solidarity, this is what Ronald Reagan had to say on December 23, 1981:

http://www.powerlineblog.com/archives/2009/06/023822.php

Role of Labor Unions in Today's Society

2009-06-16T04:13:00.001-04:00

It's demoralizing to not be able to pay your bills.

2009-06-09T13:25:00.003-04:00

WOW The Wall Street Journal does it again.

Many companies oppose pay cuts as much as the rank-and-file do. Pay cuts are often demoralizing, and low morale can cut into productivity, which is a backdoor way of raising costs.

Ugh.. demoralizing... quite a bit an understatement huh?

Hat Tip to Jonathon Tasini from Working Life.

Arlen Specter at EFCA rally pt. 1 and what does he mean?

2009-06-09T10:35:00.001-04:00

In part two below you will see that he says, "You will be satisfied with my vote." He says the intimidation, harassment, and bad faith in first contracts are unacceptable. He is leaving out company called elections as unacceptable. There will be a compromise EFCA this summer it appears, and it will still include the company called election it looks like. Maybe they will be much quicker, and companies will be limited in their ability to harass, but I find the 'secret ballot' argument one with no merit at all and don't understand how it in the world it worked.

Arlen Specter at Employee Free Choice rally part 2

2009-06-09T10:29:00.001-04:00

Screw Fred!

2009-06-05T14:20:00.002-04:00

http://unionreview.com/fedex-threatens-%2526quot%3Bdestroy%2526quot%3B-members-congress

You have to follow that link. When you come back, consider the government's contracts with Fred. Consider dropping those if he drops the Boeing contract. I like it. It's time for war, and I'll fight on the side on Congress.

Wal-Mart Jobs vs Union Jobs.

2009-06-05T14:10:00.001-04:00

With a comment by me! I know you have to see it!

http://www.workinglife.org/blogs/view_post.php?content_id=13851

Business Leaders Need Customers, Support a Fair Economy

2009-06-04T13:19:00.001-04:00

http://www.faireconomynow.org/

More about the Sotomayor and Labor

2009-05-27T12:19:00.002-04:00

from the UFCW blog: http://ufcw.blogspot.com/2009/05/on-sotomayor.html

And she just happens to be fair-minded when it comes to labor laws, too. AFL-CIO President John Sweeney on Sotomayor:
Sotomayor has consistently interpreted our labor laws in the manner in which they were intended. She has enforced the right to be free of all types of discrimination in the workplace, to be paid the correct wages and to receive health benefits to which employees are entitled. She has recognized that persecution for union activity can be a basis for granting asylum in
this country.

Wonder where our stimulus money is going in Kentucky?

2009-05-27T00:48:00.002-04:00

http://www.accountablerecovery.org/states/kentucky

The above link will help.

More about the Sotomayor and Labor

2009-05-26T23:56:00.002-04:00

I think the best case against being against this nomination is that it will further alienate the Hispanic community. Without the attacks on immigration, we might have President Cheney^H^H^H^H^H^HMcCain.

From: http://lawprofessors.typepad.com/laborprof_blog/2009/05/moss-on-criticism-of-sotomayor.html

In the 2001 opinion, Sotomayor led a unanimous appellate panel in reversing the pretrial dismissal of a female police officer’s claims of discrimination, retaliation, and a hostile work environment. Sotomayor’s opinion was meticulous, addressing every one of the trial judge’s rulings and rationales methodically, with exhaustive citations to prior judicial decisions from around the country — a more scholarly effort than typically is necessary for a decision on an individual New York
police officer’s individual claim. Agree or disagree with her on contentious issues like discrimination law, Sotomayor is a thoughtful, scholarly judge whose work holds up with the best of them.

Sotomayor and Labor Unions

2009-05-26T09:46:00.001-04:00

What I've found so far, from wikipedia,

On March 30, 1995, she issued the preliminary injunction against Major League Baseball, preventing MLB from unilaterally implementing a new Collective Bargaining Agreement and using replacement players, thus ending the 1994 baseball strike.^[4]^[17]

Pres. Obama on Health Care

2009-05-25T03:02:00.001-04:00

Notice the inclusion of labor at the table. :)

Bill Kristol likes Darth Vader better thank Luke Skywalker

2009-05-23T03:23:00.002-04:00

And he likes the current organizing rules for unions better than EFCA.

Dick Cheney has often been compared to Darth Vader. Bill loves Cheney. He hates EFCA too.

Is it better to have really bad people against you or great people for you? Obviously that's a great list of folk for EFCA.

Hat Tip: Daily Show 5-21

The Right Thing - Pennsylvania TV Ad for the Employee Free Choice Act

2009-05-13T11:31:00.001-04:00

How Not to Join a Union

2009-05-05T21:19:00.001-04:00

Specter Defection TWO

2009-04-28T15:49:00.002-04:00

Wow! Wow! I can't believe it! So, Specter changes his vote on EFCA in the hopes of having a chance in the PA primary. After realizing that the winner of the GOP primary is a guaranteed loss, he goes Democratic Party!

So does this mean we get our EFCA vote back? Who else is left in the north from the GOP at all? How far behind is Snowe?

Teamsters Lose Fed Ex battle.

2009-04-28T07:59:00.002-04:00

Wow! I can't believe it. The DC Court of Appeals has classified Fed Ex drivers are entrepreneurs by a 2-1 margin. This after huge losses for Fred in Colorado and California.

This will make it to the Supreme Court, as part of it's job is to ensure consistency. So, what do you think Justice Kennedy will think? The court is very predictable about these things for 8 of the justices, and the 4-4 is pretty much guaranteed.

Employee Free Choice Act: Fact vs. Fiction

2009-04-20T21:14:00.001-04:00

Mar 27 2009 VID00187

2009-04-16T01:34:00.001-04:00

E-mail from Bill:

2009-04-11T09:06:00.001-04:00

Dear john blickenstaff,

The 2009 session of the Kentucky General Assembly ended abruptly when the Kentucky House refused to vote on any bills on Day 29 of the thirty-day session, effectively ending the session one day early. Such action contrasts sharply with previous legislative sessions in which the clock has been literally turned back in order for the House and Senate to continue voting on bills after the constitutionally mandated end of the session, sine die.

The early departure of the Kentucky House resulted from the change in House leadership, particularly the election of Rep. Greg Stumbo as House Speaker. The changes created a desire to demonstrate a different approach to the legislative process by “sticking to the rules established by the House,” while attempting to bolster the power of House Leadership.

The end of the session also contrasted with earlier pronouncements between Speaker Stumbo and Senate President David Williams, who had indicated a positive working relationship, especially on such contentious issues as tax increases on tobacco and alcohol products. President Williams made no effort to hide his disdain for the early exit move executed by the House and claimed the House was responsible for killing a number of “important” pieces of legislation, such as Gov. Beshear’s economic development package (HB 229).

The overall impact of the change in leadership in the House was to recast the roles and relationships between the members of the House as well as between the House and Senate. If not for the abrupt end to the session and the acrimony engendered as a result, both Stumbo and Williams would have most certainly declared victory and then went home. As it stands, it looks a lot like business as usual in Frankfort.

It certainly was business as usual when the usual suspects introduced their perennial favorites, right-to-work-for-less and repeal of prevailing wage. The winner of this session’s anti-worker, anti-union award must go to Sen. Damon Thayer, who introduced the standard right-to-work-for-less (SB 165), repeal of prevailing wage on school construction projects (SB 145) and an increase in the prevailing wage threshold (SB 146). Rep. Joe Fischer also deserves recognition for introducing a prevailing wage repeal amendment to HB 143, along with Rep. Sal Santoro who introduced a floor amendment to HB 144 to repeal prevailing wage on school construction projects. These three are a real promising trio of legislators, except that not one of their bills or amendments were ever called or heard in either the House or Senate. The memory of 2,000 agitated union members in the Capitol Rotunda must still be fresh in the minds of those legislators who witnessed that event.

Continuing along the “business as usual” framework, this General Assembly also included another attack on coal mine safety. Three separate bills, each targeted to a particular aspect of coal mine safety, were introduced with the bill sponsors claiming them to be just simple innocuous changes needed for coal operators (some even described as “mom and pop operations”) to remain “competitive.”

HB 119 would have reduced the number of mine emergency technicians ( METs); SB 64 would have weakened mine ventilation requirements; and SB 170 would have reduced mandated coal mine inspections. They were all defeated through a concerted effort of your labor lobbyists, allied groups and several widows of deceased coal miners.

Once again, quarry interests tried to pass a bill (HB 205) which would have limited the liability of employers for exposing workers to unsafe levels of silica dust, which causes the deadly disease silicosis. Through a concerted effort of your labor lobbyists and allied groups HB 205 was also defeated.

It was also business as usual for a number of worthwhile bills which should have been given a fair opportunity to progress and receive votes, but were killed, mostly by inaction on the part of the Senate. Included in this category are HB 70, which would restore the civil rights of felons; HB 392 and SB 136, which would address the growing and costly problem of misclassification of workers in the construction industry; SB 172 and HB 373, which would have provided for collective bargaining for teachers, along with several other pieces of progressive legislation.

Bills supported by organized labor that have been signed into law include HB 333, which prohibits the utilization of the American Medical Association’s 6^th Edition “Guides to the Evaluation of Permanent Impairment” in Workers’ Compensation cases. Without HB 333, the implementation of the AMA Guides 6^th Edition would have costs workers millions of dollars in compensation benefits. Passage of HB 333 was a team effort among your labor lobbyists, the Workplace Injury Litigation Group (WILG) and the Kentucky Justice Academy (KJA).

Also signed into law was the union-inspired SB 33, which requires that flags flown on public buildings in the Commonwealth are made in the U.S.A.

In sum, it was “business as usual” for the 2009 Kentucky General Assembly as the lack of labor support in the Senate severely restricts chances for passage of so many pieces of legislation that would be helpful to the working men and women of our Commonwealth. Certainly all of the blame for “business as usual” cannot be placed solely on the Senate, as several House committee chairs remain uncooperative and at times outright hostile where labor legislation is concerned. Organized labor must do a much better job of holding those representatives we award with our endorsements and energies accountable, while doing our utmost to defeat legislators and candidates who work against the interest of our members and those who work for a living.

Finally, let me thank all of those who assisted me during this legislative session. Your assistance and friendship lightened the burden of not having my friend and partner, Larry Jaggers, at my side during the both the chaos of the General Assembly.

Godspeed on your recovery, Brother Jaggers.

Bill Londrigan

Martin Sheen, Bradley Whitford and Richard Schiff on the Employee Free Choice Act

2009-04-09T14:03:00.001-04:00

Greed - National TV Ad for the Employee Free Choice Act

2009-04-09T13:53:00.001-04:00

Who keeps sending out this fellow?

2009-04-01T13:50:00.001-04:00

"29,000 cases in 2007 alone of intimidation and coercion by employers." - is that "in violation of NLRA?"

"47 in 73 years" - I assume that's "violations of NLRA."

I would love to have the sources for that.

AFL-CIO Blog Nails NAFTA and CAFTA

2009-03-18T22:39:00.001-04:00

Trade experts from throughout the Americas say U.S. trade policies must be completely revised and existing agreements renegotiated and agree with the Obama administration’s proposal to renegotiate part of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) that allowed unsafe Mexican trucks to drive on U.S. highways.

http://blog.aflcio.org/2009/03/18/trade-experts-renegotiate-nafta/

WI: Pat McKenna, Owner of Union Copy Centers, Inc

2009-03-17T12:23:00.001-04:00

Fox News Attacks Unions

2009-03-14T02:19:00.001-04:00

They have no idea what they are doing.

Just to repeat, EFCA is necessary to spread wealth so that people can pay their bills.

Our Senators Are Wrong.

2009-03-08T14:37:00.002-04:00

Meet the Press, Chuck Shumer and Lindsey Graham, "more credit flowing..." crap.

You want to encourage work and growth, make work pay, pass EFCA. At the same time, encourage entrepreneurship and 'risk-taking' that focuses on technology like alternative energy and energy storage. Work hard on trade agreements for exports, and an overall trade policy that enables responsible labor unions worldwide. Keep a strong military. It's not that hard. But, at the beginning of this, you have to make work pay, and pass EFCA.

Why do Mexicans come to the US?

2009-03-08T14:06:00.006-04:00

So I get a sitemeter report every week of who visits my blog. I used to get a lot of hits for a post I made "Why do Mexicans come here?". I think my answer was the most definitive there is out there, and I think people should see my answer when they google the above. This is basically a repost to get those hits back.

Mexico has killed it's labor leaders for way too long. A strong union movement is necessary for the middle class. This has prevented the growth of a strong middle class - heck - hardly any at all. Of course a society as top heavy as Mexico's is going to tip over. Mexico is in chaos. They are losing their best workers to the US. A strong middle class would help with the crime situation there.

The US, on the other hand, has a strong a union core. It needs to be stronger to keep the current middle class, of course, but Jimmy Jr. isn't getting shot by Feds.

Mexicans have two choices, to have a labor rebellion where thousands died liked they did in the US in the 1930's, or jump the fence. Their government could allow a strong union movement to grow without the violence. Since that's doubtful, is political unrest in Mexico's future? Again?

I'd probably jump too.

Why I joined the labor movement:

2009-03-02T11:43:00.002-05:00

Henry Ford used to say that he wanted his workers to have enough money to buy his cars. Our current business leaders seem to have forgotten that simple economic idea. That is why, for their own self-interest, business, and their Republican allies in Congress, should embrace broad unionization.

....

Without any real increase in wages, consumers in the past 20 years have piled up debt upon debt. According to Demos, Americans overall credit card debt grew from $211 billion to $876 billion between 1989 and 2006. When credit cards were maxed out, they turned to their sole remaining economic lifeline: home equity. Demos estimates that homeowners sucked out $1.2 trillion in home equity, not for mansions and yachts, but for basic living expenses.

http://www.workinglife.org/blogs/view_post.php?content_id=12048

Pretty much nails it. Cause the country NEEDS it.

Bank of America Uses Bailout to Fight Economic Recovery

2009-02-21T14:18:00.001-05:00

VA: Billy Mason's Story

2009-02-20T00:59:00.001-05:00

You must see this.

Debate Over Executive Compensation Limits

2009-02-15T13:09:00.001-05:00

:) I love it.

Changing the name isn't enough.

2009-02-13T12:39:00.003-05:00

This post is a response to:
http://workinglife.org/blogs/view_post.php?content_id=11808

wait one second: why do we accept the idea that is up to the business community to decide the shape and character of our economy? And, in particular, why do we hand over the reigns of our economy to the "free market" advocates who push their agenda, among other places, from the Commerce perch?

Oh, but you wait one second. There is a major turning point for unions on that graph too! There isn't a line for it, but you can tell where union membership starts to decline, when the wages stagnates! While I am not against a name change, it wouldn't do much... Instead, EFCA sure would!

Call to Teamster GOP members!

2009-02-02T14:12:00.002-05:00

Please, if you are GOP and a Teamster, please push your party towards embracing responsible unions.

They are facing a terrible time, the GOP. One that will rock it's foundation forcing a new one. That foundation should include the admission that unions are not only necessary in the US but the world.

It should include fair trade provisions into 'free trade' - encouraging the growth of middle classes around the world.

It should feature companies making money, no question, but the greed and graft of CEOs should not dominate the party.

Class Warfare

2009-02-01T17:47:00.005-05:00

They are just jealous! That's what they say when I talk about CEO pay.

Well, to heck with CNN, they dropped the video as soon as I posted it. Basically, it was, "look at how much those union guys make!" As if they made 466 times the average worker like CEOs.

Have to put forth the effort to beat them in the primaries too.

2009-01-31T21:38:00.001-05:00

http://www.cnn.com/2009/POLITICS/01/31/labor.stern/index.html?eref=rss_politics

Union leaders threaten lawmakers. Good. Gotta get 'em early and often.

"Nine workers were killed."

2009-01-24T14:36:00.002-05:00

So I'm watching a show about giant structures a minute ago and I was struck by this.

As to be an example of how large it was, it was cited that "Nine workers were killed." Workers need not die for a project to be large. One thinks of those workers as heroes, and becomes more proud of the project because of their loss? I wish the narrator hadn't reflected that way about it - it makes me sad.

McConnell's EFCA Attack

2009-01-23T16:13:00.001-05:00

I hadn't really thought to call him about it really. I know how much he is against it. I take his words to be an invitation to clamor.

Mitch's email: http://mcconnell.senate.gov/contact_form.cfm
Mitch's phone: (202) 224-2541
Mitch's fax: (202) 224-2499

Send Snail Mail (also):
Senator Mitch McConnell
Washington Office
361-A Russell Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510

Also, call your district office:
Paducah (Western Kentucky Office)
Professional Arts Building
2320 Broadway, Suite 100
Paducah, KY 42001
Phone: (270) 442-4554

Bowling Green (South Central Kentucky Office)
Federal Building
241 E. Main Street, Rm. 102
Bowling Green, KY 42101
Phone: (270) 781-1673

Louisville (Louisville Metro Area Office)
601 W. Broadway
Room 630
Louisville, KY 40202
Phone: (502) 582-6304

Fort Wright (Northern Kentucky Office)
1885 Dixie Highway
Suite 345
Fort Wright, KY 41011
Phone: (859) 578-0188

London (Eastern Kentucky Office)
300 S. Main Street
Suite 310
London, KY 40741
Phone: (606) 864-2026

Lexington (Bluegrass Area Office)
771 Corporate Drive
Suite 108
Lexington, KY 40503
Phone: (859) 224-8286

Lilly Ledbetter First Major Labor Win.

2009-01-23T11:38:00.003-05:00

We fight for more than just ourselves. Another example of something we work for against our best interests is minimum wage.

Who is easier to organize, the pissed off woman or the one who feels comfortable and taken care of by the law?

How much did we win? A window to finding out:

2009-01-10T03:40:00.000-05:00

C-Span (the greatest creation ever) Link

Hit 'Em In The Mouth!

2009-01-04T12:27:00.001-05:00

It's not politics, or labor, but if you know me, you know why I posted this.

Fox News allows 'magic negro' New Year's message to be broadcast.

2009-01-02T12:01:00.001-05:00

Bankrupt Bank Executives Recieve $1.6 Billion In Bonuses

2008-12-23T14:03:00.001-05:00

Countdown: Thom Hartmann on the GOP Busting Unions

2008-12-15T01:06:00.001-05:00

Conservatives are just plain wrong.

2008-12-13T04:04:00.002-05:00

This is old, but I just found it. Thea Leah says what I've been thinking for me:

Maddow-Republic Windows and Doors sit-in-FULL SEGMENT

2008-12-09T15:53:00.001-05:00

A Most Egregious Example of Agency Capture

2008-11-23T02:18:00.002-05:00

Is Secretary Paulson. If agency heads don't come from the industries they regulate, where are they supposed to come from? From the lower ranks of the regulating body.

Everyone has an interest against agency capture except the capturers. But who in the special interest group world will look out for it? Only one has proven effective - unions.

A must read from Krugman:
http://tpmcafe.talkingpointsmemo.com/2008/11/22/why_were_rescuing_wall_street/

Nonetheless, Citi is about to be bailed out while GM is allowed to languish. That's because Wall Street's self-serving view of the unique role of financial institutions is mirrored in the two agencies that run the American economy -- the Treasury and the Fed. Their job, as they see it, is to keep the financial economy "sound," by which they mean keeping Wall Street's own investors and creditors reasonably happy.

Teamsters Win!

2008-11-05T05:42:00.003-05:00

I told ya so. It's my favorite thing to say.

Yes, an Obama/Biden win is a Teamster win.

First, Oprah backed Obama. Closely second, it was the Teamsters.

Biden was 'put up', was borne if you will, in 2004 by the Teamsters.

The question for me now is "what's best for the Teamsters."

I think about farmers. From Jefferson's Agrarian world until now they have been fought for by the left and the right. The Farm Bill is a gravy train that everyone wants on. Farmers are of the utmost importance providing the basic necessities of life.

As an interest group in an interest group world, it is best if both parties fight for you. Look at the Farmers. If I were a Republican, I want to watch for my ideals. How can the GOP reform itself to win enough to watch for those ideals? Include labor! You don't even have a labor tab on your website! Include labor. Half the time the minimum wage has been raised it raised employment because people thought it worth it to work. Yes, people can have a higher standard than simply making money. People can decide to do other things. Yes it can create a market that is able to provide at least the payments for what it buys. I've written a paper on why unions are better than the minimum wage (the answer is Republicans). Get it straight, reform your party, and win. I hope you don't. I love telling you, "I told you so."

Change to Win vs. Chamber of Commerce

2008-11-02T22:32:00.002-05:00

I think this shows the CoC to be... well, just politically too far right economically.

Realplayer works with this link: rtsp://video1.c-span.org/project/de/news110108.rm

Chris Chafe, Change to Win, Executive Director makes much more convincing arguments than William Miller, Chamber of Commerce, VP & Political Affairs Director.

C-Span making their programs available on the web is awesome and a huge public service that I think will change government for the better.

It Is Our Moment 2

2008-10-21T16:01:00.001-04:00

OH: Local Labor Walks for Obama

2008-10-08T11:21:00.001-04:00

Bernie Sanders v. Kudlow

2008-09-25T21:55:00.001-04:00

KY: Rubbertown Leafletting heroes!

2008-09-24T13:24:00.001-04:00

Labor Union Movement

2008-09-24T00:05:00.001-04:00

TPMtv: Sunday Show Roundup: McCain's Bleak Week

2008-09-23T01:04:00.001-04:00

Don't forget my national labor news blogroll!

2008-09-23T00:52:00.001-04:00

National News

T. Boone Pickens Slams Drill-Only Republicans

2008-09-23T00:32:00.001-04:00

Joe Biden: Akron, Ohio

2008-09-19T09:11:00.001-04:00

He's a Teamster folks.

Local Letter

2008-09-19T09:10:00.001-04:00

John McCain Gets BarackRoll'd

2008-09-19T09:06:00.001-04:00

Pow!

Palin is a LIAR

2008-09-04T12:00:00.002-04:00

Just like we were lied to by President Bush, and it's all okay by those on the right, Palin is now all okay with the right and a liar.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080904/ap_on_el_pr/cvn_fact_check

See Saw - National Ad for the Employee Free Choice Act

2008-09-03T16:34:00.001-04:00

Whooo!

Team651

Apparently Indiana is going to have a Right to Work for Less fight.

Fedex CEO always makes Forbes List, workers make benefit cuts.

Unions Need to Step Up in Media

The Ground War Between UPS and FedEx.

McConnell stretches truth at best.

Mitch doesn't want you know who supports Rand

Bad court decision to go to SCOTUS

brownbailout is bullshit

A call for state legislative action?

Whoa... a pro labor Republican?

Thank Goodness Elections Have Consequences

CBS News Radio is only presenting British Airways POV

Craig Becker's Rejection by Senate Shows Why the Senate Sucks

Agency Capture

Wake-up Call

Tea Baggers and “Populist Anger”

16 Deaths Per Day

We don't have Illegal Immigration, we have illegal employment!

Why Mexicans Jump the Fence...

Trumka on PBS NewsHour

Labor's 'Bulldog' Trumka Challenged by Dwindling Ranks, Public Perception

Cyberhillbilly blames Kentuckians

Where Ships and Workers Go to Die

NAFTA sucked... (another "no wonder why Mexicans jump the fence")

Warning to Ben Chandler

Mitch McConnell on Why He is Against EFCA

Edward Kennedy on Labor

"The Claremont Institute : Look Out for the Union Label" critique

Economy needs more labor union participation now.

Healthcare and Labor

New Posts this week.

CO: Jim Hightower to CWA - Employee Free Choice Act is Critical - Get Active

AFL-CIO NOW BLOG | Findlay, Ohio, Chamber of Commerce Kills Parade Because Unions Backed It

Just another cog in the machine

PowerLine Calls Ricci Egregrious Racism

Eight States Tell Fred to Quit Classifying their Employees as Contractors.

Michael Jackson - Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough

Imagine a World Without Nurses...TV Ad

PowerLine recalls Reagan's support for a labor movement...

Role of Labor Unions in Today's Society

It's demoralizing to not be able to pay your bills.

Arlen Specter at EFCA rally pt. 1 and what does he mean?

Arlen Specter at Employee Free Choice rally part 2

Screw Fred!

Wal-Mart Jobs vs Union Jobs.

Business Leaders Need Customers, Support a Fair Economy

More about the Sotomayor and Labor

Wonder where our stimulus money is going in Kentucky?

More about the Sotomayor and Labor

Sotomayor and Labor Unions

Pres. Obama on Health Care

Bill Kristol likes Darth Vader better thank Luke Skywalker

The Right Thing - Pennsylvania TV Ad for the Employee Free Choice Act

How Not to Join a Union

Specter Defection TWO

Teamsters Lose Fed Ex battle.

Employee Free Choice Act: Fact vs. Fiction

Mar 27 2009 VID00187

E-mail from Bill:

Martin Sheen, Bradley Whitford and Richard Schiff on the Employee Free Choice Act

Greed - National TV Ad for the Employee Free Choice Act

Who keeps sending out this fellow?

AFL-CIO Blog Nails NAFTA and CAFTA

WI: Pat McKenna, Owner of Union Copy Centers, Inc

Fox News Attacks Unions

Our Senators Are Wrong.

Why do Mexicans come to the US?

Why I joined the labor movement:

Bank of America Uses Bailout to Fight Economic Recovery

VA: Billy Mason's Story

Debate Over Executive Compensation Limits

Changing the name isn't enough.

Call to Teamster GOP members!

Class Warfare

Have to put forth the effort to beat them in the primaries too.

"Nine workers were killed."

McConnell's EFCA Attack

Lilly Ledbetter First Major Labor Win.

How much did we win? A window to finding out: