Stop Unions

Kongsberg Automotive Screws Van Wert Ohio, Again

2008-12-15T17:38:00.000-05:00

Kongsberg officials said the decisions were a result of the "global automotive market collapse" that has resulted in a steep drop in demand for automotive components especially in North America.

Kongsberg officials have said a lot, most of it is a bunch of hogswallow.

The Businessweek piece goes on to say:

Kongsberg said its Van Wert, Ohio facility will close sometime in the summer and its production will be transferred to the company's Nuevo Laredo, Mexico facility, eliminating about 105 jobs.

The company said it also plans to move its Haysville, Kan. facility's production to its facility in Matamoros, Mexico. The Haysville facility will also close sometime in the summer, affecting about 100 jobs, Kongsberg said.

Not a problem. When Kongsberg decideds that Mexico is too expensive, they'll move to Poland, Haiti, India, maybe back to the US, you know where ever the taxes are cheap and the workers are so desperate they'd crawl all over themselves to get the jobs. Cause in the end, they're really just greedy bastards.

And why do I call them greedy bastards, well, because while they talk about the poor auto market from one side of their mouth, they accept a huge German contract out of the other side.

Kongsberg Automotive has booked an order valued at MEUR 18 (MNOK 151). The new business includes delivery of Seat Heat to the European market. The contract term is 7 years with production start in 2010.

The seat heaters will be manufactured at Kongsberg Automotive's plant in Pruszkow, Poland.

The customer is a German automaker and one of the world's premier manufacturers of passenger cars.

Ah, yes, Poland. This is the operation begun by closures of Amotfors, Sweden. But don't take my word for it, here's what Kongsberg had to say:

Kongsberg, 8 December 2008.

Kongsberg Automotive (KA) has booked an order valued at MEUR 4,3 (40
MNOK). The new business includes delivery of Seat Heat to the Russian
market, where a German automaker is preparing the launch of a small
sized car.

"The customer is one of Europe's leading carmakers and this contract
represents a door-opener to the emerging Russian automotive market",
says Hans Peter Havdal, President of Automotive Systems at KA.
"Further, this contract is the first ever to this particular
carmaker, and we expect new business opportunities to follow as a
result of this award", he concludes.

###

Kongsberg Automotive is headquartered in Kongsberg, Norway and has
more than 50 facilities in 20 countries on all continents. Kongsberg
Automotive, with revenues of about EUR1 billion and over 9.500
employees, provides system solutions to vehicle makers around the
world. The product portfolio includes gearshift systems, cables for a
wide variety of applications, fuel lines, tubing and hoses,
couplings, clutch actuation, stabilizing rods, seat heaters, seat
ventilation, lumbar supports, head restrains, arm rests, steering
columns, pedals, electronics and displays. Find more information at
www.kongsbergautomotive.com.

Yeah, right, market is down, so we have to close Van Wert (despite an illegal lockout) and we will have to close operations in Kanasas (another 100 jobs) because we have to move those operations into Mexico. It's just business, after all. Just business. Greedy fucking bastards.

Does this Mean that Republican Senators Will Be in Favor of a Bridge Loan?

2008-12-15T14:57:00.000-05:00

I mean, how often does an administration lead by a Congress controlled by Republicans for years (unitl 2006) allow deregulation of the financial industry, arguably causing issues like Madoff:

They join a list of more powerful investors that have come forward, all worried about the extent of their losses. The roster of names include former Philadelphia Eagles owner Norman Braman, New York Mets owner Fred Wilpon and J. Ezra Merkin, the chairman of GMAC Financial Services, among others.

So, in a climate of DEREGULATION, a well respected captain of financial markets gets to pull off the scam of all scams, including DEFRAUDING the likes of GM (GMAC is a subsidiary of GM and provides financial services, including mortgages). Now that GM is out BILLIONS (Madoff scammed at least $50 billion that we know of now), does it make it more likely that Republican Senators will be willing to assist the ailing auto industry? Afterall, helping GMAC is a financial services company and seemingly so much more Republican like, as opposed to dirty, hard working, loud, uneducated, unskilled autoworkers represented by a union.

Hmm, the only ones here I think of as dirty, uneducated and unskilled are Republicans in the Seante lead by the likes of Senators Corker and Shelby. Just writing their names makes me want to go take a shower. I feel so dirty.

UAW WORKERS Meet on Capitol Hill

2008-12-14T17:56:00.000-05:00

Mostly, watch and listen at 4:11.

The UAW worker speaking is from American Axle and the staffers at the table have never heard of American Axle. NEVER HEARD OF IT. Why is that important? An 11 week strike this past winter.

How can we expect the Republican Senators to be able to pull their heads out of their asses if their staffers can't even keep up on an 11 week strike that SHUT DOWN GM plants all over the country, in Mexico and also hit Canadian autoworkers? Are these rely the people who should be making policy about how and if money should be loaned to manufacturing in this country?

Idiots and asshats. Because of them, there's no money out there in the form of a LOAN for the auto industry!!

Detroit Free Press Editorial on Southern Republican Senator's Asshated

2008-12-14T11:20:00.000-05:00

I got this in an e-mail but had to go and read it for myself mostly because at the same time I got this, someone else sent me a link to what states receive the most in Federal aide and those states that utilize the least. And not surprisingly, Republican Senators who receive the most in federal funding are also the senators who voted against a BRIDGE LOAN for Chrysler and GM. Oh and of course the Republicans from Alaska, too (receiving loads, but clearly want to screw Michigan and the rest of the midwest).

Take what Mitt Romney said on Meet the Press this morning, blaming a $2k "disadvantage" on labor, labor benefits and labor legacy (retired workers). Governor Granholm hit the nail on the head when she made sure that everyone knew that this "disadvantage" is about how other countries provide for their citizens. Here, we have companies that must, as in the Detroit Free Press editorial

December 12, 2008

Hey, Southerners: Detroit 3 helped you to survive

BY TOM WALSH
FREE PRESS COLUMNIST

When Hurricane Katrina slammed into Louisiana and Alabama on Aug. 29, 2005, the automobile companies of Detroit did not harrumph that the gulf coast should have been better prepared.

They didn't sit back and wait for New Orleans to submit a detailed plan for future repair of the ruptured levees.

General Motors Corp., on Aug. 30, donated $400,000 to the American Red Cross 2005 Hurricane Relief Fund, pledged to match up to $250,000 more in employee contributions, and sent more than 150 vehicles to the stricken area for use in relief work.

Ford Motor Co. and the UAW quickly made a joint donation of $100,000 to the Red Cross. The Chrysler Group gave $150,000 to the Red Cross and $200,000 to local New Orleans charities. DaimlerChrysler Services chipped in $200,000 for the Red Cross and pledged to match employee donations up to $50,000.

The three Detroit auto companies together gave more than $18 million in cash and vehicles to the Katrina relief effort in the ensuing months. No strings attached.

The U.S. Senate's most adamant naysayers about whether Detroit deserves rescue loans should have thought about that before now. It might have made Thursday's futile wrangling over a compromise to get $14 billion in emergency rescue loans for GM and Chrysler a bit less tortuous.

U.S. Sen. David Vitter, R-La., for one, might have dialed down his earlier rhetoric.

Vitter said Wednesday that he plans to vote against the rescue because, in his words, it is "ass-backwards" to give money to the distressed companies before Congress sees more detailed survival plans.

Sen. Richard Shelby, R-Ala., should think about Hurricane Katrina, too. He has threatened a filibuster against the bill, calling it "a bridge loan to nowhere" and stating that Detroit's automakers should undergo a fundamental restructuring before they ask Congress for money.

None of the logical arguments made by, or on behalf of, Detroit's auto industry seem to resonate with certain congressional critics.

Not the fact that GM, Ford and Chrysler have slashed billions of dollars in costs. Not the fact that they have the nation's top-selling pickups and minivans. Not the fact that they have lots of high-mileage vehicles and more on the way. Not the fact an auto company bankruptcy would have a horrible ripple effect, wiping out scores of suppliers and making hundreds of thousands more U.S. workers jobless.

No, to the most adamant auto-rescue opponents in the Senate, Detroit doesn't make cars people want. It's a dinosaur not worth preserving.

Could the opinions of these senators be colored by the fact that the foreign-owned plants of Toyota, Honda, Hyundai, Kia, BMW, Nissan and Volkswagen -- which compete with the Detroit Three -- are located in their states?

Nah, let's not even go there.

Let's just say that since logic hasn't worked, we should fall back on a simple moral argument.

If you see a fellow American is drowning, gasping for air, do you quiz him for a while about whether he's drunk or why he never learned to swim better? Or do you throw him a life buoy and ask questions later?

That, it seems to me, is where we are with America's car companies.

You have done nothing and failed them, senators.

So now it's up to President George W. Bush and Treasury Secretary Hank Paulson to, hopefully, rush in with emergency aid from the $700-billion Troubled Assets Relief Program.

They could still hold the Detroit Three's feet to the fire afterward, empowering a strong auto czar to bring all stakeholders together to forge business models for these companies that can withstand future shocks.

Contact TOM WALSH at 313-223-4430 or twalsh@freepress.com.

Just one more time, Damn, Mitt Romney is an ass...ah, and a liar. Wow, glad he's not going to be president. Why are there always more Republicans on the Sunday talks than Democrats? Come on, the CEO of Wal-Mart? Please, focused on working people? Yeah, working them for as little as possible with the smallest wages as possible and then, with little or no benefits. Great model to compare to GM and Chrysler. Why would this joker even be on Meet the Press? Is this what we really want to expand as a model for growth or prosperity?

Mr. Block gets news only from the bosses' paper

2008-12-12T20:25:00.000-05:00

some things never change

So who is Mr.Block (from Wikipedia)?

Mr. Block is a United States comic strip character commemorated in a song written by Joe Hill.

Mr. Block, who has no first name, was born 7 November 1912 to Ernest Riebe, a member of the Industrial Workers of the World (IWW). Block appeared that day in the Spokane newspaper Industrial Worker, smoking a cigar and wearing a checkered suit with top hat. Subsequently, Mr. Block lost the fancy clothes but always kept a hat, ten sizes too small, perched on one corner of his wooden blockhead.

"Mr. Block is legion," wrote Walker C. Smith in 1913. "He is representative of that host of slaves who think in terms of their masters. Mr. Block owns nothing, yet he speaks from the standpoint of the millionaire; he is patriotic without patrimony; he is a law-abiding outlaw .. [who] licks the hand that smites him and kisses the boot that kicks him .. the personification of all that a worker should not be."

Former Teamster President Ron Carey dead at 72

2008-12-12T20:16:00.000-05:00

Ron Carey, the first Democratically elect President of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters has passed

From MSNBC

The first democratically elected leader of the Teamsters died yesterday at age 72 in New York City.

Ron Carey was first elected to head the Teamsters in 1991 on a vow to end mob control. In his re-election bid in 1996, he narrowly defeated James Hoffa, Jr. However, in 1998, a court-appointed review board expelled Carey from the Teamsters, concluding, according to the New York Times, he “breached his fiduciary duty by failing to stop an illegal scheme that siphoned more than $750,000 in union money into his 1996 re-election campaign.”

In 2001, Carey was charged with perjury related to the scandal. He was later acquitted on all charges.

He is survived by his wife, Barbara, and five children.

What people are saying

2008-12-12T19:37:00.000-05:00

From "Republican Senator Admits Opposition to Auto Bill is All About Union Busting" comment at DU

Unions "appear to be an antiquated concept in today’s economy"?
If anything is true it's the exact opposite. Unions are more important now then ever before as it has become painfully clear the corporate executives have no interest in seeing American workers prosper. For them it's all about getting what you can for as little as possible. Fucking disgusting.

From "Somebody Has to Respond" comment at Truthout

Thirty years of anti-labor propaganda has taken its toll, but us working stiffs have to stick together or we are going to keep getting screwed. It's not a coincidence that, once the interests of the wealthy are threatened, $750 billion materializes instantly. This is after all that preaching about fiscal responsibility to those of us lower on the food chain.

From "Stuff Made In China"

Another gross example of this is from years ago. I had a roommate that worked at an Old Navy. For those of you that don't know, Old Navy, Gap and Banana Republic are all the same company. The blue jeans at Old Navy cost around $20, at the Gap $40, and at Banana Republic $60. I don't recall exactly, but I want to say all were made in Indonesia. Undoubted they were produced at the same factory. Really I don' know, maybe the 12 year old sewing the Old Navy jeans got like $8 a month and the one sewing the Banana Republic jeans received $12 a month. However, I seriously doubt it.
Moral is: If you have to buy Chinese made crap, please buy it as cheaply as possible. You should realize those $90 Polo Jeans are probably $7 at Marshalls.

New York construction union shows solidarity with sit-in workers

2008-12-12T18:34:00.000-05:00

“In many ways,” said Jessie Jackson, their action “is the beginning of a larger movement for mass action to resist economic violence.”

When the Republic Windows and Doors workers were left shafted without warning they took action, according to the AFL-CIO blog yesterday Dec.11th:

...workers at Republic Windows & Doors who made justice happen. After a six-day sit-in at the plant, workers at Republic Windows & Doors in Chicago voted to accept a settlement late last night.

Somewhere along the line a little thing happened, solidarity. Many of us have heard about the demonstrations across the nation, the support from President-Elect Barack Obama and Jessie Jackson standing in solidarity with the workers, but here's something that you may not have heard.

According to a friend of mine who on December 9th, was at the meeting of New York's own Metallic Lathers Union LU 46, in front of a standing room only crowd of members Business Manager Bob Ledwith made a motion that Local 46 show support for the striking UE workers in Chicago by sending them a gift of $1,000 to help defray their costs and hardship.

The members, all of whom are anticipating a rough ride themselves in the near future voted unanimously to approve the motion.

According to the history of the Metallic Lathers in New York:

All through the years Local 46 has been outstanding in its help to the labor movement and has always aided and endeavored to help others secure their own rights.

I hope that showing of solidarity can rub off on other workers across this great nation. I recall the sentence I used to use to practice typing when I was a kid:

Now is the time for all good men to come to the aid of their country. (of course, and women too)

Here's more on the struggle and victory of the Republic workers from the UE site:

A bid for fairness that inspired the world.

On Friday, December 5, 2008, an new chapter in labor history was written by about 260 Chicago workers at Republic Windows and Doors.

Three days earlier, they learned the plant was closing. Bank of America, although flush with U.S. government bailout cash, had refused to extend Republic's line of credit and had also refused to allow Republic to pay out what they were owed.

United — as a union of co-workers — they stood together and said "No!"

For the next five days they occupied their plant — something rarely seen in the U.S. since the 1930's The worldwide reaction was stunning.

A World of Support

People organized demonstrations in dozens of cities across the country, from New York to San Francisco, from icy Buffalo to sunny Florida. Solidarity messages poured in from around the world. Their common theme was, "We're behind you — and proud of you! Keep up the fight!"

The UE Local 1110 members had no way of knowing how deeply their courageous action would resonate. But it soon became clear that their action articulated the anger and frustration millions of ordinary people in this worsening economic crisis. of

A World of Hope

They inspired people fed up by the excesses of banks, corporations and the powerful who have led us into the worst economic crisis since the 1930s — and then got the government to bail them out with our money.

They gave hope to people who face the prospect of losing jobs, homes, healthcare, retirement, and for many, the hope for their kids to get a good college education.

A Movement to 'Resist Economic Violence'

Rev. Jesse Jackson expressed it well when he said that, like Rosa Parks 50 years ago, the Republic workers stood up for justice by sitting down. “In many ways,” said Jackson, their action “is the beginning of a larger movement for mass action to resist economic violence.”

Now, it's up to all of us to make sure this moment is a real turning point, when we begin to stand together as working people to demand an economy and government policies that put our needs first.

So what is the latest on these workers?

From Change To Wins Blog:

Republic Workers Win! (For Real This Time)

This time it’s official:

After the conclusion of negotiations Wednesday evening, the membership of Local 1110, more than 200 workers, met in the plant cafeteria to hear and consider the tentative settlement that had been worked out by UE negotiators over the past three days.

The settlement was approved by a unanimous vote…

The settlement totals $1.75 million. It will provide the workers with:

Eight weeks of pay they are owed under the federal WARN Act,
Two months of continued health coverage and,
Pay for all accrued and unused vacation.

JPMorgan Chase will provide $400,000 of the settlement, with the balance coming from Bank of America.

Although the money will be provided as a loan to Republic Windows and Doors, it will go directly into a third-party fund whose sole purpose is to pay the workers what is owed them.

As the Local 1110 leaders characterized the settlement, “We fought to make them pay what they owe us, and we won.”

Hooray! Congratulations!

UPDATE (1:35PM): Great discussion of the victory at Daily Kos, kicked off by Friend of CtW Connect TomP.

Pyramid of the capitalist system redux

2008-12-12T16:36:00.000-05:00

They Rule You, They Fool You, They Shoot At You and They Eat For You

That idealization has been around for quite some time, it was on the cover of The Industrial Worker, the newspaper of The Industrial Workers Of The World(The IWW) way back in 1911, the title of the work is Pyramid of the Capitalist System.

So what has changed in the almost 100 years since this masterpiece has been created, the masses fought through the Great Depression gotten some advantage through the 50's and the corporatist have found better ways to fool us.

They have opened our borders to a servitude class, while diverting our pension into mutual funds that invest against our own interests, they have made loopholes for those at the top and given corporations carte blanche over our lives and have taken our constitutional rights while we sat in blind patriotism. They have their media telling us what we need to know about nothing, while constricting the free speech from dissenting views. They have us thinking that labor laws will protect us, while cutting staff and regulations to the bone.

They have used racism, religion, language, and fear to pit us against one another, and have beaten us with the sense that there is nothing any one of us can do about it.

Here is an updated version of the great illustration of 1911, is it so far off the mark.

I wish I were more creative I'd make my own, maybe show the Wal-Mart door crushing out a human life so some scums could save a few dollars on their foreign made crap, maybe add the Haitian bread winner feeding his children dirt sandwiches to stave off the hunger pains after a hard days work making clothes for companies which used to make it here for a living wage.

They sold our future down the drain while you watched American Idol.

Unfortunately I don't know where the image is from

Autoworker bailout fails Senate!

2008-12-12T05:56:00.000-05:00

You motherfuckers, you toss trillions at killing in war, a trillion to your cohorts in banking and when it comes to one of the last American industries which is manned by American workers, union American workers who have agreed to give concessions, who's new hires only make $14 at the highest wage and whose companies have asked for a loan of a mere $15 billion, you turn your backs.

Make no mistake about it, this bill was killed by Republican Senators, they are your enemy, and for all of those working in the deep south in the Foreign auto manufacturing, which does not have any legacy costs for retirees yet, be prepared, if the big 3 are gone, your pay is gonna drop like an anchor.

With 1 in 10 US jobs attached to the big three you have tossed our country into a tailspin, the dollar has dropped overnight and how much longer before we have another 3,000,000 unemployed, while you close your eyes and leave the border open and let all help the corporations continue to force undocumented workers into servitude to feed you.

The people have shown that they are getting tired of it at the Republic window and door factory in Chicago, unfortunately it's like alcoholics anonymous, we might all have to hit the bottom before we look for change.

How long will you all bury your head in the sand before you realize that there is a war against the American worker? That's ALL American workers, they will continue to pick us off one at a time..

Bloomberg:

Dec. 12 (Bloomberg) -- The dollar slumped below 90 yen for the first time in 13 years after the U.S. Senate rejected a $14 billion bailout for the nation’s automakers.

The U.S. currency headed for a sixth week of declines versus the yen as General Motors Corp. and Chrysler LLC failed to obtain the funds they need to survive until next year. Japan isn’t considering intervening in currency markets now, Finance Minister Shoichi Nakagawa told reporters in Tokyo today.

“The dollar is dropping like a rock,” said Masahiro Sato, joint general manager of the treasury division in Tokyo at Mizuho Trust & Banking Co., a unit of Japan’s second-largest publicly listed lender. “This is a big blow to confidence in the U.S. economy. Bankruptcy protection for U.S. automakers may be the only option left.”

More info from Google

Jim DeMint= Angry Idiot

2008-12-11T13:58:00.000-05:00

And I don't say such things lightly.

But then I got to hear his bizarre anti-worker and anti-union rant on NPR and well, read this comment from another listener...pretty well sums it up:

Nellie
I was deeply disturbed at Sen. DeMint's comments about the Unions being the whole problem facing the auto industry. The Unions do not determine what vehicles are to be built or engineering of vehicles, management does. They assemble the vehicles they are directed to assemble. No one seems to think there is anything wrong with CEOs negotiating the best salary and benefits package they can, but somehow its wrong for the workers to do so. Remember, without the workers, the Union members, there would be no product to sell. Further, no one seems to remeber that Toyota, Honda and other foreign auto cos., got a free pass when they negotiated manufacturing their vehicles in the U.S. They were not required to deal with the Unions. Therefore, there is no level playing field. The NPR staff needs to educate itself about Unions and the roll of Unions in the history of this country so they can challenge such outrageous statements from the likes of Sen. DeMint. Unions were prominenet in the most prosperous times of our country. Because of Unions, there are weekends, laws requiring a safe workplace and other standards we all take for granted now. An attack on Unions is an attack on the common working woman and man of this country

And did anyone else notice that not only is this guy an idiot, he also had several moments where it seemed difficult for him to form his thoughts? Is he more than just an idiot, is he also a blithering idiot?

Chicago Workers Take A Stand

2008-12-11T08:09:00.000-05:00

A good friend and fellow labor activist wrote this piece for UnionReview.com. I asked her if we can cross-post her article to Joe's site, and she said, "Of course," enjoy!

They say that those who aren’t angry simply aren’t paying attention. When it comes to anger over the country’s financial meltdown, however, not paying attention is becoming less of an option, thanks, in part, to a group of renegade workers from Chicago who have taken matters into their own hands.

In the midst of a financial crisis and government-backed bail outs to save Wall Street, big business and fat-cat CEOs, workers in Chicago are taking a stand.

As reported by CNN.com, 200 members from the United Electrical, Radio and Machine Workers of America have joined together in a peaceful protest that is making headlines and causing some of the country’s most powerful to take notice.

The group of 200 were employees at Republic Windows and Doors until just days ago, when the company announced massive layoffs, giving employees only three days notice. The layoffs, Republic Windows and Doors claims, are a result of Bank of America cutting off credit to the company.

Now, the workers are staging a sit-in, saying they won’t leave until they get what is rightfully theirs: severance packages and accrued vacation pay.

Among those to show support for the group include the Civil Rights leader Jesse Jackson, President-elect Barack Obama and Illinois governor Rod Blagojevich, who recently issued an order for the state government to suspend doing business with Bank of America.

“We are going to do everything possible here in Illinois to side with these workers,” Blagojevich said. “And it isn't just lending them moral support, but it's putting pressure on financial institutions like the Bank of America.”

Earlier in the year, Bank of America received a $25 billion tax-payer bailout package which corporate CEOs claimed would save the jobs of working men and women; it’s more and more clear, however, who the bailout really bailed out—and the employees of Republic Windows and Doors are making it harder and harder to forget.

Talking to People About the Union Movement.

2008-12-11T08:02:00.000-05:00

I posted this on Union Review over the weekend and thought to share some of these thoughts with Joe and his readers, Richard/ UR

I was at a holiday party where I hardly knew anyone. Conversations were going on all throughout the day, some were better than others. There was, however, one thing that was painfully similar about them all; and this is what came to mind: Not many people outside of the union movement have any clue as to what is taking place at our unions; clearly this not one of those profound utterances, just a matter of fact observation/nugget.

At some point or another I mentioned a number of campaigns that either I am directly or indirectly involved with –or simply know just enough about to share. In the back corners of my mind I thought: This is what we all need to be doing - educating people wherever we are and have the opportunity. I also thought … there is no day off or resting from this mission.

Here is a small capsule of issues I talked about, alluded to or brushed upon at one point or another:

1. FedEx Express workers have a pension freeze that went into affect earlier this year; they are looking at losing tons of money over the course of their careers. While they are working on organizing with the Teamsters, their campaign is one that is long and strenuous. While pension issues are enough to lose sleep over, many of these workers are seeing, in this horrible economy, their work being shipped overseas. The outsourcing at FedEx Express is as bad, if not worse, than its wonderful Independent Contractor policies at another division of that company. To go see what is happening with this campaign, check out http://www.fedxmx.com or http://www.fedexwatch.com. You can sign up for a user name and password at FedXMx to comment on the blog or participate in the forum – and if you do, show your solidarity online as though you walked passed them on a picket line; I believe it goes a long way out here on the Web.

2. School Bus Workers around the United States are NOT experiencing issues with outsourcing, like their brothers and sisters at FedEx Express. Instead, the drivers, mechanics, aides and monitors are dealing with very low, if not sub-standard wages, work rules that are ever changing, and no respect or say at their job. With all that can be said to be wrong about the union movement in the United States (and both members and nonmembers are endlessly finding what is wrong with the union movement in this country) – there is also, undoubtedly a lot that is good; this is one of those campaigns. What started two years ago with a group of First Student workers in Iowa and Baltimore has become multinational worker movement. You can (and should) learn about this campaign at http://www.schoolbusworkersunited.org. Like the FedEx campaign site, get a username and password; show your solidarity with these incredible workers.

3. The Colombian Free Trade Agreements cannot and should not pass through while Bush is leaving office – and be aware that he is /was/has been working on doing just that. While there is much on the Colombian Free Trade Agreement on Union Review – and infused in our daily and national publications, there is nothing that simply comes out and says why this is a bad deal for trade unionists. Today there was a great piece on the AFL-CIO Blog; http://www.aflcionow.org; it said, “Despite the Bush administration's repeated attempts to push through Congress a U.S.-Colombia Free Trade Agreement (FTA) this year, the reality is that Colombia has not stemmed the violence against trade unionists or brought those responsible to justice.

In short, Colombia has a long way to go before a free trade pact should be considered.

The head of Human Rights Watch recently wrote three top House leaders urging them to remain steadfast in insisting that Colombia clean up its act before approving any new trade deal."

4. Finally, I think that every union supporter will agree that the Big Three loans should not be contingent on UAW workers giving concessions. I read a lot of back and forth on this issue everyday of the week, and for the record, let me write that I think it is BS when business reporters suggest that the reasons the Big Three automakers are in the trouble they are in because of the UAW workers’ wages. I have not yet heard a reporter mention anything about the executive office salaries, and how absurdly huge that salary is; and perhaps they should take a cut to keep their business afloat. What annoys me the most about “this” discussion is that when the government was bailing out Wall Street, AIG and the others … there was never any mention of how much these people at the top were earning, you deal with one unionized industry and sector and suddenly the conversation is about worker wages – come on! There is so much opinion about this – the last one I read hit UnionReview earlier today here: http://unionreview.com/why-uaw-should-not-have-make-any-concessions-big-three-get-loan-congress.

While these are just four items that seemed to come up for me in the last couple days, there are countless others. There are victories to feel proud of and defeats to look back on and re-organize around. Needless to say, we have a ton of work to do … even if we are at parties with a group of people we just met hours ago.

California workers express concerns about Rite Aid management at special shareholder meeting in NY

2008-12-11T07:57:00.000-05:00

This is a piece that came to UnionReview.com by way of Rand Wilson of the AFL-CIO, I thought to cross-post it here while Joe is dealing with day-to-day stuff. -Richard /UR

Over 600 workers employed at Rite Aid's giant distribution center in Lancaster, California, sent a representative to attend the company's special shareholder meeting in New York City on Tuesday, December 2.

With the company's stock price hovering at less than 50 cents, and problems plaguing Rite Aid's supply chain serving hundreds of stores in the southwest, workers expressed "serious concerns about the focus and execution of Rite Aid's top management team."

Rite Aid management is blaming its troubles on the economy, but employees offered a different perspective.

"When you work inside a critical point in the supply chain, you can tell if management is really focused on running things efficiently and motivating everyone to work together as a team. Right now, that's not happening at Rite Aid from what we can see." said Carlos "Chico" Rubio who works at Rite Aid's modern million-square-foot distribution center in Lancaster where container-loads of products arrive each day from the Port of Los Angeles and are quickly distributed with just-in-time precision to more than 500 Rite Aid retail stores throughout the southwest.

"The good news is that we've got talented employees who want to be part of a successful solution. But we're missing that opportunity now because management can't seem to focus on solving problems and working together with us as a team," explained Mr. Rubio, who offered three suggestions at the shareholder meeting:

* Rubio invited CEO Mary Sammons to visit the Rite Aid's distribution center in Lancaster to meet with employees, explain the company's goals, and encourage problem-solving.
* Rite Aid executives should consider limiting their compensation to reasonable multiples of what workers earn, and keep executive pay more in line with performance.
* Rite Aid management should abandon its anti-union "we know what's best for you" philosophy, and focus instead on building cooperative relations with its employees' unions.

Morale among Rite Aid workers nationwide has suffered because top management has been taking huge compensation packages despite a 95 percent decline in share value since June 2007. Top executives took over $18.2 million in total compensation in FY 2008, including more than $3.5 million in cash bonuses related to the acquisition of the Brooks and Eckerd drug store chains, a decision some analysts consider to have been a costly mistake.

At Rite Aid's distribution center in Lancaster, workers have struggled with other examples of bad management that surfaced soon after employees expressed interest in joining the International Longshore and Warehouse Union (ILWU). The ILWU already represents dockworkers at the ports who handle Rite Aid shipping containers that are offloaded from ships and then transported to distribution centers, including Lancaster. In March 2008, the distribution center workers voted to form a union, overcoming an expensive and vicious anti-union campaign waged by Rite Aid management. The company engaged in a host of illegal labor activities, including disciplining, harassing, and firing union supporters. The company's behavior was so egregious that the National Labor Relations Board prepared to try Rite Aid on 49 violations of federal labor law. Rite Aid executives chose to settle the charges rather than defend their costly and illegal campaign against employees having a voice at work.

Management's aggressive interference did not end after the Lancaster workers voted to form their union. Rite Aid has continued a costly and intense anti-union campaign that has included harassing workers, issuing warnings and suspensions to union supporters, and firing at least six union supporters on flimsy pretexts. Charges alleging new unfair labor practices, related to the company's failure to bargain in good faith, are pending.

"Rite Aid is wasting precious time and money on their anti-union campaign when all of us should be focused on getting this company back on the right track," said Mr. Rubio. "Management should be working with us, instead of against us, to help this company succeed."

Prior to attending the shareholder meeting, Mr. Rubio met with the AFL-CIO and other unions representing workers at Rite Aid. At the meeting, an AFL-CIO representative announced that a special briefing was being organized for industry analysts and investors in early 2009.

Trustees of union health and welfare funds, which have an important say over lucrative contracts with pharmacies including Rite Aid, are expressing concern about the company's poor labor relations record. At a recent Employee Benefits Conference in San Antonio, hundreds of union plan representatives received detailed information about Rite Aid's ongoing labor dispute in Lancaster.

In addition to financial and labor problems, Rite Aid has been entangled in a number of consumer fraud cases. The company has defended itself against a slew of consumer fraud allegations during the past decade, and is now in litigation with the New York Attorney General. Last summer an investigation by the Attorney General found that 112 Rite Aid stores had carried or sold expired products. The announcement of the New York allegations came as Rite Aid was settling a similar case with Attorney General of New Jersey.

A more detailed report documenting Rite Aid's mismanagement and attempts to suppress workers' rights may be obtained by contacting Rand Wilson at the above number or by email at rand@mindspring.org.

The International Longshore and Warehouse Union unites more than 45,000 workers in over 60 local unions in the states of California, Washington, Oregon, Alaska and Hawaii.

Related links:
http://www.ilwu.org

Unionization Substantially Improves the Pay and Benefits of Women Workers

2008-12-11T07:53:00.000-05:00

A new report by the Center for Economic and Policy Research (CEPR) documents a large wage and benefit advantage for women workers in unions relative to their non-union counterparts.

The report, "Unions and Upward Mobility for Women Workers," found that unionized women workers earned, on average, 11.2 percent more than their non-union peers. In addition, women in unions were much more likely to have health insurance benefits and a pension plan.

"For women, joining a union makes as much sense as going to college," said John Schmitt, a Senior Economist at CEPR and the author of the study. "All else equal, joining a union raises a woman's wage as much as a full-year of college, and a union raises the chances a woman has health insurance by more than earning a four-year college degree."

The report , which analyzed data from the Census Bureau's Current Population Survey (CPS), found that unionization raises the pay of women workers by almost $2.00 per hour. According to the report, women workers in unions were also 19 percentage points more likely to have employer-provided health insurance, all the more significant, since women pay higher premium rates individually than men. Women workers were also 26 percentage points more likely to have an employer-provided pension plan than women workers who were not in unions.

The study also shows that unionization strongly benefited women workers in otherwise low-wage occupations. Among women workers in the 15 lowest-paying occupations, union members earned 14 percent more than those workers who were not in unions. In the same low-wage occupations, unionized women were 26 percentage points more likely to have employer-provided health insurance and 23 percentage points more likely to have a pension plan than their non-union counterparts.

2008-12-09T07:47:00.000-05:00

We're Live! http://ping.fm/2dQiu
If you're planning to attend the People's Inaugural, do it now, Early Bird special ends 12/12!!

I Have Nothing To Add About the Chicago Sit-In

2008-12-08T13:15:00.000-05:00

Mostly, that's because the stuff out there while I was on vacation has been awesome, like this piece from the Wonkroom:

Over the weekend, laid-off workers from the Chicago-based factory Republic Windows and Doors began what they call a “peaceful occupation,” refusing to leave the shuttered business due to claims that they are “owed vacation and severance pay and were not given the 60 days of notice generally required by federal law when companies make layoffs.” The workers, members of the United Electrical, Radio and Machine Workers of America, said that they were given only three days notice that the factory was closing.
During a press conference yesterday, President-elect Barack Obama offered his support to the protesting workers, saying, “The workers who are asking for the benefits and payments that they have earned, I think they’re absolutely right.”
As Matthew Yglesias noted, “How nice it is to have a pro-labor president.” Indeed, by bringing a pro-worker perspective to the White House, Obama has the opportunity to reform a Department of Labor (DOL) that under President Bush has been “widely criticized for walking away from its regulatory function across a range of issues, including wage and hour law and workplace safety.”
In a report released today by the Center for American Progress Action Fund, David Madland and Karla Walter examine the negative effect that current “lax enforcement by DOL” has on “workers, taxpayers, and law-abiding businesses”:
Every year, workers lose $19 billion in wages and benefits through illegal
practices, nearly 6,000 American workers die on the job, and at least 50,000 workers die due to occupational disease. Taxpayers are cheated out of $2.7 billion to $4.3 billion each year in Social Security, unemployment, and income taxes from just one type of workplace fraud that misclassifies employees as independent contractors. Employers who play by the rules have trouble competing with irresponsible firms that keep labor costs illegally low.
In July, Obama sent a letter to Labor Secretary Elaine Chao expressing “serious concern” that the agency “was not fulfilling its enforcement mission.” To correct this, Madland and Walter note that Obama’s DOL can use already-existing penalties to create a “culture of accountability“:
The Obama administration must use penalties forcefully, especially in cases of willful, repeated, or high-hazard violations. It should also work with Congress to increase maximum allowable fines, and it must promote a depoliticized agenda where DOL is again seen as the top labor cop.
As the AFL-CIO pointed out, “Chao’s Labor Department has been consistently anti-worker…[and] Bush appointees in the Labor Department have been handsomely rewarded for their lack of concern for workers’ rights, getting cushy jobs at union-busting law firms and corporate lobbying groups.” Obama has a chance to reverse these practices, and make Labor a department that American workers can trust.

I for one am thrilled with just the possibility of returning to adult leadership at DOL. I'm sure the branches, divisions, bureaus and offices are also looking forward to being treated like adults as well.

I'm So Sick of The Rhee Fawning

2008-12-07T18:31:00.000-05:00

No, seriously.

Time? Really? A magazine cover for a woman who really just wants to fire "under performing teachers," oh, please. It's not at all about power and is certainly not about the kids. I've posted before what it's like in DCPS. My kid attended DCPS through Junior High School. Jefferson Junior High School and going there made my bright, articulate, fun and hard working child suicidal. This isn't even an exaggeration. She went to a psychologist; she withdrew; her grades suffered and she was tormented by her classmates.

Teachers can only do so much. Parents who raise kids that like to mentally torture other kids, or who raise kids that are in and out of juvenile hall or in and out of the system, parents who don't parent, bring kids into the world who behave in ways that I can't even begin or care to explain on this blog at this moment. Suffice it to say that in the media's Rheegasma, the media continues to lose site of what's really at stake, kids.

DC has lots and lots of problems.

Extreme poverty in pockets all over the city is just a start of it. Violence, joblessness, drugs, you name it, we've got it here and kids are a microcosm of all of these issues and we don't seem able to deal with any of these issues in a meaningful way, at least, not for the kids.

So, in a comment on another thread, a DCPS (self proclaimed math teacher of 2 years in DCPS) and he writes this about his recent evaluation:

Essentially, the principal has NO idea whether or not good teaching is going on in a classroom based on her observation. In the two years I have worked in my school, my principal has been in my room exactly twice -- both times to observe me in a situation that was totally inorganic. But I digress...

I went in to discuss the observation with my principal, and she basically said she thought everything was perfect. I received "Exceeds Expectations" ratings in every category, and she said that she had no suggestions for improvement. I can't disagree with her rating -- my lesson was very good and my kids were extremely well behaved. But as a teacher, I know I am not outstanding. I'm solidly good, but definitely not great. I'm relatively new at this, and there are lots of days where I really struggle. I'm happy to have the excellent ratings, but this type of observation and discussion doesn't help student achievement and it doesn't help improve teacher quality.

What I find interesting about what he says is that he hasn't been around very long. Evaluations like this are Arbitrary. It's something that Rhee supports, ARBITRARY evaluations.

What the union has been fighting for is the ability of teachers to be fairly evaluated. He's right, what he went through was a bit of a dog and pony show, combining that with say testing results and parent statements should help craft a better overall view of the teacher's performance. But, the arbitrary nature of testing (what tests? what results?) to the lack of discussion about holding parents accountable and actually failing poorly performing students...there's more to this discussion, but Rhee wants to focus only on Principals and Teachers.

From EdWize:

There is an old, tired trope of the education deformer crowd that fawns over Michelle Rhee like star struck 1960s teeny-boppers swooning at the feet of Paul McCartney: they care about the children, while everybody else [read: teachers and their unions] only care about the adults connected to education. Here is the latest rendition at The Quick and The Ed.

The Rhees and Kleins of the world cared so much about the children that they couldn’t wait to get out of the classroom, and as a consequence learned not a thing about the teaching craft.

Luke Laurie, Santa Barbara County Teacher of the Year in California and a science teacher, had a particularly witty response to this thinking on the listserv of the Teachers’ Network Leadership Institute:

To say that tenure only benefits adults and has no benefit for kids, is like saying that a stable home provides no benefit for children. Why don’t we just go into homes and take out those unqualified parents every few years and replace them with young, smart and motivated “Parents for America” who will raise these kids right?

My daughter attended Jefferson Jr. High and it was awful. Kids there were violent, didn't try, were cruel and those that did try or learned were taunted by a few really bad apples. If the parents can't control these kids and don't get them to be students (or their grandparents, guardians or foster parents), then how are teachers able to do so?

Rhee isn't the answer. She's a diversion and so are her policies from the real issue about students...how do we do better? As communities, parents and schools. Until it all comes together, blaming teachers and schools is really just intended to distract all of us from what's really happening. And what's really happening is worse than most of us even care to talk about and the reason my kid is now at a private school. Without Emerson Prep, I'm not sure where my kid would be now, but I'm certain, it wouldn't be DCPS, and that has nothing to do with the teachers. She never had a bad one, ever.

Let's Lower Our Expectations; or Who Cares about Workers?

2008-12-04T15:03:00.000-05:00

At a rally to organize workers at a supermarket chain recently, a woman stopped as I gave her a leaflet. When I told her that part time workers at this chain didn’t have any health care, she shook her head, and I expected her to sympathize.

Instead, she said, “Health care? Who has health care? They should be glad they have a job at all. It’s unions that are killing this country, trying to make all these demands of companies and dragging them under.”

Yes, I thought to myself, all these demands like affordable health care—demands like a secure retirement—demands like a wage workers can live on with dignity, that lets them provide for their families.

Demands like these aren’t killing America. In fact, they’re the only thing that can save us.

When Lehman Brothers failed, I didn’t hear any talk about how the employees there made too much, needed to accept less, didn’t need these “legacy benefits” like health care. But now that it’s blue collar auto workers in trouble, all we hear is that they need to accept less to be more competitive with foreign companies—and that unions are in the way of that competitiveness. This despite the concession the UAW made and is continuing to make in the spirit of “we’re all in this together-ness.”

You can talk about the obvious class warfare going on there—Michael Moore did last night on Countdown. Seems a little odd that we don’t ask too many questions of our white collar financial masters, but when it comes to blue collar workers in the manufacturing sector, we can’t be too critical or too demanding. How dare they demand middle class wages, not to mention health care and a pension!

But the bigger concern for me is this: what’s left of America when we don’t value our own workers and their economic well-being? How do we keep what made this country great, when our workers are constantly being told to work harder for less and shut up about it or their job will go to India or Taiwan?

It seems like many pundits and politicians (not to mention business executives) have forgotten what allowed America to succeed uniquely in the first place: the drive and determination of America's workers--not our CEOs. And our economic success came when we rewarded those workers and gave them an incentive to work hard in the first place.

As Terrence O’Sullivan puts it:

The American Dream is about upward mobility through middle class jobs, not an
economic race to the bottom. Middle class jobs built our country by allowing one
generation to work hard, support a family and give their kids opportunities they
never had themselves. And those jobs were based on good wages and benefits that
improved over time to meet the demands and costs of a modern society.

I can just hear the argument from my friend in front of the grocery store now. “Oh, but that was before globalization. American workers should be lucky they even have jobs now.”

But I wonder where we stop when we start sliding down the scale of staying competitive. What price do we extract from what is uniquely American when we tell workers their work doesn’t matter anymore? That they need to accept what workers in India or China will accept? That upward mobility is a thing of the past? What happens to America when hard work and ingenuity are replaced by a general sense of disappointed complacency?

What happens to the American Dream once we’ve sold American workers out?

Crossposted at Daily Kos: http://www.dailykos.com/story/2008/12/4/141926/425/869/669336

Stuff to work on, recent reading, sites and stuff to write about

2008-12-02T20:06:00.000-05:00

Here's all sorts of stuff I'm either gonna re-read, write about, study or promote. Some are sites that link to me, some are new blogs I found, some are from a few months back, but all are interesting and important in their own way, I regard this batch of bookmarks as my sandbox of data which I haven't had a chance to write about. There's more, but here's a sample.

Joe's Sandbox

Bush's Parting Shots at Workers

2008-12-02T14:38:00.000-05:00

I found this front paged over at Dailykos:

Ah, the carnage of the the long goodbye:

WASHINGTON — President Bush issued an executive order on Monday that denies collective bargaining rights to about 8,600 federal employees who work in law enforcement, intelligence and other agencies responsible for national security.

Mr. Bush said it would be inconsistent with "national security requirements" to allow those employees to engage in collective bargaining with respect to the conditions of their employment.

Among those affected are 5,000 employees of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, which is now part of the Justice Department.

The text of the executive order can be found here.

Because nothing ensures our national security quite like people who aren't allowed to organize for decent pay and working conditions. Seems to me these are exactly the types of employees you would want to keep off the "disgruntled worker" list.

This is most excellent, isn't it?

Not only has this administration tossed workers aside, destroyed enforcement of labor laws, reduced funding for OSHA, MSHA and fought against regulations for just about everything, here, they even take a pot shot at the employees at Energy, Transportation, Homeland Security, Treasury and of course, Justice, from the White House:

By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, including section 7103(b)(1) of title 5, United States Code, and in order to reflect the effects of the reorganization and restructuring of the Departments of Energy, Homeland Security, Justice, Transportation, and the Treasury on their subdivisions exempted from coverage under the Federal Labor-Management Relations Program, it is hereby ordered as follows:

Section 1. Determinations. The subdivisions of the Departments of Energy, Homeland Security, Justice, Transportation, and the Treasury set forth in sections 2 through 6 of this order are hereby determined to have as a primary function intelligence, counterintelligence, investigative, or national security work. It is further determined that chapter 71 of title 5, United States Code, cannot be applied to these subdivisions in a manner consistent with national security requirements and considerations.

And just what offices are affected, here are just a few:

Department of Energy:
(e) The Savannah River Operations Office.

Homeland Security:
(a) Office of the Military Advisor.

(b) The following office within the Management Directorate:

(1) Office of Security.

(c) Office of Operations Coordination.

(d) Office of Counternarcotics Enforcement.

(h) The following offices and subdivisions within United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement:

(1) The Office of Investigations.

(2) The Office of International Affairs.

(3) The Office of Intelligence.

(4) The National Incident Response Unit.

(i) The following office within the Transportation Security Administration:

(1) The Office of Law Enforcement/Federal Air Marshal Service.

Isn't this a most excellent list of random agencies and subdivisions?

ec. 4. Department of Justice. Executive Order 12171 of November 19, 1979, as amended, is further amended by:

(a) revising subsection (g) of section 1-209 to read as follows:

"(g) National Security Division."; and

(b) adding to the end of section 1-209 the following new subsection:

"(h) Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives."

It's pretty far reaching for a list of obscure agencies. The funny thing is that at a general schedule 13 and up, most (I think all, but am not positive) postions are actually exempted positions. Which means you are unable to be represented by a union. Now, even the lower grades in this offices are excluded? Seriously? Gee it's like getting slapped in the face while someone's pissing in your mouth. At what point is enough enough?

President-Elect on the Bridge Loan to the Auto Industry

2008-12-02T11:22:00.000-05:00

The video comes to us by way of the Dailybeast who gets it from MSNBC last week.

What I find interesting, is that Citi, AIG and others didn't really have to present any plans for their bailouts and AIG continues to pay out bonuses and has extravagant trips even after they get a bailout.

So, I'm a little confused how a company like Citi can say they went a little too far in lending and that got them into trouble, but the Auto Industry can't say hey, there's a serious market down turn caused by the mess from the financial sector and we need help. Hell, you can even hear what Citi thinks caused their mess, again, from the Dailybeast:

The current financial mess this country is in comes in part from lending to borrowers who couldn't pay, popular know by underwriters as Liar Loans. These are loans with no required documentation. So, we have a freeze in the credit markets, it's harder to get loans for houses and cars and this hurts companies like Citi (companies that actually helped cause the problems) and they get a bailout, but the Auto-Industry can't even get a loan? Somehow, I think this has more to do with Union-Bashing than anything and the comments from President-Elect Obama are very disappointing to me. Very, very disappointing.

Hello everyone....

2008-12-01T19:49:00.000-05:00

Taking a little time off from the net. I'm still keeping up with the news, just have been really busy in the real world, got the Yahoo Pipes gadgets up on the right hand side, and am testing a few other blogging ideas, like http://www.stopunions.blogspot.com and http://www.joesunionreview.wordpress.com

You can add the Yahoo pipes Labor News Version 7 to your site, it constantly updates all the labor headlines from over 40 dedicated labor sites along with a search term from Google that brings in a lot of links, check the Stop Unions Blog for a larger version of the gadget.

Hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving

Unfortunately for one of our own New Yorkers who had the misfortune of working in the Wal-Mart in Valley Stream, Long Island, it was his last.

Disgusting, greed caused that death, from both sides, the company who didn't beef up security and urged the frenzy and the scumbag customers who created the riot. Greed is the ruination of mankind.

Wal-Mart - Save Money or Die Trying!

Peace,
Joe

It's All Because of Unions...It's Their Fault!

2008-12-01T15:27:00.000-05:00

I headed over to John Cole's Balloon Juice for some talk about Republican Union-Bashing and I found this nugget in the comments:

Exactly. But when it comes to union busting, there’s no lie too big. Romney said what he meant in that editorial, though:

The new management must work with labor leaders to see that the enmity between labor and management comes to an end.
The only way, from an executive’s perspective, to make that enmity stop is to bust the union and give all the power to management. As a union member, I respond with "Fuck you very much."

This comment was based on the posting about Republican union-bashing and their disdain for working Americans represented by a union. From Cole:

this is union busting on a grand scale. There have been dozens of signs over the past week what they really want, starting with the Mitt Romney editiorial in the NY Times:
The new management must work with labor leaders to see that the enmity between labor and management comes to an end. This division is a holdover from the early years of the last century, when unions brought workers job security and better wages and benefits. But as Walter Reuther, the former head of the United Automobile Workers, said to my father, “Getting more and more pay for less and less work is a dead-end street.”
You don’t have to look far for industries with unions that went down that road. Companies in the 21st century cannot perpetuate the destructive labor relations of the 20th. This will mean a new direction for the U.A.W., profit sharing or stock grants to all employees and a change in Big Three management culture.

When Mitt Romney says a “new direction” for unions, the new direction means planned obsolescence. It is important to remember what Mitt Romney does to make his money, and when he gives advice to what should happen to the auto industry, you need to understand that his vision for America is more of the same- in his worldview, everyone is working for $8 dollars an hour at Wal-Mart, getting their health care from medicare/medicaid, and barely making it.
On Monday last week, Todd Harris picked up the ball and ran with it:
Harris: Republicans are going to be looking-as we talk about concessions on the management side, we’re going to be looking, when you talk about bailing out Detroit, looking at reopening some of those ridiculous union contracts that have been huge, massive giveaways.
***
No, I don’t-I don’t think that this is class warfare. I mean, you talk about a company like AIG or a company like Citigroup, and there was bipartisan consensus that they were simply too big to allow to fail.
Now, you haven’t heard-at least I’m not aware of any Republicans saying, no, you have got to protect the AIG management, or you have got to protect the Citigroup management. If they need to be hung out to dry, then let them hang them out to dry. But, when you talk about some of these union contracts that are really crippling the Big Three, it’s not just that they made bad cars or that they made cars that used a lot of gas. They certainly did, although their cars are a lot better now. But, if you’re going to address fundamental reform in Detroit, you have got to have the union issue on the table.

And just so you are completely clear on what the real agenda is for the Republicans, the WSJ brings it home this morning:

Consider labor costs. Take-home wages at the U.S. car makers average $28.42 an hour, according to the Center for Automotive Research. That’s on par with $26 at Toyota, $24 at Honda and $21 at Hyundai. But include benefits, and the picture changes. Hourly labor costs are $44.20 on average for the non-Detroit producers, in line with most manufacturing jobs, but are $73.21 for Detroit.
This $29 cost gap reflects the way Big Three management and unions have conspired to make themselves uncompetitive—increasingly so as their market share has collapsed (see the nearby chart). Over the decades the United Auto Workers won pension and health-care benefits far more generous than in almost any other American industry. As a result, for every UAW member working at a U.S. car maker today, three retirees collect benefits; at GM, the ratio is 4.6 to one.

Highly recommend heading over and participating in the conversation if you get a chance. Don't want anyone missing comments like this:

Let’s see…professional athletes have strong labor unions, but the leagues are doing well. Service workers like janitors have unions but I don’t see the hospitality industry dying. And there were no unions in finance industries that were run into the ground. But it’s the unions’ fault. Always is.

It's nice to see folks willing to say what needs to be said, that Unions aren't at fault in the current mess. This mess if far more complex and it starts with the letter R, Recession. Funnily enough, that's also the letter that starts the party name that brought us this Recession. Amazing how that works.

To My Brothers and Sisters at UFW

2008-11-27T10:22:00.000-05:00

It's that time of year, holiday time. Lots of parties will take place over the next several weeks, so how about looking for union made spirits for those parties?

This was a bad year for those that tend to grapes to make wine in
California. Five known heat related deaths including an 17 year old girl
that was expecting. After reading about her, I switched to only UFW
approved wines.

Memorial Service for 17-Year-Old Farm Worker; First Heat-Related Death this Year.

UFW's own Black Eagle was served at the Democratic Convention with great pride.

The United Farm Workers has launched BlackEagleWines.com selling wine produced under UFW contract by farm workers who have decent wages, health care and a pension. The proceeds support the UFW's organizing.

The rest of the approved wine list is available on United Farm Workers site.

WINE
Chateau Ste. Michelle
Columbia Crest
Saddle Mountain
Farron Ridge
North Star
Snoqualmie
St. Supery
Dollarhide Ranch
Scheid Vineyards Inc.
Balletto
Charles Krug
C.K. Mondavi
C.R. Cellars

You can also serve UFW veggies etc...

So, this holiday season, support the efforts of the United Farm Workers and ensure that farm workers have health care and pensions and are treated fairly. They work hard and should be able to raise families on the wages they earn.

A pump salesman's son speaks of life without the Big 3

2008-11-26T15:10:00.000-05:00

"One company employs about 100,000, the other employs millions. What’s the real difference? The people who work for AIG wake up, shower and go to work. The vast majority of people who work for the Big Three wake up, go to work, come home and shower ." - Brandon Spence

Screw the jackals in the main stream, here in a response to an article that states "let them fail" is some of the down to earth facts of what life without the "Big 3" car manufacturers would be like for all of us. Here's a response to some scumbag named Morgan Liddick's article that appeared in the Colorado's Summit Daily News, where he didn't hide his anti-union views, the original was titled "U.S. automakers have a duty to die". Many could just sit there and raed and ingest the story and go on with their lives, not caring about all the jobs that would be lost if indeed the "Big 3" went away. But wait, there is a voice of reason out there in Colorado, his name is Brandon Spence and here's what he had to say:

Re: “U.S. automakers have a duty to die,” Morgan Liddick, SDN Nov. 25
In a very twisted way, a part of me hopes Morgan Liddick and those who share his position for the Big Three to “die” get their way. Only for the sake to see what he would be writing years from now after the U.S. has slipped into an economic abyss. Would he then stand by his column that U.S. automakers have a duty to die? I somehow think not.

I am fourth-generation Flint, Mich. GM baby. My great grandfather was a part of the infamous 1937 Flint Sit-Down Strike. My grandfather put in 30 years at GM. One uncle recently retired from GM. Another has been a Teamster for as long as I can remember. My father’s job, selling industrial pumps, would not have existed if not for the Big Three. And I was born in Flint with most of my family still in both the Flint and Detroit areas.

I have seen first-hand what happens when the U.S. automotive industry fails. If you want to know what America will look like if the Big Three do not get their $25 billion loan, take a look at southeast Michigan. Unemployment is approaching 10 percent and will likely eclipse that mark by the end of 2009, with an estimated 108,000 jobs being cut . This would be just the beginning. The unemployment rate during the Great Depression averaged about 14 percent. Reports indicate the nearly three million jobs will be lost if GM, Ford and Chrysler file Chapter 11. That could dramatically escalate when you factor in that one in 10 jobs in the U.S. are tied into the automotive industry: parts suppliers, truck drivers, advertising agencies, dealers, etc. Those are the obvious ones.

The steel workers throughout the Midwest would take a major hit, one they cannot afford. There are also insurance agencies that will be bogged down with health insurance claims and benefits that are tied up in bankruptcy court for years. Millions of Americans overnight without jobs and healthcare.

But yes, Mr. Liddick, you’re right the automotive industry deserves to die. You’re right. They did produce the biggest cars and trucks possible. But this is not solely the fault of the automakers. Americans wanted the biggest, and that’s exactly what they got. It’s far easier to wake up one day with gas at $4 a gallon and decide to buy a smaller fuel-efficient vehicle than it is to change all of your manufacturing plants. That takes time. And for the record, let’s dispel the myth about the current quality and inefficiency of Big Three vehicles. A J D Power quality study scored eight Big Three brands as high or higher than Acura, Audi, BMW, Honda, Nissan, Scion, Volkswagen and Volvo. Both the Chevy Malibu and Ford Fusion scored higher than the Toyota Camry and Honda Accord. All of the Detroit Three build midsize sedans the EPA rates at 29-33 mpg on the highway. The most fuel-efficient Chevrolet Malibu gets 33 mpg on the highway, 2 mpg better than the best Honda Accord.

So who do you want to see punished by this? It certainly won’t be the CEOs. They’ll be fine. The other millions that don’t wear white collars, not so much. AIG was handed upwards of $150 billion. The Big Three are asking for a loan, to be paid back, of $25 billion. One company employs about 100,000, the other employs millions. What’s the real difference? The people who work for AIG wake up, shower and go to work. The vast majority of people who work for the Big Three wake up, go to work, come home and shower.

The Big Three catapulted America into the 20th Century as an economic power. During WWII Detroit halted production and turned its attention to building tanks. A quarter of all tanks manufactured in the U.S. came from the Detroit Arsenal Tank Plant, a division of Chrysler. General Motors was the world’s largest employer for most of the last century. The backbone of this country was built on the labor of the automotive industry. And now when it looks bleak, people like you, Mr. Liddick, want to see them crash and burn. I’ll be sure not to call you if I’m in a bind. Finally, off point here. You said “WE” voted for change in the last election. I somehow find it hard to believe that you voted for change. Have a happy Thanksgiving.

And a very good article at DailyKOS:
Detroit is angry at anti-autoworker media spin

History, the Labor Movement and DC

2008-11-26T07:55:00.000-05:00

Today is a sad and scary day. An Iranian teacher and unionist has been taken from his cell for execution. I've already signed up through Joe's Union Review, sending a message to the Iranian President, I hope you will, too.

This post isn't about the execution, it's about Labor History in the DC area.

Take for instance, I never noticed there's a statue to A Philip Randolph

Union Station
Columbus Cir at Mass Ave and First St
Washington, DC, United States

Honors the labor leader and civil rights leader A. Philip Randolph, leader of the Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters.

I've been inside Union Station, hell I've even noticed the statue, but I never really noticed it.
I also didn't know that Joe Hill's Ashes are in the National Archives:

National Archives
7th & D Sts
Washington, DC, United States

Joe Hill provided the American labor movement with one of its most compelling slogans: "Don't Mourn. Organize!" Although he never visited Washington, labor songwriter and agitator Joe Hill turned up posthumously. After his execution by the state of Utah on a trumped-up murder conviction, Hill's body was sent to Chicago to be cremated (Hill had famously declared that he did not want to "be caught dead in Utah"). Packets of his ashes were then mailed to members of the Industrial Workers of the World (IWW, or Wobblies) to be scattered in every state. One such packet, intercepted by postal officials under the Espionage Act, ended up at the National Archives. Thanks to the Potomac Labor History Association, the ashes were turned over to the IWW in 1988. However, the envelope remains in the National Archives. It bears a photo of labor's martyr and the caption "Joe Hill, murdered by the capitalist class, November 19, 1915. Industrial Workers of the World. We must never forget." (Jon Garlock, based on reports in the New York Times 11/17/88 and The New Yorker 12/.19/88)

Chris Garlock of the DC Labor Council did one hell of a job putting this Labor Map together, and I for one am so glad he did.

Now, get off my site and over to Joe's so that you can take action on Iran.

Act Now!: Stop todays hanging of a teacher/unionist in Iran!

2008-11-26T05:37:00.000-05:00

Act NOW!! Don't let a unionist die!! Spread the word, sign the e-action e-mail.

From Eric Lee over at Labourstart

Act NOW!
Iran: Save the life of Farzad Kamangar
Education International (EI) has been informed that Farzad Kamangar, the Iranian Kurdish teacher and social worker sentenced to death on "absolutely zero evidence" according to his lawyer, could be hanged on Wednesday 26 November 2008.

According to several reliable sources, he has been taken from his cell 121 in ward 209 of Tehran’s Evin prison in preparation for execution. Jail security officers are said to have told him he is about to be executed and they are making fun of him, calling him a martyr.

The Revolutionary Court issued the death sentence against Kamangar on 25 February 2008. His lawyer has said: "Nothing in Kamangar’s judicial files and records demonstrates any links to the charges brought against him." Kamangar was cleared of all charges during the investigation process. The last time Kamangar was seen, he was at the health clinic of Evin prison and his physical condition was poor. Witnesses testify that he has been beaten again. Kamangar has not been allowed to see his lawyer or family members for the past two months.

EI has been appealing to the Iranian authorities to commute Kamangar's death sentence and ensure his case is reviewed fairly.

Now, EI is once again appealing to Iranian judicial authorities to halt the execution. EI is also asking members of the international community urgently to intervene.

Click here to ACT NOW!!

We can save the life of a fellow unionist in another country if we Act Now!!!

Gotta run to work.I signed it. It only take a minute.

Solidarity

2008-11-24T08:32:00.000-05:00

I've been struggling with what to say about the incestuous bias in the media against the UAW through the media's repetition of Right Wing lies, distortions and avarice. Problem is that I didn't really know how to sum it up. To boil it down to what I really wanted to say or maybe it was how I wanted to say it.

Until today.

I was over at Dailykos and noticed a comment in a diary on the Bridge loan to automakers:

The lazy, overpaid autoworker stereotype is outdated and tiresome. Just like any other industry, we have our share of slackers, but the overwhelming majority of our workforce "bring it" every day.

You say the UAW needs to accept concessions to help solve this crisis. Apparently you haven't been paying attention for the last 20 years or so. The companies have been asking for and receiving concessions for the last several contracts. The most recent contract allows for a nearly 50% lower wage for the next generation of workers, while also removing health care costs from the company books.

Apparently that's not enough. You want to see us all out of work.

The bottom line is that while the UAW and management have played a part in the past mistakes, both have been working to ensure a solid future for the industry for years.

Over that same time the government has done nothing to help regarding affordable health care, balanced trade and tax incentives that reward companies for keeping jobs here instead of outsourcing. The middle class (led by the unions) tried to sound the alarm years ago. Unfortunately, nobody listened because of their anti-union prejudices.

The comment comes from a 29 year veteran of an assembly line, a UAW member, in the Detroit Free Press.

There is so much anti-union blather out there in the ether that it’s hard to cut threw it and make sense of anything sometimes. Here, on Uniongal, we try to do that. We try to find a way to remind each reader that there is something bigger than the ether, than the anti-union comments you read or the blatant anti-worker bias in the media. There’s something so much bigger out there, it’s solidarity.

This weekend, I read a similar thread on .UnionReview and commented:

We do fight back. Everyday you remember that there are brothers and sisters in your union, you beat folks like National Review. Everytime you talk to some random person about what it means to be in a union, what it means to have brothers and sisters in the stuggle are always victories against these jack asses.
Solidarity means that we come together and everytime we do, they are afraid and when they are afraid, they will take a brush and with broad strokes, they will paint us with the actions they themselves take.
So, when you read their comments and they make their statements, say what you have to, clearly, loudly and with the strength and honesty of those who have come before all of us. From the women at the Triangle Shirt Factory to Wesley Everest and to the current struggles for representation so many are fired for trying to obtain.
And when you do speak, know that you're not alone. We're all with you.
In Solidarity
Uniongal

It was something small. Nothing I haven’t felt or meant to say in the past. It’s just that I don’t think I’ve really thought about it. About what it really means to fight for workers, I just do it. It’s a part of who I am.

Fighting for my brothers and sisters in labor is just something I do, naturally. I have never stopped to think about it and I’m sure many of you haven’t either. I don’t care about the infighting, the dirty laundry, the poaching from one union to another union; it just doesn’t matter as long as workers can bargain, collectively.

Then I met someone who made me actually stop and think about it. I’ve thought about the why and this came about not through the Big 3 or through the constant anti-union sentiments about the UAW or IAM (from the Boeing strike) or how Andrea Mitchell and Tom Brokaw shill for the anti Employee Free Choice Act every chance they get. I started to think about it on Saturday.

You see, I went out with a new friend on Saturday. He's really an absolutely amazing person, just being near him makes me feel this unbelievable electrical jolt, you know, that feeling, when you remember why you do what you do? That jolt from the passion that is taking on the system, or fighting the good fight?

He’d shared some stuff on being a firefighter and me, well, I’ve never been much of a fan of IAFF. On a scale from one to 10 and 10 being my love for my former union (you all know I was a Teamster, right?) and 1 being my feelings toward Right Wingers, IAFF was about a 3, okay, maybe a 4.

But this guy out of the blue had me thinking about stuff. I’m not a retrospective girl. I like things to be clear, kind of orderly and since I’d made up my mind on IAFF, I really just didn’t think of them in the same way that I did IBEW, UFCW, UFW, UNITE-HERE and many others, I just didn’t.

So, he’s read my blog and he and I have had a couple of side conversations about the IAFF. He's told me about the The Secret List.
and how he's seen too many firefighters injured due to new construction issues. He’s talked about how industry standards are so low now, that during a fire, you can’t always head into a building because the materials used in new construction are so flimsy that you fall threw floors or ceilings collapse and roofs as well. Just yesterday, a Firefighter on Staten Island lost his life while battling a blaze when the roof collapsed.

But this weekend for me was different. It started out like any other weekend, busy and then, he sent me an e-mail about solidarity.

Solidarity.

IAFF is as much a brother in the struggle as the 29 year veteran of GM.

Today, I’m reminded of what it is I fight, for my brothers and sisters and there’s no rest on the horizon for any of us and yeah, I also mean you right wingers who idolize the likes of Rick Berman. Be prepared to fight, because I am.

I am now, more than ever, clear that what we need is just a little concept called solidarity.

To my brothers and sisters in Labor, Uniongal Salutes you. And yep, I mean you all in IAFF, too. You’re now a 10 in my book.

Some jackass banned me from the Ridgid Plumbing Forum

2008-11-23T23:20:00.000-05:00

I made 2 posts one of them with some info about the "Big 3" crisis and it had a link to my site, I didn't have the information saved unfortunately, but the other is this post which had a poll attached, it was called "Foreign made US flags should be outlawed, would you help if I created a petition?":

Here's an idea that is an easy one to get people to agree upon, or at least I would hope. Last week on CNN there was a report that $4.7 million dollars were spent in this country on US flags made on foreign soil. According to the report $4.2 million were manufactured in China. I had brought up this point at a dinner last week and one of the guests was a Vietnam Veteran, he looked at me when I was speaking and replied something close to this "I was at a friend's funeral, he was with me in 'Nam, his father was still alive and in his eighties, he had a full military service and when they folded the flag and handed it to his father, he looked at the tag and it..." I shouted "I don't want to hear the end of this story!" unfortunately he continued "..(it) was "Made in Vietnam" according to FiveStarFlags.com
"Five Star Flags are 100% made in the U.S.A. If you see U.S. flags advertised that do not clearly state they are "Made in USA", they are probably NOT! In fact, flag dealers nationwide are SO up in arms about imported flags, that if you see flags advertised that DO NOT BRAG about being made in America, if is probable they came in from overseas. Please note also the U.S. Government mandates flags 2' x 3' and larger MUST HAVE A 'COUNTRY OF ORIGIN' label. If you have purchased American flags that do not have a "Made in USA" label, that flag is imported. Five Star Flags does NOT sell imported flags." I see a huge problem with this, as do mostly everyone I speak to in the real world and online, so I am here asking for help, would you help get signatures for a petition that brings a Congressional bill back from the dead and asks that our Government prohibits flags that are not "Made In The U.S.A."?
The bill HR 2993, was called the Genuine American Flag Act and was sponsored by Congressman Dan Boren from OK, it was introduced in July of 2007 and it seems to have been abandoned, the bill states:
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the `Genuine American Flag Act'.
SEC. 2. IMPORTATION FOR SALE OF FOREIGN-MADE AMERICAN FLAGS PROHIBITED.
Beginning 6 months after the date of the enactment of this Act, no flag of the United States of America (regardless of size and whether or not in compliance with the standard proportions prescribed by Executive order) that is the product or manufacture of any foreign country or instrumentality may be imported for sale into the United States.
As noted at GovTrack(updated on Nov.6, 2008), the bill was refereed to the Subcommittee on Trade and:
The majority of bills never make it out of committee. Keep in mind that sometimes the text of one bill is incorporated into another bill, and in those cases the original bill, as it would appear here, would seem to be abandoned.
I think all American flags should be made here where someone in my country can put food on their table, so will you help? I have asked countless people from all walks of life and all have stated "why wouldn't someone agree with this?" and I reply I have no idea.

So I have posted this poll here and in the Ridgid forums, another union and nonunion hangout, to get a diverse response base and see how well this is received. So please vote and add some comments, this is in the very beginning stages.

Thanks,
Joe

Clearly a General discussion type of story if ever there was one, but I tried to see if anyone got a looksie at the article and voted on the poll and I was greeted with a "BANNED: reason spam, BAN lift time: NEVER"

That's just fucking great some almighty cunt of an administrator bans me for fighting for American jobs, and they did it in a way that I can't even state a defense for my case. What a real silly thing to do. I didn't even break any rules, figuring I must have missed something I checked, here's the rules in a nutshell:

By agreeing to these rules, you warrant that you will not post any messages that are obscene, vulgar, sexually-oriented, hateful, threatening, or otherwise violative of any laws.

The owners of RIDGID Plumbing Forum, Woodworking Forum, Power Tool Forum reserve the right to remove, edit, move or close any thread for any reason.

It doesn't have any rule against getting support for a petition, guess if the company has anything to do with the forum, they probably think I will be asking for people to sign a petition for them to make their crappy power woodworking tools in this country.

Realizing the Promise LiveBlogging December 4th

2008-11-23T21:29:00.000-05:00

You might notice a new icon on the right to Realizing the Promise.

From their press release:

Grassroots leaders from every part of this country will engage directly with key members of Congress and the new administration,” said Deepak Bhargava, executive director of the Center for Community Change. “This is a chance to keep democracy alive after Election Day, and to make sure the voices of everyday people help shape policy.”

Realizing the Promise is an extension of the Heartland Presidential Forum held on December 1, 2007, in which then-Sen. Barack Obama pledged that grassroots leaders would help shape his agenda as president. The forum will also build on the momentum of more than 60 Faith and Democracy Forums and Community Values events held locally in the last few months around the country, sponsored by the Gamaliel Foundation’s affiliates and the grassroots partners of the Campaign for Community Values.

“The big problems we’re facing as a nation demand big solutions,” said Ana Garcia-Ashley, Southern Territory director of the Gamaliel Foundation. “We know that only through our faith and by working together can we make America work for all of us. We’ve heard from the politicians, now it’s time to hear from the people.”

Our newest Uniongal writer will be liveblogging the event.

Autoworkers and the $73 and hour myth (Updated: Michael Moore, Pat Buchanan and the Rick Berman ties)

2008-11-23T19:09:00.000-05:00

the claim that workers are getting $70 an hour in compensation is just "not true."
The catch phrase that is used to make people hate unions

image by David Horsey- Seattle Post Intelligencer

The corporate war against unions and American workers in general has taken an awful turn, in 'if you repeat it people will believe it is true fashion' the stooges against us are creating more anti-union sentiment with making us think that only unionized autoworkers are making far too much money as opposed to the rest of us here in the U.S.

Alas their fear of the possible passage of the Employee Free Choice Act is making them slam the unions as hard as possible, getting catch phrases like "73 dollars an hour" to become a household phrase, but you my dear reader are much smarter than those who believe this to be true. Finally the numbers have been scrutinized and the sensationalistic numbers have been brought to our attention, the average union autoworker makes around $28 an hour as of 2007 and the new contract signed in early 2008 will limit the top wage of many non-core new hires to roughly $14 an hour with a lower degree of benefit costs also. That's a whole lot less than what a Toyota worker makes here in the US, but it was done to create American jobs.

The average UAW autoworker at the 'Big 3' makes roughly a little less than $60,000 a year and the average non-union autoworker in the U.S. makes roughly $52,000 and considering that most of the nonunion plants are in lower cost of living areas, I would say that both are quite competitive with one another. Basically no one is getting rich who is a general worker at any U.S. auto manufacturing plant. The anti-union forces along with the corporate right are spinning this to create more anti-union sentiment in our country. They fixate on a number that sounds outlandish and just keep repeating it until you say "greedy union worker", when in fact with the way the world is changing even the nonunion manufacturers here will be cutting back and need help eventually as it is very hard to compete globally when places such as Mexico have a minimum wage of $2 an hour, Bangladesh is only $0.06, and Vietnam is $64 an month.

So the choice is your, keep listening to their horseshit, keep hating your fellow American workers, keep letting them get away with outsourcing all of our industry or open your eyes and let them know that you know they are misinforming us. Remember "unions force jobs overseas" or at least that's what they want you to believe.

Yes these are bad times, really bad times, but don't take it out on the American workers, not the union ones or the nonunion ones, we are all hurting, don't let them get away with driving a bigger wedge between all of us, the collapse of GM, Ford and Chrysler will cost us 3 million U.S. jobs, add that to the 50,000+ Citibank workers, and all the others who have recently been laid off and you can see now we as the American working class need to rely on each other now more than ever.

Debunking the $73/hour Myth

Here's the scoop on the pay at the 'Big 3', from the pages of The New Republic

Why Are We Bailing Out Auto Workers Who Make $70 An Hour?
by Jonathan Cohn
Debunking the myth of the $70-per-hour autoworker.
If you've been following the auto industry's crisis, then you've probably read or heard a lot about overpaid American autoworkers--in particular, the fact that the average hourly employee of the Big Three makes $70 per hour.
That's an awful lot of money. Seventy dollars an hour in wages works out to almost $150,000 a year in gross income, if you assume a forty-hour work week. Is it any wonder the Big Three are in trouble? And with auto workers making so much, why should taxpayers--many of whom make far less--finance a plan to bail them out?
Well, here's one reason: The figure is wildly misleading.
Let's start with the fact that it's not $70 per hour in wages. According to Kristin Dziczek of the Center for Automative Research--who was my primary source for the figures you are about to read--average wages for workers at Chrysler, Ford, and General Motors were just $28 per hour as of 2007. That works out to a little less than $60,000 a year in gross income--hardly outrageous, particularly when you consider the physical demands of automobile assembly work and the skills most workers must acquire over the course of their careers.

More important, and contrary to what you may have heard, the wages aren't that much bigger than what Honda, Toyota, and other foreign manufacturers pay employees in their U.S. factories. While we can't be sure precisely how much those workers make, because the companies don't make the information public, the best estimates suggests the corresponding 2007 figure for these "transplants"--as the foreign-owned factories are known--was somewhere between $20 and $26 per hour, and most likely around $24 or $25. That would put average worker's annual salary at $52,000 a year.
So the "wage gap," per se, has been a lot smaller than you've heard. And this is no accident. If the transplants paid their employees far less than what the Big Three pay their unionized workers, the United Auto Workers would have a much better shot of organizing the transplants' factories. Those factories remain non-unionized and management very much wants to keep it that way.

But then what's the source of that $70 hourly figure? It didn't come out of thin air. Analysts came up with it by including the cost of all employer-provided benefits--namely, health insurance and pensions--and then dividing by the number of workers. The result, they found, was that benefits for Big Three cost about $42 per hour, per employee. Add that to the wages--again, $28 per hour--and you get the $70 figure. Voila.
Except ... notice something weird about this calculation? It's not as if each active worker is getting health benefits and pensions worth $42 per hour. That would come to nearly twice his or her wages. (Talk about gold-plated coverage!) Instead, each active worker is getting benefits equal only to a fraction of that--probably around $10 per hour, according to estimates from the International Motor Vehicle Program. The number only gets to $70 an hour if you include the cost of benefits for retirees--in other words, the cost of benefits for other people. One of the few people to grasp this was Portfolio.com's Felix Salmon. As he noted yesterday, the claim that workers are getting $70 an hour in compensation is just "not true."
Of course, the cost of benefits for those retirees--you may have heard people refer to them as "legacy costs"--do represent an extra cost burden that only the Big Three shoulder. And, yes, it makes it difficult for the Big Three to compete with foreign-owned automakers that don't have to pay the same costs. But don't forget why those costs are so high. While the transplants don't offer the same kind of benefits that the Big Three do, the main reason for their present cost advantage is that they just don't have many retirees.
The first foreign-owned plants didn't start up here until the 1980s; many of the existing ones came well after that. As of a year ago, Toyota's entire U.S. operation had less than 1,000 retirees. Compare that to a company like General Motors, which has been around for more than a century and which supports literally hundreds of thousands of former workers and spouses. As you might expect, many of these have the sorts of advanced medical problems you expect from people to develop in old age. And, it should go without saying, those conditions cost a ton of money to treat.
To be sure, we've known about these demographics for a while. Management and labor in Detroit should have figured out a solution it long ago. But while the Big Three were late in addressing this problem, they did address it eventually.
Notice how, in this article, I've constantly referred to 2007 figures? There's a good reason. In 2007, the Big Three signed a breakthrough contract with the United Auto Workers (UAW) designed, once and for all, to eliminate the compensation gap between domestic and foreign automakers in the U.S.
The agreement sought to do so, first, by creating a private trust for financing future retiree benefits--effectively removing that burden from the companies' books. The auto companies agreed to deposit start-up money in the fund; after that, however, it would be up to the unions to manage the money. And it was widely understood that, given the realities of investment returns and health care economics, over time retiree health benefits would likely become less generous.
In addition, management and labor agreed to change health benefits for all workers, active or retired, so that the coverage looked more like the policies most people have today, complete with co-payments and deductibles. The new UAW agreement also changed the salary structure, by creating a two-tiered wage system. Under this new arrangement, the salary scale for newly hired workers would be lower than the salary scale for existing workers.

One can debate the propriety and wisdom of these steps; two-tiered wage structures, in particular, raise various ethical concerns. But one thing is certain: It was a radical change that promised to make Detroit far more competitive. If carried out as planned, by 2010--the final year of this existing contract--total compensation for the average UAW worker would actually be less than total compensation for the average non-unionized worker at a transplant factory. The only problem is that it will be several years before these gains show up on the bottom line--years the industry probably won't have if it doesn't get financial assistance from the government.
Make no mistake: The argument over a proposed rescue package is complicated, in no small part because over the years both management and labor made some truly awful decisions while postponing the inevitable reckoning with economic reality. And even if the government does provide money, it's a tough call whether restructuring should proceed with or without a formal bankruptcy filing. Either way, yet more downsizing is inevitable.
But the next time you hear somebody say the unions have to make serious salary and benefit concessions, keep in mind that they already have--enough to keep the companies competitive, if only they can survive this crisis.

Jonathan Cohn is a senior editor at The New Republic.

My apologies to my readers for the lapse of writing on my behalf, I needed some time after the election to rest, work has been very satisfying also and I have been trying to have more free time with my family. Fear not I have a lot to say and a ton of ammunition on really bad shit happening against workers in today's America, I even have about 4 stories in the sandbox that need final editing to go forward and get published, but I need some time to focus and get the facts correct and intact.

More child labor in our backyard, more unscrupulous employers rejecting us in favor of undocumented workers with little or no rights and even a touch of good news, a story on more clothing made in the USA.

Update #1:
Michael Moore, Moore on the $73 Myth and the anti-union ties to it, just like I wrote and spoke about last Thursday at the NYC Central Labor Council meeting

Michael Moore on the arrogance of the Big 3
this is from CNN on Nov.19th.

It's more like $41 for the entire package
Another update on the myth from Media Matters (11/22/08), in a story entitled "Media figures falsely assert or suggest autoworkers make $70/hour without noting figure includes benefits paid to current retirees" (In part, entire article at link above):

In a November 18 post on his American Prospect blog criticizing Sorkin's reporting, economist Dean Baker wrote that the $70 figure Sorkin used is distorted by conflating "legacy" costs -- medical benefits and pensions paid to retirees -- with current labor costs:

The New York Times told readers that GM's autoworkers are paid $70 an hour (including health care and pension). This is not true. The base pay is about $28 an hour. If health care cost per worker average $12,000 per year, that adds in another $6 an hour. If the pension payment takes up 25 percent of base pay (an extremely high pension), that gets you another $7 an hour, bringing the total to $41 an hour. That's decent pay, but still a long way from $70 an hour.

How does the NYT get from $41 to $70? Well the trick is to add in GM's legacy costs, the pension and health care costs for retired workers. These legacy costs are a serious expense for GM, but this is not money being paid to current workers. The person on the line in 2008 is not benefiting from these legacy costs.

Rick Berman, the US Chamber Of Commerce and their agenda against the Employee Free Choice Act

I called this one last week, I spoke in front of my fellow New york City Central Labor delegates and noted that the $73 an hour myth was perpetrated by anti-union forces seeking to discredit unions. Here's the payoff, Rick Berman, the corporate lobbyist and spin doctoring lawyer, who's past efforts were defending animal torture by trying to make PETA look bad, defending cigarette companies, trying to lower the legal drinking age and higher the breath test levels for the alcohol companies and trying to defend the fish industry against claims of mercury levels that are dangerous. He is also the creator of The Center For Union Facts, a biased attack site against unions which is funded by McDonalds, Smithfield Pork and others who I cannot name due to court papers being locked.

One of Mr.Berman's front groups, the business-backed Employee Freedom Action Committee has been showing commercials which attack unions. Are we gonna let this corporate shill distort the facts? Here's the scoop from The Hill in a story by By Ian Swanson entitled "Business group blames unions for carmakers’ woes" (full story at link):

Unions are to blame for the Big Three automakers’ problems, according to a television ad meant to stoke public opposition to organized labor’s number one legislative priority.

“Steel, auto, airlines. What do these industries all have in common?” asks the ad sponsored by the business-backed Employee Freedom Action Committee, which was active in several hotly contested Senate races this year. “Hundreds of thousands of lost jobs and union bosses that helped put them out of business.”

The advertisement urges people to fight the Employee Free Choice Act, which unions hope will be taken up quickly by the Democratic Congress and President-elect Barack Obama. The bill would eliminate the requirement for workers to cast secret ballots in deciding whether to organize, making it easier to form unions.

Business groups are paying for the ad to run on CNN and the Fox cable news network Monday through Wednesday, according to the group’s spokesman, Tim Miller. He said the ad buy was “fairly substantial” but declined to specify a figure. A similar ad ran in Mississippi and New Hampshire in conjunction with Senate races in those states, where business groups worked to tie Democrats to the Employee Free Choice Act.

“If Americans like what the unions did to Detroit’s economy, they’ll love what the unions will do to the country,” said Richard Berman, the business group’s executive director.

“The unions have played a significant role in nearly bankrupting the Big Three automakers with untenable inefficiencies which have put tens of thousands out of work,” Bergman said. He said the union bill, known as “card-check legislation,” would do the same to millions of jobs across the country.

Alan Reuther, legislative director for the United Autoworkers, blasted the ad and Bergman’s comments. He said the auto industry’s problems rest on a series of bad trade and healthcare policies, and that the credit crunch is to blame for the current crisis.

Reuther also said major concessions offered by unions in their 2005 and 2007 contracts will result in the elimination of the cost-gap between union and non-union plants. “We feel that we’ve stepped up to the plate,” he said.

He also pointed to a 2007 report by two auto industry consulting firms that found nine of the 10 most-efficient auto plants in North America have workers organized by the United Autoworkers or the Canadian Autoworkers.

It's called Propaganda
"Propaganda should be popular, not intellectually pleasing. It is not the task of propaganda to discover intellectual truths."

You know who said that? Joseph Goebbels, Adolf Hitler's Propaganda Minister in Nazi Germany, he got the people to focus and hate other people, this cycle is repeated over and over throughout history, Goebbels also quips

“The most brilliant propagandist technique will yield no success unless one fundamental principle is borne in mind constantly - it must confine itself to a few points and repeat them over and over”

We have seen this recently in the term "terrorism", which was used against President-Elect Barack Obama by Sarah Palin in a failing campaign.

Now these groups against workers want to use the manifestation of "greedy" union workers, those guys and gals who are making a whopping "$73 an hour", it's all propaganda and many of us are eating it up.

Even Pat Buchanan doesn't blame the autoworkers

from "PJB: Who Killed Detroit?" (11/21/08):

Who killed the U.S. auto industry?

To hear the media tell it, arrogant corporate chiefs failed to foresee the demand for small, fuel-efficient cars and made gas-guzzling road-hog SUVs no one wanted, while the clever, far-sighted Japanese, Germans and Koreans prepared and built for the future.

I dissent. What killed Detroit was Washington, the government of the United States, politicians, journalists and muckrakers who have long harbored a deep animus against the manufacturing class that ran the smokestack industries that won World War II.

He continues (full article in link above):

It then clamped fuel efficiency standards on the entire U.S. car fleet.

Next, Washington imposed a corporate tax rate of 35 percent, raking off another 15 percent of autoworkers’ wages in Social Security payroll taxes

State governments imposed income and sales taxes, and local governments property taxes to subsidize services and schools.

The United Auto Workers struck repeatedly to win the highest wages and most generous benefits on earth — vacations, holidays, work breaks, health care, pensions — for workers and their families, and retirees.

Now there is nothing wrong with making U.S. plants the cleanest and safest on earth or having U.S. autoworkers the highest-paid wage earners.

That is the dream, what we all wanted for America.

And under the 14th Amendment, GM, Ford and Chrysler had to obey the same U.S. laws and pay at the same tax rates. Outside the United States, however, there was and is no equality of standards or taxes.

Thus when America was thrust into the Global Economy, GM and Ford had to compete with cars made overseas in factories in postwar Japan and Germany, then Korea, where health and safety standards were much lower, wages were a fraction of those paid U.S. workers, and taxes were and are often forgiven on exports to the United States.

All three nations built “export-driven” economies.

The Beetle and early Japanese imports were made in factories where wages were far beneath U.S. wages and working conditions would have gotten U.S. auto executives sent to prison.

The competition was manifestly unfair, like forcing Secretariat to carry 100 pounds in his saddlebags in the Derby.

Japan, China and South Korea do not believe in free trade as we understand it. To us, they are our “trading partners.” To them, the relationship is not like that of Evans & Novak or Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers. It is not even like the Redskins and Cowboys. For the Cowboys only want to defeat the Redskins. They do not want to put their franchise out of business and end the competition — as the Japanese did to our TV industry by dumping Sonys here until they killed it.

While we think the Global Economy is about what is best for the consumer, they think about what is best for the nation.

Like Alexander Hamilton, they understand that manufacturing is the key to national power. And they manipulate currencies, grant tax rebates to their exporters and thieve our technology to win. Last year, as trade expert Bill Hawkins writes, South Korea exported 700,000 cars to us, while importing 5,000 cars from us.

That’s Asia’s idea of free trade.

How has this Global Economy profited or prospered America?

In the 1950s, we made all our own toys, clothes, shoes, bikes, furniture, motorcycles, cars, cameras, telephones, TVs, etc. You name it. We made it.

Are we better off now that these things are made by foreigners? Are we better off now that we have ceased to be self-sufficient? Are we better off now that the real wages of our workers and median income of our families no longer grow as they once did? Are we better off now that manufacturing, for the first time in U.S. history, employs fewer workers than government?

We no longer build commercial ships. We have but one airplane company, and it outsources. China produces our computers. And if GM goes Chapter 11, America will soon be out of the auto business.

Our politicians and pundits may not understand what is going on. Historians will have no problem explaining the decline and fall of the Americans.

Mr. Buchanan points towards over-government and unfair trade. I was happy to see his views, I'm so sick and tired of reading the propaganda that is today's mainstream, the likes of the US Chamber and Rick Berman who claim more unfair trade is a good thing for America make me sick. One commenter on the above article, Kurt2208, states:

Free trade agreements work fine with countries like Germany, England, japan and Canada which have close to the same standard of living. They do not work with third world and communist countries. As the traiter Dubya leaves office he is pushing another trade agreement with Columbia. I believe he should be tried and convicted of treason and shot!!!

Hope that last line doesn't get him in trouble. They might even call him a 'terrorist". We toss $700,000,000 billion on the banking industry that got us in this mess and when it comes to unionized workers the talking points start. Do you know what the US Chamber of Commerce and Mr.Berman had to say about the banking bailout? Nothing.

Now they blame the workers. Fucking amazing.

GM sent me an E-Mail on the crisis
I own a Chevy Impala

Despite what you may be hearing, we are not asking Congress for a bailout but rather a loan that will be repaid.

The U.S. economy is at a crossroads due to the worldwide credit crisis, and all Americans are feeling the effects of the worst economic downturn in 75 years. Despite our successful efforts to restructure, reduce costs and enhance liquidity, U.S. auto sales rely on access to credit, which is all but frozen through traditional channels.

The consequences of the domestic auto industry collapsing would far exceed the $25 billion loan needed to bridge the current crisis. According to a recent study by the Center for Automotive Research:

• One in 10 American jobs depends on U.S. automakers
• Nearly 3 million jobs are at immediate risk
• U.S. personal income could be reduced by $150 billion
• The tax revenue lost over 3 years would be more than $156 billion

Discussions are now underway in Washington, D.C., concerning loans to support U.S. carmakers. I am asking for your support in this vital effort by contacting your state representatives.

Please take a few minutes to go to www.gmfactsandfiction.com, where we have made it easy for you to contact your U.S. senators and representatives. Just click on the "I'm a Concerned American" link under the "Mobilize Now" section, and enter your name and ZIP code to send a personalized e-mail stating your support for the U.S. automotive industry.

Update #2♦:
Spotted a new blog by the autoworkers who are trapped in this mess, it's called Joe The Autoworker, go stop bye and show some support for our fellow American workers

The Rat Race

2008-11-23T12:35:00.000-05:00

By POLYP

Building and Construction Trades statement on President-Elect Obama's actions on climate change

2008-11-23T12:14:00.000-05:00

Statement of BCTD President Mark H. Ayers in Response to President-Elect Obama's Stated Intent to Act Quickly on Climate Change

WASHINGTON, Nov. 21 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The following is a statement by BCTD President Mark H. Ayers:

By stating his intent to act quickly on the issue of climate change, President-Elect Obama is already delivering the kind of leadership he promised on one of the world's most pressing issues. The skilled craft workers who comprise America's Building Trades Unions will be essential to not only developing and deploying the clean energy technology of the future, but also to build the expanded energy grid infrastructure that will be necessary to distribute this power. We know that with willing partners in government, we can solve the climate crisis and create the good jobs that will be essential to ensuring a robust economic recovery.

SOURCE Building and Construction Trades Department, AFL-CIO

Quote of the day

2008-11-22T17:01:00.000-05:00

Gotta love it, from the Reddit threads on the story "I'm an American Worker and I'm Tired of Getting Screwed"

I don't want the government's help spending my money, cause they sure as hell didn't help me earn it.
Right. The government didn't provide a safe environment for you to work in. The government didn't facilitate the interstate trade that makes your business flourish. The government didn't build the roads that serve the business that you work for. The government didn't establish the minimum wage laws that keep you from working for peanuts.

I could continue, but the point is clear. You don't know what the hell you're talking about.

I'm an American Worker and I'm Tired of Getting Screwed

2008-11-22T12:34:00.000-05:00

The American worker doesn't want a handout. Never did. We do want a hand up from our government. - Rick Kepler, American worker

Like I said in the last article, "Autoworkers and the $73 and hour myth," I have been busy and a lot of stories have sat in the sandbox, fortunately enough for all of us AlterNet has received the same e-mail that I have, and run the story before I could. For that I'm really glad because it got the discussion running over there, and it needs to be spoken about.

So from our new friend, and fellow pissed off American worker, Rick Kepler, here's what I got in the inbox. (AlterNet provides the bio, please go there to discuss this)

I'm an American Worker and I'm Tired of Getting Screwed
I am an American worker, and you are damn right I want the wealth to be shared and spread. I am talking about the wealth my hard work helped to create, but was taken from me by George Bush's base, the very rich, or as I know them, my corporate bosses. For the past eight years I have watched W.'s and McCain's (Country Club First) base grab the largest share of our country's wealth. Where did they take it from? They took it from my family's pocketbook, and my co-workers' families' pocketbooks. They stole the wealth that I was trying to build for me and my family when they stripped my pension plan from me and told me to invest in a 401k. Then they stole most of that 401k and other workers' 401k savings with this economic meltdown. This was a massive transfer of wealth from the workers' pockets into the already stuffed pockets of the rich. My retirement savings and my coworkers' savings all across America have been looted by the corporate bosses, who just got bailed out while we got left out. Again!

The American worker, whether black, brown, white, red, yellow, or rainbow color, has been fleeced over these past eight years. We are the ones who go to work every day. We don't own our places of work, nor do we help manage them. We just go in and do the job. And we must be doing one hell of a good job because we are told that we are the most productive workers in the world. We are working longer and harder, but our paychecks keep shrinking! Where are those productivity gains going then? Not into our pockets. Our standard of living has been going down these past eight years ($2,000 less in family income since W. took office) This is another damn transfer of wealth into the hands of the extremely rich.

Their greed is insatiable. Take our family's health care. They do. They keep passing on their increased costs to us, or they just drop coverage for the worker completely. That means we either join the 50,000,000 who have no health care, or we end up having to buy it privately, thus eating up a huge portion of our family's income. If we manage to hang onto our health care plans, our deductibles, co-pays, and out-of-pay contributions keep skyrocketing. This amounts to another massive transfer of wealth from our pockets into the overflowing pockets of our corporate bosses.

The list goes on for the American worker. We saw overtime pay stripped from millions of workers during this past nightmare eight years. The worker was still working overtime, but due to a new "boss law" passed by W. and McCain's party that assists these thieves, the workers didn't receive overtime pay because they were declared exempt. They also weakened the workers' health and safety standards or just plain didn't enforce the laws already on the books. As a result, the American worker pays the price in lost days due to accidents from unsafe conditions or from lingering, expensive illnesses suffered from unhealthy working conditions. This too is a massive transfer of wealth from our pockets into our corporate bosses' bulging pockets.

To further sweeten their own pots, they took full-time jobs and converted them to part-time with no benefits, or they just made their employees line up and reapply for their exact same jobs at half the pay. Are we beginning to see what a true transfer of wealth looks like? So, do I want to see a spreading of the wealth? You bet your sweet hind-end I do. But all I ask of Obama is to give me and my co-workers the ability to retrieve some of the wealth that has been stolen from us.

Strengthen the laws that give workers the right to organize and bargain for a contract with our bosses. The current laws on the books have been torn to shreds by W. and McCain on behalf of their base. This is just part of their attack on American workers. Under globalization, the bosses seek a much cheaper workforce, which always means non-union, which means "can't fight back." That is why they have gutted the laws that protect workers. The laws that once gave us a level playing field with our bosses have been rendered useless, including our legal right to strike. That law said I had a right to strike, and could.

The American worker doesn't want a handout. Never did. We do want a hand up from our government. We still believe and have hope that this is a government of, by and for the people. We do want to know that our government will finally stand with us against this onslaught, this Robin Hood in reverse, being conducted by the bosses against the workers. The bosses know that W. and McCain have been on their side for the past eight years - and so do we workers. We just want our government to now stand on our side as we stand up against this corporate attempt to create third world working conditions right here in America. Restore our right to fight for a better living for ourselves and our families, and let the power of pissed-off workers, united in struggle, spread corporate America's stolen wealth back into the pockets of those whose pockets got picked these last eight years - the American worker.

Rick Kepler has driven beer trucks in New Orleans, Louisiana; Colorado Springs, Colorado and Oakland, California. He has tended bar in San Francisco, and worked on the railroad and loading docks in Ohio. Currently he's a Teamsters organizer who speaks to thousands of unorganized workers every year.

I asked Rick if he would like to write on the site and he responded "Not a regular writer but if Iget inspired again, would love to send it to you," I hope he continues to get inspired, we need more Rick's out there, we need to talk about work and whats going on in this country. I was especially happy because I got the e-mail right after I was ranting about the misconception that "unions force jobs overseas", I hope we can inspire each other and get more people talking. I am enjoying the conversation on Reddit, come join in. We might not all agree, but it is a really good community to learn from our fellow internet users frm all walks of life.

Communication is power.

Good Article About Free Choice Act

2008-11-20T14:27:00.000-05:00

Earlier this week I posted a tirade that the local Associated General Contractors Association posted about the Free Choice Act.

I found an article that goes into why they are so scared. It is because labor, with 250,000 volunteers, did the hard pick and shovel work of turning out the vote all around the country. This includes in targeted congressional seats. This is a big change from focusing on the base. Having these grassroots activists in competitive districts can help ensure that the candidates that campaign on labor's issues follow through at the policy level.

This is how the San Francisco Chronicle sums it up:

Under the proposed law, if a majority of employees at a workplace approve by signing authorization cards, a union will represent the group.

An Obama win meant everything to labor, because Sen. John McCain is an ardent opponent of the legislation, and labor's ground game was impressive: Unions spent about $450 million in the election, and the effort was particularly helpful in battleground states. In all, union members connected with 13 million voters in 24 states, in the process selling the Employee Free Choice Act along with the Democratic ticket.

However, the Democrats did not get a filibuster proof majority. Democrats currently have 58 Senators. In order to get the bill through the Senate, the bill's proponents must be able to stop a filibuster and that requires 60 votes.

Here is a link to the AFL-CIOs Free Employment Act Page.

Roskam Inquires About CEO Pay

2008-11-20T09:00:00.000-05:00

By Bendygirl
Crossposted from Bendygirl

I've been watching the hearings, hearing the testimony and pulling for the bridge loan. Then there was this tidbit, reported by Dana Milbank in the Washington Post:

So it was hard to feel sorry for the executives when Rep. Peter Roskam (R-Ill.), late in the hearing, reminded them again that "the symbolism of the private jet is difficult," and mischievously asked the witnesses whether, in another symbolic gesture, they would be willing to work for $1 a year, as Nardelli has offered to do.

"I don't have a position on that today," demurred Wagoner (2007 total compensation: $15.7 million).

"I understand the intent, but I think where we are is okay," said Mulally ($21.7 million).

"I'm asking about you," Roskam pressed.

"I think I'm okay where I am," Mulally said.

And don't even think about asking him to fly commercial.

CEO pay is a hot issue. AIG is goind out of its way to pay out for their "top managers" and then you have the big 3. The emphasis has been on the income of workers represented by the UAW (think Mitchells smarmy comments from Sunday's Meet the Press) and then there's reality:

Chrysler $29-$33:
More contract info by company here: http://uaw.org/contracts/index.php

TOYOTA
$30/hour

EXECS
Alan Mulally
Chief Executive Officer
Ford Motor Company
$22,750,385 in total 2007 compensation

G. Richard Wagoner
Chief Executive Officer
General Motors Corporation
$19,761,874 in total 2007 compensation.

Assuming a 40 hour work week, that's $9,615 an hour for Wagoner - 150% of the average CEO salary of $6,153/hour.

Chrysler isn't traded, but here's this article from the weekend about how Chrysler is paying about $30 million in retention bonuses to keep top executives while cutting thousands of jobs.

How much does the average AIG worker make? What's the median? How about the other "bailed out" organizations? Ones where they sent their IT operations off shore to India and elsewhere and canned all of their IT people like IndyMac (they weren't bailed out, just belly up)?

It's fine to get these numbers, but the issue isn't how much the average autoworker makes or the average Toyota or Honda worker, the message should be that these are American Workers who WORK. They produce American jobs, they contribute to their communities, they raise their kids, they vote and yeah, their represented by a union but they don't deserve anything less than what Wall Street has already gotten. That includes the Executives because not to do it means a destruction of local economies, not just detroit, we're talking Parma Ohio, Lordstown, St. Louis and this doesn't include the rolling effect on suppliers.

But let's take another look at AIG, again, from the Washington Post:

American International Group plans to pay out $503 million in deferred compensation to some of its top employees, saying it must tap the funds to keep valuable workers from exiting the troubled insurance giant.

News of the payments to top AIG talent comes as the federal government has just put more money into saving the company from bankruptcy, beefing up the total public commitment to $152 billion. Meanwhile, members of Congress are questioning the company's expenditures -- including lavish business trips to resorts -- during a time when taxpayers are on the hook for the bailout.
snip

Companies over the past 20 years have increasingly use deferred compensation as a way to attract and retain highly paid executives. Under these plans, top talent can postpone taking some of their large annual salaries for years -- often until a set date -- and can put off being taxed on it. Some wait to take the funds until they retire, when they would presumably be in a lower tax bracket.

Few executives seem to understand the correlation we common Americans make with failure and excess. I for one see their salaries and wonder, WTF?

But after watching what's been going on with AIG (and the scandalous behavior AFTER their bailout-not a loan), it's just incredible that these executives from the big three flew to DC on private corporate jets. But for Mullaly and Wagoner to say no to taking a massive ONE YEAR pay cut as Nardelli has said he'd do, well, damn, I wouldn't have given them a bridge loan either, because they aren't a good risk. Of course, that's me speaking as a former home loan underwriter. If I had a homebuyer with this kind of credit, this kind of debt load while arriving in a vehicle well beyond what should be their means, I'd have to really think long and hard about those combined factors and here and now, it'd be one tough call.

What's saddest of all, it seems only Nardelli really gets what's at stake in this financial melt down, survival.

CEO Pay, Roskam Inquires

2008-11-20T08:37:00.000-05:00

I've been watching the hearings, hearing the testimony and pulling for the bridge loan. Then there was this tidbit, reported by Dana Milbank in the Washington Post:

So it was hard to feel sorry for the executives when Rep. Peter Roskam (R-Ill.), late in the hearing, reminded them again that "the symbolism of the private jet is difficult," and mischievously asked the witnesses whether, in another symbolic gesture, they would be willing to work for $1 a year, as Nardelli has offered to do.

"I don't have a position on that today," demurred Wagoner (2007 total compensation: $15.7 million).

"I understand the intent, but I think where we are is okay," said Mulally ($21.7 million).

"I'm asking about you," Roskam pressed.

"I think I'm okay where I am," Mulally said.

And don't even think about asking him to fly commercial.

Chrysler $29-$33:
More contract info by company here: http://uaw.org/contracts/index.php

TOYOTA
$30/hour

EXECS
Alan Mulally
Chief Executive Officer
Ford Motor Company
$22,750,385 in total 2007 compensation

G. Richard Wagoner
Chief Executive Officer
General Motors Corporation
$19,761,874 in total 2007 compensation.

Assuming a 40 hour work week, that's $9,615 an hour for Wagoner - 150% of the average CEO salary of $6,153/hour.

Chrysler isn't traded, but here's this article from the weekend about how Chrysler is paying about $30 million in retention bonuses to keep top executives while cutting thousands of jobs.

American International Group plans to pay out $503 million in deferred compensation to some of its top employees, saying it must tap the funds to keep valuable workers from exiting the troubled insurance giant.

News of the payments to top AIG talent comes as the federal government has just put more money into saving the company from bankruptcy, beefing up the total public commitment to $152 billion. Meanwhile, members of Congress are questioning the company's expenditures -- including lavish business trips to resorts -- during a time when taxpayers are on the hook for the bailout.
snip

Companies over the past 20 years have increasingly use deferred compensation as a way to attract and retain highly paid executives. Under these plans, top talent can postpone taking some of their large annual salaries for years -- often until a set date -- and can put off being taxed on it. Some wait to take the funds until they retire, when they would presumably be in a lower tax bracket.

Why Do I Read Washington Post Garbage?

2008-11-19T10:06:00.000-05:00

I tend to read the stupidity of folks like Gerson because, it's important to know who stupid and inane they are, makes for nice entertainment and laughter. Well, entertainment until I read today's slop:

The coming bailout will be a major challenge for Obama. If he caves in to the auto unions that helped elect him and merely shores up a failing industry, he will start his presidency on a note of weakness. If he insists on a serious restructuring that creates sustainable companies -- including large pay and benefit cuts, and massive downsizing -- he could gain a reputation for toughness similar to Ronald Reagan's after his early firing of striking air traffic controllers in 1981.

Okay, so I highlighted what I think you should see. This is the right wing talking point of folks like Brokaw and Mitchell and here Gerson does it, too. He's blaming the union.

Unions are not monolithic creatures.

Unions do not provide the work.

Unions are not out to kill industry.

Unions ARE made up of their membership: WORKERS.

Unions ARE responsive to their membership.

The UAW IS NOT THE VILLAIN.

In the case of the auto industry, these workers have given up things that someone at Wal-Mart has never had the option to ever have and things that Gerson can't begin to think about going without; from pension cut backs to two tiered hiring to health care. They've given up a lot including cutting hours, retraining to leave the big 3 or other routes to make it easier for the big 3 to survive and not only survive, but to prosper.

Consumerism wasn't fueled by GM and certainly not by the UAW. There is a major issue right now in the financial markets and it's meant a lot of people are out of work, fuel prices caused a lot of people to cut back, me included. GM has been doing cutting edge research that they have funded in terms of fuel cells (unfortunately would mean a retooling and supply of the energy industry and we aren't there yet even if GM were able to produce the fuel cell cars now enmasse) and I'm looking forward to the Chevy Volt in 2010 even with a possible $40k price tag.

Blaming workers and their union representation for the problems caused by Wall Street is not only ridiculous, it's dangerous.

GM: The Troy Clarke e-mail

2008-11-19T07:43:00.000-05:00

I have been surfing the tubes for more on the e-mail but only seem to find Wing nuts who keep calling this bridge loan a bailout (dudes, seriously, it's NOT a bailout). But in my wanderings, I came across this:

You made the right choice when you put your confidence in General Motors, and we appreciate your past support. I want to assure you that we are making our best vehicles ever, and we have exciting plans for the future. But we need your help now. Simply put, we need you to join us to let Congress know that a bridge loan to help U.S. automakers also helps strengthen the U.S. economy and preserve millions of American jobs.

Despite what you may be hearing, we are not asking Congress for a bailout but rather a loan that will be repaid.

The U.S. economy is at a crossroads due to the worldwide credit crisis, and all Americans are feeling the effects of the worst economic downturn in 75 years. Despite our successful efforts to restructure, reduce costs and enhance liquidity, U.S. auto sales rely on access to credit, which is all but frozen through traditional channels.

The consequences of the domestic auto industry collapsing would far exceed the $25 billion loan needed to bridge the current crisis. According to a recent study by the Center for Automotive Research:

• One in 10 American jobs depends on U.S. automakers
• Nearly 3 million jobs are at immediate risk
• U.S. personal income could be reduced by $150 billion
• The tax revenue lost over 3 years would be more than $156 billion

Discussions are now underway in Washington, D.C., concerning loans to support U.S. carmakers. I am asking for your support in this vital effort by contacting your state representatives.

Please take a few minutes to go to www.gmfactsandfiction.com, where we have made it easy for you to contact your U.S. senators and representatives. Just click on the "I'm a Concerned American" link under the "Mobilize Now" section, and enter your name and ZIP code to send a personalized e-mail stating your support for the U.S. automotive industry.

Let me assure you that General Motors has made dramatic improvements over the last 10 years. In fact, we are leading the industry with award-winning vehicles like the Chevrolet Malibu, Cadillac CTS, Buick Enclave, Pontiac G8, GMC Acadia, Chevy Tahoe Hybrid, Saturn AURA and more. We offer 18 models with an EPA estimated 30 MPG highway or better — more than Toyota or Honda. GM has 6 hybrids in market and 3 more by mid-2009. GM has closed the quality gap with the imports, and today we are putting our best quality vehicles on the road.

Please share this information with friends and family using the link on the site.

Thank you for helping keep our economy viable.

Sincerely,

Troy Clarke

Now, I'd link to it, but ugh, right wing sites and the comments made my eyes bleed. So, I decided to look a little further and pull in information that really needs to be out there, and that information is about the consequences of DOING NOTHING.

Should we taxpayers extend a loan to GM so that it can operate until the U.S. economy recovers? I say yes!

If you think a bridge loan to GM so that the lights can stay on through this economic tsunami is expensive, then think about the cost of a GM failure.

Let's be clear, the alternative for GM and the domestic industry is not a cake walk through the bankruptcy courts, resulting in a reorganization that some think would put dealers and the UAW in their place and ensure future success.

No, even if GM could get debtor-in-possession financing to keep the lights on (which is extremely unlikely in today's credit crisis environment), Chapter 11 means a collapse of sales and a downward spiral into a Chapter 7 liquidation.

snip

Do these "instant experts" who call for the implosion of the domestic industry have the faintest clue as to what it means if it were allowed to happen?

GM's 100,000 American jobs will die. Health care for a million Americans will be lost or at risk. Hundreds of GM's 1,300 suppliers will fail.

There are 14,000 domestic-oriented dealers in the U.S. that employ approximately 750,000 Americans with a payroll of around $35 billion. Blink — they are gone.

Take just Texas, for instance. GM builds vehicles, including Tahoes, in a plant in Arlington, just outside of Dallas. The company has a major parts distribution warehouse in Fort Worth. These 4,289 Texans would lose their jobs, the suppliers to these operations would fail, the communities would lose their tax bases, and the state would lose its tax revenues.

The effect of the collapse of the U.S. automobile industry would be devastating in ways in which these "experts" are not considering. Nearly 3 million jobs would be lost in the first year alone — with another 2.5 million to follow in the next two years. Personal income in the United States would drop by more than $150 billion in the first year. The cost to local, state and federal governments could top $156 billion over three years in lost taxes and unemployment and health care benefits. And, due to supplier bankruptcies, domestic automobile production would most likely fall to zero, even by international producers.

The United States is in an economic crisis. The entire U.S. automobile industry has been devastated and it's not just the domestic manufacturers that have been affected, as many have asserted.

The issues facing GM, Chrysler and Ford aren't because of just poor market reading (yeah, they didn't read the market well and produced gas guzzling SUVs for way too long) there are other factors at work here and those factors include everything that Mr. Clarke mentions and all the info mentioned By W. Carroll Smith (Smith is the owner of Monument Chevrolet in Pasadena, a past chairman of the Houston Automobile Dealers Association and a director of the National Automobile Dealers Association).

We have to decide now not tomorrow how we can help the auto industry, Hang'em all isn't a solution to these problems, we need to bridge this gap for them and take the opportunity to get them on a better foundation. We can't afford to have the ENTIRE US AUTO INDUSTRY FAIL.

AGC of San Diego Predicts Some Good Things from the Obama Administration!

2008-11-18T13:09:00.000-05:00

I have some shocking news. The AGC of San Diego has finally printed some good news. Good news to me that is.

The AGC here in town usually prints anti-union venom every Monday with their Monday Morning Quarterback. It does have some good information sometimes about local and national construction industry news, but often it just includes anti organized lab rants and raves by the senior staff.

In their post election analysis they were certain that the Obama Administration was going to push for two major labor policy changes. The first is removing the ban on Project Labor Agreements on Federally funded projects. The second is implementing the Free Choice Act. This update to the National Labor Relations Act, allows for a workplace to be organized if majority of workers to say that they want to be a part of a union.

Below you can find the article. Please remember the author's tone is not labor friendly and they are getting ready to fight. But it is good to see the local AGC on thier heels.

President Elect Obama is going to face some unprecedented challenges as he takes office this January. Our economy is in terrible shape, and we are fighting two wars on two different fronts. I am sure all AGC members understand the difficult task the new administration will be facing and how important it is that the administration stay focused on the critical problems our country is now experiencing.

However, we also see some troubling priorities that appear to be on our President Elect’s “front burner.” These priorities involve sweeping changes to our labor laws that will result in the most comprehensive changes in labor relations since the 1940’s. With the Democratic Party holding solid majorities in both the U.S. House of Representatives and the US Senate, we see the following actions moving soon after the inauguration:

To set the tone….here is a quote from President Elect Obama’s April 2008 speech to the delegates attending the Building Trades National Convention….

“They (Bush Administration) don’t believe in unions. They don’t believe in organizing. They’ve packed the National Labor Relations Board with their corporate buddies. Well, we’ve got news for them….it’s not the Department of Management, it’s the Department of Labor, and we’re going to take it back.”

So what can we expect?

The Employee Free Choice Act

As a Senator, President-Elect Obama was a co-sponsor of the Employee Free Choice Act. This law makes union organizing of a workforce easy……I think too easy. It simply requires the union to obtain 50% +1 of your employees in a particular craft to sign cards. There is no election. When this happens your firm has a union. Yes, you do get to negotiate for an agreement after the cards are signed, but if you are unable to reach an agreement with the union within a specified time period, an arbitrator will be called in and the terms of the agreement will be subject to binding arbitration. This initial agreement will be a two-year agreement.

Under the law that has existed since the 1940’s, unions could get cards signed by 30% of your work force and then call for an election which is overseen by the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB). If 50% +1 of the unit employees voted for the union you are required to enter into negotiations. If you are unable to reach an agreement, the union has the right to strike/picket but does not necessarily end up with an agreement.

The Employee Free Choice Act takes away the secret ballot election that is currently a mandatory part of the election process. In addition, it contains a powerful new tool that will create a very difficult atmosphere for employers facing a union organizing campaign. The union, probably through individual employees, will be able to file a civil suit against an employer for violating an employee’s right to organize during a campaign. The fine is up to $20,000 per violation. I would assume that it will be tempting for the unions to convince the employees to file these suits during the card signing process even if the allegation is a “stretch.”

Unions like nothing better than to have a big fine hanging over an employer’s head during these campaigns. This is not possible under current law. In addition, if an employee is fired during a campaign, and it is found that the firing was a result of the employee’s involvement in the campaign, the employer will owe the employee the employees lost wages times three.

Now, it is a given that the Employee Free Choice Act is going to pass and be signed by the President during 2009. Obviously, AGC and all other major construction and non-construction interests are gearing up for the legislative battle that will surround this Act when it is introduced. Its exact form is not known, but assuming that it passes in a form similar to the above, please understand that AGC staff and legal experts are working on innovative ways to assist contractors.

And….if you are a union contractor do not believe that you will not be affected by the Employee Free Choice Act. It is no secret that there is a great deal of union to union friction in the Building Trades right now. I predict that there will be efforts to amend the Employee Free Choice Act to position some of the larger Building Trades unions to organize workers in the smaller building trades unions. Certain building Trades Unions are committed to the concept of reducing the number of building trades unions, and this is a real opportunity to structure easy takeovers of smaller unions!!!!

Project Labor Agreements (PLAs)

In a September 16^th, 2008 letter to the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers President Elect Obama wrote….

“We need to make sure the government uses project labor agreements to encourage completion of projects on time and on budget. One of the first things George Bush did when he got into office was to ban PLAs. One of the first things I’ll do as President is repeal that ban.”

This returns us to the way it was before President Bush took office. How extensively the PLA will be used in this “Federal” context remains to be seen, but….beware.

National Labor Relations Board (NLRB)

The NLRB in Washington hears and attempts to decide all major labor cases. There are five Board members appointed by the President. Normally three of the appointees will be from the President’s party, and will view labor relations as the President does, and two appointees will be from the other party. During the Bush years, the President did not have a full five-member Board for very long. This caused some of the most controversial cases, including the “Ban the Banner” case, not to be decided since these cases by tradition will only be addressed when five members are serving.

We expect all five to be appointed quickly in the Obama Administration!!!

I have been involved in construction industry labor relations for the past 30 years. There is no question that the next few years will be a real challenge. If the Employee Free Choice Act passes in any form similar to what we have seen in past versions of the legislation, our industry and all other industries face some real difficulties. However, please remember actually implementing something this unfair will be difficult.

Stay tuned.

The UAW IS NOT Responsible for GM or Ford or Chrysler

2008-11-17T16:36:00.000-05:00

Blaming the union and its membership (um, I mean WORKERS here) is absolutely ridiculous.

Emptywheel has an excellent post up right now on this that deserves a closer look:

What the AP Left Out about the UAWBy: emptywheel Saturday November 15, 2008 1:42 pm

21diggs digg it

The AP has an article reporting that Ron Gettelfinger, head of the UAW, says the union will not make any more concessions to keep the Big Three in business. I guess the editor cut a big chunk--because the article obviously falls short of explaining why the UAW is taking this stand. Here's what the AP left in:

''The focus has to be on the economy as a whole as opposed to a UAW contract,'' Gettelfinger told reporters on a conference call, noting the labor costs now make up 8 percent to 10 percent of the cost of a vehicle.
''We have made dramatic, dramatic changes and the UAW was applauded for that,'' he said.
Instead, Gettelfinger blamed the problems the auto industry is suffering from on things beyond its control -- the housing slump, the credit crunch that has made financing a vehicle tough and the 1.2 million jobs that have been lost in the past year.
''We're here not because of what the auto industry has done,'' he said. ''We're here because of what has happened to the economy.''

And here's what the AP didn't report (I'm sure it was just an oversight, really).

In its contract last year, the UAW made painful concessions, adopting a two-tier wage structure, such that new employees make just $12 to $15 an hour. The move is projected to bring the American manufacturers in line with their Japanese rivals' non-union labor costs in the near future.
In addition, the union has taken responsibility for providing retiree healthcare, thereby eliminating one of the last remaining competitive disadvantages for the American manufacturers' unionized workforce as compared to their Japanese rivals.
With these agreements, the UAW has managed to save jobs, while still providing the superior labor force that leads most segments (big PDF, see page 10-11) in terms of the most efficient plants measured in hours per vehicle.
The UAW's workers have made deep concessions to ensure American-owned auto industry remains competitive with its foreign competitors. Now that the American-owned manufacturers have eliminated some of the structural disadvantages that gave foreign competitors a market advantage, it would be a terrible waste for its country not to do what's necessary to sustain American manufacturing though this tough financial period.

There. Now it tells a more complete story.

I actually discussed the Media's anti-union bias yesterday after watching Andrea Mitchell and Tom Brokaw shilling for the right wing on Meet the Press. Here's what I had to say yesterday:

I don't normally watch the Sunday talk shows, they just end up being so damn insulting to my intelligence. But for some odd reason I started watching it this morning and no, I wasn't disappointed, it completely insulted my intelligence and that of everyone else who happened to have the misfortune of listening.

Andrea Mitchell decided on a whim to bring up the Employee Free Choice Act, but of course, she used the Right Wing Talking Points, only to be re-enforced in those wingnut talk points.

Mitchell: ...The labor unions will be asked to make some kind of concessions, and what the uaw leaders said in an unusual press conference only yesterday was we’ve made enough concessions. So, as you point out there is the clash, the ability to organize, card check is the short term for it.

Brokaw: Without a secret ballot

Mitchell: without a secret ballot, is a BIG concession to labor. and that is gonna be one of the the early fights in this congress. And Barack Obama is going to have to make a choice on all these things as to whether he can find ways around it. And can answer the economists question as to why Toyota is successful, which is producing American jobs it’s just that their not union jobs.

Okay, I can answer that for you Andrea and let me put it into a way that your little mind can understand:

Toyota competes with GM and Ford for labor, assembly line work and precision assembly workers. Because they compete in the same market as GM and Ford and Chrysler, they have to pay the same wages. However, their benefits are not as good as those of GM, Ford and Chrysler. In fact, Toyota doesn’t provide a pension, health care to retirees and a number of other incentives that the unions which you hate have secured for their membership over YEARS and YEARS of work. But if you want to toss that out the window and ask why doesn't GM just declare Bankruptcy and gut all of their retirees pensions, health care and agreements with their employees, then Andrea, you also need to ask yourself what happens to all of those people? What happens to the pensioner who has no income or health care?

Toyota and Honda do not play on equal footing with GM and Chrysler and Andrea and Brokaw should know that. See, I think they do, they just don't really care. It's not like the economy is hurting them or that NBC is just going to turn off their spigot.

And Tom, let me also explain something else to you, something that you obviously don’t understand.

The Employee Free Choice Act makes it possible for EMPLOYEES to CHOOSE an election or CHOOSE to sign their card and leave it to that. Right now, it’s up to the BOSS and NOT the EMPLOYEE. And there is no SECRECY in today’s standards because the Boss gets to know who the employees are that have signed their cards and want a union.

But what you and Andrea also ignored as a concept is that organizing a union isn’t nearly as important as having a way to get employers to the table to negotiate. The Employee Free Choice Act provides for stiff penalties for employers who ignore the bargaining rights of their employees. I think this is what really is the heart in this fight. It's not that employees can organize, it's that the employers who screw with the results face actual penalties. There are penalties now, but it takes forever and the results of the penalties take YEARS to be realized if ever.

Despite what the rightwing says or lies about in terms of workers and unions, it is still the policy of the United States of America to ENCOURAGE UNIONIZATION:

National Labor Relations Act

The denial by some employers of the right of employees to organize and the refusal by some employers to accept the procedure of collective bargaining lead to strikes and other forms of industrial strife or unrest, which have the intent or the necessary effect of burdening or obstructing commerce by (a) impairing the efficiency, safety, or operation of the instrumentalities of commerce; (b) occurring in the current of commerce; (c) materially affecting, restraining, or controlling the flow of raw materials or manufactured or processed goods from or into the channels of commerce, or the prices of such materials or goods in commerce; or (d) causing diminution of employment and wages in such volume as substantially to impair or disrupt the market for goods flowing from or into the channels of commerce.

The inequality of bargaining power between employees who do not possess full freedom of association or actual liberty of contract and employers who are organized in the corporate or other forms of ownership association substantially burdens and affects the flow of commerce, and tends to aggravate recurrent business depressions, by depressing wage rates and the purchasing power of wage earners in industry and by preventing the stabilization of competitive wage rates and working conditions within and between industries.

Experience has proved that protection by law of the right of employees to organize and bargain collectively safeguards commerce from injury, impairment, or interruption, and promotes the flow of commerce by removing certain recognized sources of industrial strife and unrest, by encouraging practices fundamental to the friendly adjustment of industrial disputes arising out of differences as to wages, hours, or other working conditions, and by restoring equality of bargaining power between employers and employees.

Experience has further demonstrated that certain practices by some labor organizations, their officers, and members have the intent or the necessary effect of burdening or obstructing commerce by preventing the free flow of goods in such commerce through strikes and other forms of industrial unrest or through concerted activities which impair the interest of the public in the free flow of such commerce. The elimination of such practices is a necessary condition to the assurance of the rights herein guaranteed.

It is declared to be the policy of the United States to eliminate the causes of certain substantial obstructions to the free flow of commerce and to mitigate and eliminate these obstructions when they have occurred by encouraging the practice and procedure of collective bargaining and by protecting the exercise by workers of full freedom of association, self-organization, and designation of representatives of their own choosing, for the purpose of negotiating the terms and conditions of their employment or other mutual aid or protection.

So, Andrea and Tom, please understand that not only are you two shills for the anti-union anti-worker establishment fronted by the likes of Hannity, Limbaugh and McCain, but you two also don't seem to know your asses from a hole in the ground.

Employee Free Choice is Good For The Economy BECAUSE it is good for workers, unless of course you don't think workers are part of the economy or deserve to be represented by a union, a union of their own choosing.

Why does the Media hate workers so much? And worse, why are union production crews and writers continuing to spill out this garabage when in the end, they know it's garbage? If you're producing CBS, NBC, ABC or any other cable or network news and YOU are a union member, can you just think a minute before you write for a teleprompter anything that's anti-union and anti-worker garbage? Your brothers and sisters of the UAW would appreciate it.

Hell, I'd appreciate it.

Are You Planning to Buy Prada , Mulberry, Louis Vuitton and Nicole Farhi this Holiday?

2008-11-17T09:12:00.000-05:00

If you're planning to buy leather items from the companies above, know that you're supporting the exploitation of workers.

I doubt if many of you regularly buy leather goods sold by Prada, Louis
Vuitton, Mulberry and Nicole Farhi. These are luxury brands, priced too
high for ordinary working people like us.

But the people who make those products are often low-paid, non-union
workers. When those workers stand up and fight for their rights, it's
our responsibility to stand with them.

Earlier this year, hundreds of workers at the Turkish leather
manufacturer DESA -- which produces for all the luxury brands mentioned
above -- joined a union. The reaction of the company was fierce: 44
union members were sacked, and 50 more compelled to quit the union.

Nevertheless, the workers have stood firm, holding daily protests
outside the factory. Local police have been called in to arrest them,
and bribes offered to union leaders to call off the demonstrations.
Families have been threatened.

Workers at DESA need a union urgently. They complain of poverty wages,
long hours and terrible health and safety conditions.

Please take a moment to send off a message to DESA's customers -- the
luxury fashion brands -- telling them that you support the DESA workers
in their struggle:

http://www.labourstart.org/desa

Tell them that a union is right, not a luxury.

Thanks - and spread the word!

Eric Lee

Honoring Workers with a Cooler and Pop

2008-11-13T20:04:00.000-05:00

Nov.17th. come join in a discussion on the retirement crisis

2008-11-13T18:13:00.000-05:00

Cross-posted at DailyKOS, Union Review and Democratic Underground

The New York METRO Communicators is bringing us a discussion on the pension crisis this Monday night.

The End Of Retirement With Dignity
What workers need to know

A discussion with:

Teresa Ghilarducci, author of When I'm Sixty-Four: The Plot against Pensions and the Plan to Save Them. After having taught economics for twenty-five years at the University of Notre Dame, now holds the Irene and Bernard L. Schwartz Chair of Economic Policy Analysis at the New School for Social Research. She is also the 2006-2008 Wurf Fellow at Harvard Law School. Her other books include Labor's Capital: The Economics and Politics of Private Pensions.

There will also be commentary by:

Stuart Leibowitz, Chair of Alliance for Retired Americans, AFL-CIO; President of the New York City Chapter of Retirees Association of District Council 37

Mel Aaronson, Treasurer of the United Federation of Teachers; UFT representative to Teachers' Retirement System board

Refreshments, Light Meal and a book signing by Teresa Ghilarducci to follow

Monday, November 17, 6:15-8:00pm
United Federation of Teachers
52 Broadway in Manhattan
Classroom F, 19th Floor

<--Click for Printable leaflet on left

Brought to you by the METRO Labor Communications Council, the New york branch of the International Labor Communications Association (ILCA)

You Coming to DC for the Inauguration of Barack Obama?

2008-11-13T14:08:00.000-05:00

If so, there might be something to do!! I'm working on a planning committee for the Saturday Night event.

Tickets will go on sale soon, but sign up through the links so that we can notify you when they do. I'm so excited!!

The 2009 Peoples Inauguration

“Celebrating Grassroots on the Ground Electing a President”

Request information by emailing 2009peoplesinauguration@gmail.com or call 202.210.2298

Event Name:	Inauguration 2009: "We're Young, Empowered, & Changing the World"
Description:	Save The Date! Join grassroots organizations from across the country as we celebrate the role young voters played in electing Barack Obama and Joe Biden. They said we wouldn't show up but we did, so now lets celebrate the Inauguration of the "Peoples President". RSVP to receive ticket information
Time:	Friday, January 16 from 8:00 PM - 11:00 PM

Contact Phone:	202-210-2298 RSVP at http://my.barackobama.com/page/event/detail/gsxd5t
Location:	City Museum Washington, DC (Washington, DC) 801 K ST NW at Mount Vernon Square Washington, DC 20001

Event Name:	The Peoples Inaugural Ball "Celebrating Grassroots on the Ground Electing a President"
Description:	Save the Date! Join grassroots organizations from across the country as we gather together to celebrate the dawning of a new day in America. We made the calls, we knocked on the doors, and wrote the checks, now is time to come together and celebrate the roll grassroots organizing played in Electing Barack Obama and Joe Biden. RSVP so that you can recieve ticket information.
Time:	Saturday, January 17 from 8:00 PM - 11:00 PM

Contact Phone:	202-210-2298 RSVP at http://my.barackobama.com/page/event/detail/gsxdhx
Location:	City Museum Washingon, DC (Washington, DC) 801 K Street, NW at Mount Vernon Square Washington, DC 20001
Directions:	Gallery Place/Chinatown or Convention Center Metro stations

Event Name:	Inauguration 2009: Let's Celebrate National Pride
Description:	SAVE THE DATE! Join LGBT grassroots activists from around the country as we toast the election of Barack Obama and Joe Biden. We answered the call not just to elect a president, but to restore decency, fairness, and equality for all Americans. Let's celebrate this historic victory and prepare to mobilize to protect our rights. RSVP to recieve ticket information
Time:	Sunday, January 19 from 8:00 PM - 11:00 PM

Contact Phone:	202-210-2298
Location:	City Museum Washington, DC (Washington, DC) 801 K ST NW Washington, DC 20001

Our Veterans, welcome home

2008-11-11T10:42:00.000-05:00

I just spotted Paul Rieckhoff, the Executive Director of the Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America, on CNN. The IAVA is an amazing resource for our recent veterans and has been pivotal in the fight for better services and future employment for our recent vets. Many times a story on this site is directly from information at the IAVA site. In watching CNN Paul said a really important thing, while it isn't a direct quote its roughly translated like this "It doesn't matter your view on the war, or who you voted for last week, it's time to rally around our veterans"

Checking out the IAVA site, I noticed the new partnership that the IAVA has with the Ad Council, the message "you are not alone"

From the Ad Council post at YouTube:

The mental health consequences of combat threaten to overwhelm a new generation of veterans. There are 1.7 million men and women who have served, or are currently serving, in Iraq and Afghanistan. ...
The mental health consequences of combat threaten to overwhelm a new generation of veterans. There are 1.7 million men and women who have served, or are currently serving, in Iraq and Afghanistan. About 1 in 5 Iraq and Afghanistan veterans are suffering from a mental health injury, ranging from depression to Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), as a result of their service.

Less than 1% of the U.S. population has served or is serving in the current conflicts and when they return home, their sense of isolation is often magnified. This campaigns long-term objective is to decrease the depression and PTSD-related outcomes among returning Vets by taking a two-pronged approach encouraging Veterans to join other Veterans at the first ever online community exclusive to OIF/OEF Vets, and separately, to empower their Friends and Family by helping them learn how to start constructive conversations. The challenges facing returning vets are myriad but with support from other Veterans, family, and friends the issues can be effectively dealt with.

The AFL-CIO blog has also posted on our veterans

Honoring U.S. Vets by Ensuring They Get Jobs
It’s wonderful that we, as a nation, set aside a day to honor America’s brave men and women who have risked their lives for our country throughout the centuries and continue to do so today. But our troops now stationed in Iraq, Afghanistan and elsewhere need more than just Veterans Day set aside for them in November. When they come back from combat, they need jobs to support themselves and their families in careers that put to work the skills they learned in the service.

Helmets to Hardhats, founded in 2003 by the AFL-CIO’s Building and Construction Trades Department (BCTD) unions, together with employers with union workforces, has since helped more than 5,000 military vets find new careers as electricians, plumbers, roofers and other skilled trades, says Darrel Roberts, executive director of Helmets to Hardhats.

The Helmets to Hardhats program is unique in that it was created with the singular intent of helping National Guard, Reservists and transitioning active-duty military members connect to career opportunities in the construction industry, one of the last bastions of solid middle-class wages for working Americans. Helmets to Hardhats recognizes this and is committed to placing veterans in careers that provide family-supporting wages, good benefits and a decent chance at realizing the American dream.

Helmets to Hardhats helps match vets and soon-to-be vets with apprenticeship and training programs offered by the BCTD’s 15 unions. Veterans can use their GI Bill education benefits as they complete the certified apprentice programs.

Recently, the group launched the Wounded Warriors program to help veterans with service-related disabilities find meaningful career paths in the construction industry. Among the information and tools provided, the Wounded Warrior program lists career opportunities that employers have specifically identified as potentially suitable for veterans with disabilities.

Navy veteran Mark Young, now a member of the Insulators (AWIU) Local 6, took part in the Helmets to Hardhats apprenticeship program, and says it

seemed like the perfect way for me to get into the building and construction trades while using my military experience as an added bonus.

Military veterans make ideal candidates for apprenticeship in the construction industry, according to Helmets to Hardhats, because it makes economic sense to leverage military training in apprenticeship programs for former members of our armed forces whose service to our country should provide them with strong job opportunities.

The program is run by the Center for Military Recruitment, Assessment, and Veterans Employment, a labor management committee created by the BCTD and employer associations. It is funded by the U.S. Department of Defense. In April, President-elect Barack Obama told the BCTD legislative conference:

I applaud your partnership with Helmets to Hardhats. I believe we have a responsibility to serve our soldiers as well as they’re serving us, and by helping make sure they have the skills to work in the trades when they come home, you’re living up to that responsibility. As president, I’ll support funding for this critical program.

Former Marine Corps radio operator Patrick Morgan, who served two tours in Iraq, is now an apprentice with Iron Workers Local 3 in Pittsburgh. He heard about the program before he was discharged and told the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review:

It sounded like something I really wanted to do….I’m learning a lot and they’ve been nothing but good to me.

For more information, visit the Helmets to Hardhats website here. For veterans with service-connected disabilities, visit the program’s Wounded Warrior section.

A huge shout out to retired UA Local 638 Steamfitter Gene Jackson for all he does in spreading awareness about the Wounded Warriors Project, and for making sure these men and women coming back are not forgotten.

Uniongal Sends Condolences

2008-11-10T22:26:00.000-05:00

I got an e-mail and wanted to share:

in Illinois, a young mother and her two little kids were killed in a t-bone crash Thursday night. The crash took the lives of Amanda Jahn, 27, and her children, Ryan Jahn, 3 years, 11 months old, and Kaitlyn Jahn, 11 1/2 months old....the ENTIRE FAMILY of Dwight (IL) Firefighter Josh Jahn.The driver of the car that struck the Jahn vehicle, Ann Marie Goetz, 43 was transported to the hospital, where she remains a patient....she has already been charged with blowing a stop sign and felony driving while drunk.

Firefighter's Wife, Amanda Jahn, was heading home with her kids. Imagine your family doing that. It's easy-every family does that.

Where were they coming from? Amanda was a violinist...she was on her way back from teaching lessons and had stopped at her Mom & Dad's house to pick up the kids and go home. That's when "Drunk Driver" Goetz's car shot through the stop sign and struck the Jahn family on the driver's side door.

Following the violent t-bone crash, the Jahns car rolled over multiple times.... Amanda was trapped inside the vehicle...the 2 children, Ryan and Kaitllyn were EJECTED IN AND FROM THEIR CAR SEATS...and Mom WAS WEARING HER SEATBELT...but it couldn't save them from the drunk driver. The crash actually ripped the Jahn car apart into multiple pieces.

As we have also heard before, Veteran Drunk Driver Goetz has a lengthy criminal record, including prior DUIs dating back to 2000. Most of us are all very familiar with the impacts of a Firefighters death, in this case, this death will all but take the life of Firefighter Josh Jahn.

3 Quick Points:

1 If you are interested in expressing your condolences, the FD sent us FF Josh Jahns e-mail address, which will be checked and passed along to him....so if you wanna send a few words, here ya go.

jjahn@dwightfire.org

2 The holiday season is just about here. And while we are always at risk on this job, operate on or off the job extra defensively this time of year because of the drunk drivers.

3 Us. "Us" also are familiar with "us" drinking and driving ...mostly off the job, but sometimes even on the job in the firehouse.

Don't ignore it.

Don't allow it.

Speak up.

Stop it.

Know a FF with a problem? Get'm help...do whatever it takes. You into the Brotherhood stuff? Cool. Prove it. We aren't saying don't have a drink when off duty-we are saying if "us" are ever drinking, "we" cannot ever drive. And "we" need to look out for "us".

The on-duty issue speaks for itself, hopefully.

The "drinking" issue-internally or externally has impacted Firefighters throughout our entire history...and again most recently, at the above "firefighters deaths" -the preventable deaths of FF Josh Jahns' Family.
Our sincere condolences to FF Josh Jahn. What a nightmare.

My thoughts exactly. Although this site isn't specific to IAFF, I still want to pass it on. Fire fighter Close Calls, it's like the weekly toll, but specific to first responders, specifically, fire fighters.

Wow, no text needed

2008-11-10T16:42:00.000-05:00

Anne Feeney in DC

2008-11-10T08:21:00.000-05:00

Anne Feeney will be performing on Saturday, November 15th in DC.

Saturday, November 15th, 2008 8:00 PM
Anne Feeney and Charlie King in Concert
Westminster Church
400 I Street SW
Washington, DC 20024
Price: $15 suggested
sponsored by DC Labor for Peace and Justice - Bruce Wolf is the contact ... haunteddog(@)aol.com

Sunday, November 16th, 2008 7:00 PM
Charlie King and Anne Feeney in Concert
40th St. Stage
809 W. 40th St
Norfolk, VA 23508
Price: donations
contact willbaggs2002(@)yahoo.com for more information

If you're in Norfolk on Sunday, you can catch her and Charlie King there, as well as in DC on Saturday.

Dan Rather explaind the corporate media ownership

2008-11-07T22:02:00.000-05:00

A video of Dan Rather speaking at the 2008 Democratic National Convention, brought to you by the folks over LinkTV:

Former CBS Anchorman, Dan Rather, speaks to an audience about how corporate broadcasters have compromised journalistic integrity by satisfying stockholders, instead of public interests.
More at LinkTV

Video Link

Just wrong on so many levels

2008-11-07T21:50:00.000-05:00

Construction of NY's greenest building on National Gegraphic's Man Made

2008-11-06T21:38:00.000-05:00

1 Bryant Park, The Bank Of America tower

The most amazing job I have had the honor of working on is on the tube right now, I see a lot of friends. This is an amazing green structure, I'm glad I got the call right after it began(thanks Greg). My girl is gonna Tivo it for me too. I hope it's not the last great job I'm on.

The show's called Man Made and it's on the National Geographic Channel

It's airing Friday at 12:00AM (that's Fri. morning if you're like me and need to think about it)
Saturday Nov. 8th at 4:00PM
and next Thursday Nov.13th. at 5:00PM

From the NGC Man Made site

Overview
Photos

In the city that never sleeps, one architects dream for a greener future has been realized. The One Bryant Park building in New York City is not only going to be the second tallest building in the city, but is set to be one of the most energy efficient skyscrapers in the world. Richard Cook and his team have taken on an exhilarating challenge to transform the modern approach to green technology. Both groups envisioned breaking new ground in the arena of environmentally conscious skyscrapers, a significant step forward in a city known for massive energy consumption. Join National Geographic as we examine the trials and triumphs of erecting a skyscraper whose blueprints just might map out a new design for our planets future.

So set your Tivo's and DVR's people and get a small look into the craftsmanship of some of the worlds finest construction workers.

Day One

2008-11-06T17:22:00.000-05:00

A new day and miles to go before I sleep

2008-11-05T18:09:00.000-05:00

Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening
But I have promises to keep,
And miles to go before I sleep,
And miles to go before I sleep.
Excerpt, Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening by Robert Frost

To make the world a better place, this is my promise

It was a hard fought battle, and never in my life would I feel a deep sense of hope as I, along with my beautiful girl and the kids, heard the words on ABC that the United States of America has a new president elect. One who has run a campaign of hope.

We did it! This is just the beginning. We have miles to go before we sleep, but for today I will rest and plan along with my fellow unionist and working people, plan how we will further take back our country for our class, the middle class.

Now is the first day of the rest of our lives, keep reading and contributing on the net. The majority of our work is ahead of us, but I will not fade away, my constituents will not either.

As my dear friend Richie Negri explained what he read from Jimmy Hoffa's e-mail he received last night after the winner was declared:

"This is a great day -- a historic day, now let's get this country unified and working for regular, middle-class Americans again. We elected a great man, but we can't stop here because our real work starts now."

The NYC Central Labor Council adds:

There is much work to do with all of our nation's current challenges, but now we have the tools and renewed optimism to get it done.

My buddy Kirsten mentions that the "Right To Work" ballot initiative, which would have destroyed the labor movement in Colorado was defeated yesterday.

Steve from Omaha has sent a job application to President Elect Obama, for the soon to be vacated Secretary of Labor position, which is currently held by Elaine Chao, I certainly endorse Steve, talk about a polar opposite to the Bush labor ideals, here's what Steve has to say to our next President:

Dear Senator Obama,

For the last several years American workers have suffered under the current administrations polices and appointees. I would like to apply for a job that is first and foremost for fairness of the American worker. I am asking to be your Secretary of Labor. I am much more qualified than Elaine Chao ever could be.

Twice in my life I have been fired illegally. Twice a union has won my rights through legal action. I know what it means to be the head of a family without a job during bad times. I know bankruptcy as a result of these actions too. I have also had two on the job accidents that resulted in two different partial impairments.

I have some unique qualifications that will provide for fairness to workers and employers on a case by case basis. Since you don't know much about me, just ask my 100,000 plus friends at the Democratic Underground for their opinion. They have been reading my labor opinions for over four years.

Regards,

Steven L Dawes
Shop Steward AFSCME Local 251.

This has been a great day, but this is just the beginning.

I leave you with a quick excerpt of a comment back to someone who attacked my ideals over at NewsVine:

...You tell me, why is it happening? Why does every so-called first world country in the entire globe being invaded by illegal workers? Is it the Democrats? Is it the Republicans? Could it be unfair Free Trade agreements? Is it the people who refuse to hold their leaders accountable and believe the lies that "there is nothing we can do about it?"

Ending the corporate love affair with the slave class is tops on my agenda.

No child in my country 13 years old should work on a kill floor. No 13 year old should wind up in critical condition and see his father die while they worked on a construction site in my America. The profiteers of human misery should be held accountable, their enablers should be held accountable.

We cannot allow anyone in our America to work without rights, a citizen cannot compete. A citizen should not have to foot the bill because employers choose to fail in their legal responsibilities.

We must stop the influx and we must find a humane way to deal with those who are already here. No one benefits from the misery that has been created except the unscrupulous employers. This must end. The slavery and labor abuse that many of our ancestors fought and died fighting against must stop again.

They know that united we stand so they decided to bring us more division, they encourage us to fight worker against worker, they have had a sweet deal in the last 15 or so years, all workers here in our United States are suffering because of this. The powers that be do not want us to pull those under us up to our level, they want us to slip down to theirs. Big business would be perfectly happy if we all bargained our way to the bottom, while the few at the top generate all the wealth and the majority of us get less and less for our labor.

I blame Free Trade for the influx, more on that in another story...need some sleep, just for tonight, maybe a few days off the web would do me justice. I'm sure my girl would agree.

I just want to thank all the great labor writers, communicators, organizers and activists, who believe that we can change the world. Those who believe that all that is good will only happen if we have a strong and vibrant worker movement. Their dedication, their core belief that if we are strong, we can fight for a better world and we can do it together, but mostly above all else, I would like to thank my fellow workers, who come and read our sites and choose to be informed of whats going on. Those of you who know that that "there's nothing we can do about it," is a lie which is repeated by those who would chose to keep us living poor, spending more and working till we die.

We must step it up in '09.

We have miles to go before we sleep.

UMWA responds to Obama coal bankruptcy statement

2008-11-04T18:13:00.000-05:00

The United Mine Workers Association has responded and their website is down due to overload of bandwidth, with a little help of Google cache here's the text:

McCain campaign’s last minute distortion of Obama’s coal record an act of desperation

date:
November 3, 2008
For immediate release?:

United Mine Workers of America (UMWA) International President Cecil E. Roberts issued the following statement today:

“Sen. John McCain and his running mate, Gov. Sarah Palin, have once again demonstrated that they are willing to say anything and do anything to win this election. Their latest twisting of the truth is about coal and some comments Sen. Obama made last January about the future use of coal in America.

“Here is what the McCain campaign left out of Sen. Obama’s actual words: ‘But this notion of no coal, I think, is an illusion. Because the fact of the matter is, is that right now we are getting a lot of our energy from coal. And China is building a coal-powered plant once a week. So what we have to do then is figure out how can we use coal without emitting greenhouse gases and carbon. And how can we sequester that carbon and capture it.’

“Sen. Obama has been consistent with that message not just in the coalfields, but everywhere else he goes as well. Despite what the McCain campaign and some far right-wing blogs would have Americans believe, Sen. Obama has been and remains a tremendous supporter of coal and the future of coal.

“I noted that Sen. McCain even went so far yesterday as to say he has always been a supporter of coal. I wonder, then, how he can justify his statement at a Senate hearing in 2000 that, ‘In a perfect world we would like to transition away from coal entirely,’ and his leading role in sponsoring legislation in 2003 that would have wiped out 78 percent of all coal production in America?

“Fortunately, UMWA members, their families and their friends and neighbors in the coalfields know all too well what is going on here. They’re not going to fall for it, and we urge others throughout America who care about coal to review what the candidates’ records on coal actually are. We are confident that once they do, and once they see the many other benefits to working families of voting for Sen. Obama, they will make the right choice for themselves and their families

Unions force jobs overseas

2008-11-03T19:52:00.000-05:00

This is a response I wrote to the ignorant mob over at the Newsvine on a story entitled "Labor unions get boost from Boeing strike", where in the first sentence the author states that the Boeing strike has:

given a shot in the arm to a weakening organized labor movement in America.

I had to remind him about his choice of wording and respond to the anti-union views I read in the comment's, here's what I had to say:

Firstly a note to the author: Last year for the first time since 1984 the union membership has risen in America, hence a strengthening labor movement is more accurate, secondly to all the people who have posted before me, and those who read afterwords:

I believe that the complacent American people have moved jobs overseas, and I'm right.

The day you all decided that the poison pet food from China was OK, the cheap plastic piece of crap toy with the lead paint from Wal-Mart was fine for your kid to put in their mouth, the day you blamed the US auto worker and not the greedy companies that used our tax money to make concept cars that got 80+ MPG over ten years ago and didn't bring it to market, that was when YOU gave our jobs overseas. When you decided to talk to Apu in India, masquerading as "Charlie" for your PC's tech support and didn't demand an American at the other end of the phone, the day you let the undocumented worker mow your lawn, that day you all closed your eyes and bought Nike sneakers that some Vietnamese guy made for a whopping $64 a month over the New Balance that was half the price and made by the head of an American family.

You watched with your head up your behind when such staples of American life as Wrangler Jeans moved to Haiti, where even the hardest of workers make less than $2 a day are forced to eat clay sandwiches with salt to stave off the hunger pains, and to such places as Bangladesh, where even the highest paid of the regular working class must stand in thousand people lines to get government subsidized rice, you still sit there idle and watch Hershey's chocolate move 1,500 jobs to Mexico for $2 an hour wages, and you allow the media to brainwash you with fluff of Paris and Britney's sniffer, you are the reason we are here today. You closed your eyes and gave our industry and our jobs away.

Don't blame the unions for the loss of good American jobs, blame yourself. You blindly point your fingers at the only institutions that try to help the American worker, because that's exactly what they want you to do.

Your ignorance disgusts me, your grandparents would slap you. They fought for what you have blindly gave away, even child labor has made a comeback, as an immigration raid in Pottsville, Iowa, which grabbed almost 400 workers in the Agriprocessors Kosher meatpacking plant, has been found to have over 30 workers who were underage, the youngest was on the KILL floor, she was 13. This year also saw how a 13 year old who was working with his father in Illinois, fell 3 stories from a forklift and watched his father die. That doesn't even mention the pregnant teenager from Mexico who died on a California vineyard because she wasn't allowed to stop for a water break. Yes, you allow that and wonder why the Salmonella has spread into out food supply, and no one in any media outlet comes to the conclusion that maybe they don't get a potty break either. You all get what you deserve, less and less. Until you get rid of your blinders and see exactly how they have sold us out, it's only gonna get worse.

So enjoy your crap from Wal-mart, your now made in China air conditioner that 1 in 10 don't work, your poison food and your self-created rat race to compete with workers that have little or no rights in foreign lands and within our own borders.

When the labor movement dies, when we must all fend for ourselves, when you must have at least 3 sources of income to survive and work 12 hours a day with no hope for a dignified retirement, don't come crying to me. Just keep your mind occupied with all the crap they throw your way and make sure your kid's can pass a test and are discouraged from critical thinking so the manager's at McDonald's and the military recruiter's can be well stocked with another group of clean slates to work with.

Joe,

http://www.joesunionreview.com

Bah, I just get so sick of the bullsh!t these people choose to believe. If you like what I wrote over there, hit the little up arrow below my post.

Barack Obama's Grandmother, Madelyn Dunham, loses battle with cancer

2008-11-03T16:58:00.000-05:00

A very sad day for the Obama Campaign, yesterday, Terence Tolbert, Barack Obama's Nevada state director died of a sudden heart attack, today we have learned that Barack Obama's 86 year old grandmother, Madelyn Dunham, has lost her bout with cancer.

With sadness I bring the following news from 13 News in Baltimore:

Barack Obama's Grandmother Dies
WASHINGTON (CBS)

A day before the presidential election, Barack Obama announced the death Monday of his grandmother, who helped raise him and who he praised as the cornerstone of his family.

The Democratic presidential candidate announced the news in a joint statement with his sister Maya Soetoro-Ng. He said his grandmother, Madelyn Dunham, had died peacefully after a battle with cancer.

He said: "She was the cornerstone of our family, and a woman of extraordinary accomplishment, strength, and humility. She was the person who encouraged and allowed us to take chances."

The candidate learned of her death Monday morning while he was campaigning in Jacksonville, Fla. He planned to go ahead with campaign appearances.

Late last month, Obama took a break from campaigning and flew to Hawaii to be with the 86-year-old Dunham.

Obama said the decision to go to Hawaii was easy to make, telling CBS that he "got there too late" when his mother died of ovarian cancer in 1995 at 53, and wanted to make sure "that I don't make the same mistake twice."

Goodbye Steve's brother

2008-10-30T06:09:00.000-04:00

From Reddit

The Barack Obama infomercial

2008-10-29T22:19:00.000-04:00

It's called "American Stories, American Solutions" and I haven't watched it yet, need more time

Any questions, please read why I am voting for Mr. Obama and why I urge all working people to do the same, Joe endorses Barack Obama under the Working Families Party line

Edit: 6 minutes in and it's all about working people...gotta sleep, goodnight.

Staten Island and Brooklyn need Mike McMahon in Congress

2008-10-29T19:47:00.000-04:00

"Not until we return dignity and respect to our workplace will our nation ever live up to the great ideals upon which it was founded." - Mike McMahon

->Click the image to the right for large printable card you can take with you when you vote

What can I say, we had many years of Republican Vito Fosella as our Congressman, and while there were a few items I agreed upon with him, for the most part he didn't see the same picture as me. He ignored my stance on media consolidation, stating in a mass generated e-mail that if corporations owned more TV, radio and newspapers, it would be better for all of us. He also did not respond to my offer to do anything in my power to help keep my local hospital, Victory Memorial, open. So I was a bit discouraged, but that was then, this is a new day.

First let me explain a bit about my Congressional district

My district, the 13th. Congressional district of New York, which encompasses all of Staten Island and the southern part of Brooklyn, has the highest density of any Congressional district in the entire United States, with over 92,000 union households. For too long we had a person in office at the Congressional level that didn't quite understand what difficulties workers face on a daily basis. Now we have a chance to elect someone who knows who his neighbors are, so here's what Mr. McMahon has to say about labor, in excerpt:

My neighbors and friends in both Staten Island and Brooklyn leave their homes and families early each morning to put in a hard day’s work, helping our City function and supporting their families. As a child I learned from them the values that continue to guide me today – the honor of hard work, the importance of family, and the power that we have when we stand together.
The great American ideals of justice and fairness demand that we treat each and every hard working man and woman - from fire fighters to teachers, from police office officers to sanitation workers, from construction workers to nurses, and so many other important but often overlooked jobs -, with dignity and respect. First and foremost this means a fair wage for a fair days work, appropriate benefits so that they and their family have health care access, financial security, and time off to spend as a family.

Employee Free Choice Act:

Sadly the fight for dignity and respect on the job has never been more difficult then today. Far too often, when workers courageously stand up and demand union representation , unscrupulous employers respond with illegal threats and intimidation. Firing workers, changing shift times, and even threatening to close places of work are becoming all the more common in union organizing campaigns. The nation’s foremost enforcer of labor law, the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB), is simply ill-equipped and unable to decide these cases in a timely fashion. This means that even when illegal acts are found, the ruling often comes years after workers have been intimidated from voting for union representation, and the atmosphere for union organizing has been poisoned beyond the point when a free and fair election is possible. This, clearly, is not what was envisioned by President Franklin Delano Roosevelt when he and Congress enacted the National Labor Relations Act over 70 years ago. As Americans, we must stand together to say that this type of harassment is unacceptable anywhere in the world, let alone in our nation’s own work places.

It is for these reasons that I strongly and proudly support the Employee Free Choice Act. This vital legislation will return the decision about union representation to the rightful decision makers – the workers. Once this most important piece of legislation is enacted into law, workers will be able to declare their desire for union representation through the signing of union authorization cards. The union will be able to hold those cards until a majority have been signed, at which time they will be submitted to the NLRB. No longer will employers be able to hire union busting law firms that employ vicious campaigns of threat and intimidation in preparation for a union election date. No longer will workers’ votes be cast under the watchful eye of their employer. The Employee Free Choice Act will finally begin to return democracy and fairness to our nation’s workplaces.

I am proud to have stood with the hardworking men and women of my City to protect their jobs and living conditions. When the sons and daughters of our City were called up to active military duty and temporarily forced to leave their families and municipal jobs to proudly serve our country in the War on Terror, I fought to make sure that the housing and food compensation that they received with their deployment was not subtracted from their City pay checks. Before I and my colleagues on the City Council demanded this change in City policy, City employees that were called up to active duty were required to return to the City the lesser of their City salary or their military compensation, including the cost of housing and food.

Just as I successfully fought in 2003 to save nearly two hundred good paying Teamster jobs at the City’s Department of Sanitation, I will fight with equal vigor for:

Labor and Environmental Standards in all International Trade Agreements. Our country needs fair trade that raises the wages and standards of all workers, not trade that makes it free for employers to export jobs and exploit workers.
Increased funding for the Occupational Safety & Health Administration and other Similar Federal Agencies. Federal agencies charged with enforcement of our nation’s labor laws need to be sufficiently resourced and empowered to do their jobs. Needless and senseless workplace accidents must be stopped before they happen, and when they do, employers that are at fault must be held accountable for their actions. In this day and age workers should not be dying on our construction sites -as has tragically been the recent case in New York City - or in our nation’s mines. We have the technology and ability to do this work safely and we owe it to the hard working men and women of our nation and their families to ensure their safety.
Increasing the National Minimum Wage. The legal minimum wage needs to be raised further and we must ensure that all levels of government are vigorously enforcing the law and prosecuting those who violate it. Men and woman should be paid equal and fair wages for a fair days work, and in order to support their families these wages must keep pace with inflation and the rising cost of living.
Ensuring that all Government Funded Projects Pay a Prevailing Wage for All Construction Work. If there is a single dollar of federal funding in a development project, all construction should be done at the prevailing wage rate. The practice of segregating Federal and local government funding and structuring the project to minimize the work done at a prevailing rate, as is far too often the case in New York City, simply must come to an end. As a member of the New York City Council I fought to end this practice by introducing legislation, Introduction 733, requiring that all City subsidized projects, whether directly or indirectly funded, pay a prevailing wage rate. I will continue this fight once elected to the United States Congress.

Not until we return dignity and respect to our workplace will our nation ever live up to the great ideals upon which it was founded. I will work hand and hand with my partners in organized labor in the fight for economic justice both here at home and abroad.

Every single labor union in the New York City area is endorsing Mike McMahon, his stance on our returning veterans and infrastructure are also top notch, and from some friends and colleagues of mine, he is the real deal. Mike McMahon can also be voted under the Working Families Party, Line E.

More info on Mike McMahon can be found on Mike McMahon For Congress
More info on who Working Families supports and their issues can be found at WFP.org

Victory for Smithfield workers, Rico suit dropped, workers to get union vote!

2008-10-29T19:39:00.000-04:00

"Truth, Justice and the American way" - narrator, Superman TV series

One Rico suit against unions and their supporters has been dropped, workers finally big winners, imagine we live in a world that just being able to get a union election is a major victory

From Metro DC Labor Council:

WORKERS WIN AT SMITHFIELD!
(10/27/08 6:20P) In a huge win for organized labor, Smithfield Foods dropped a racketeering lawsuit against union organizers Monday and agreed to let them hold a union election at the world's largest hog slaughterhouse. "In return, the United Food and Commercial Workers union agreed to end a publicity campaign against Smithfield that included calls for product boycotts to support its calls for an organizing election at the slaughterhouse in Tar Heel, N.C.," reported the Associated Press Monday afternoon. Smithfield -- the nation's largest pork producer -- estimated that the Justice at Smithfield campaign – which included a major focus on DC-area customers who make up one of Smithfield's largest markets -- cost it about $900 million. "The metro-area labor movement has been deeply involved in this struggle since it was launched over two years ago," said Metro Washington Council President Jos Williams. "Every local activist and labor supporter who turned out to rally, leaflet or march for Justice at Smithfield should be proud of their role in this win." The agreement was announced by Smithfield and the UFCW in a joint statement as the company's lawsuit was about to go to trial Monday in federal court. In a joint statement, Smithfield and the union said they "have agreed on what both parties believe to be a fair election process" on union representation at the Tar Heel plant. The settlement was sealed, and U.S. District Judge Robert E. Payne ordered the parties to say nothing further about the deal until after the union election. It was unclear when that election would take place.
- click here for Larry O'Dell's complete AP report. Photo: At the June 19 Justice at Smithfield campaign launch in DC; photo by Tiye Kinlow

Boeing and IAM agree to 4 year deal

2008-10-28T05:55:00.000-04:00

Sorry gotta run, just squeezing this info in while I'm running out the door

From labourstarts newsfeed

Boeing, union agree on 4-year deal
Boeing, machinist union agree tentative deal
Boeing, machinists in tentative deal to end strike
Machinists in Tentative Deal with Boeing
Boeing unions 'reach strike deal'

Finally beat Kirsten to the punch, hopefully when she writes a new story she can bring it here

Added some nifty widgets to the site, Labourstart photo's and a video bar

2008-10-28T05:48:00.000-04:00

I am really happy to be finding so many nice widgets around the net lately, it's getting easier to grab wonderful content and bring it to you. the newest stuff I have is the Industrial, Labour and Trade Unions of photo's from around the world and a video widget featuring one of the great artist on YouTube, please note I'm still testing all this stuff out, Just like the labor news widget I created with the use of YahooTubes on the top right, and the addition of the Amber Alert badge.

I'm trying to make this site one of the best for info for working people.

Later,
Joe

Longest-serving Republican in the US Senate found guilty

2008-10-27T22:28:00.000-04:00

Directly from the "They're all scumbags" catagory

From Times Online (excerpt):

The longest-serving Republican in the US Senate has been found guilty of lying about free gifts he received from a wealthy oil contractor.
Alaska Senator Ted Stevens, had been hoping to win re-election next week, but last night he faced the end of his 40-year political career, after being convicted on seven corruption charges.
The guilty verdict will make a difficult race almost impossible for the 84-year-old senator, and brings the Democrats one crucial seat closer to realising their bid for a filibuster-proof majority in the Senate.
Stevens’s downfall will provide another unwelcome distraction for John McCain, whose efforts to run an anti-sleaze ticket have already been compromised by the Troopergate inquiry, which found that his running mate, Sarah Palin, had used her position as Governor of Alaska to settle a personal score

More at Politico: Messy trial ends with a decisive verdict

Sad. sadder and saddest

2008-10-27T22:21:00.000-04:00

My girl says I'm a bit on the negative side, why would that be...

So when will banks give loans? Sadder

Saddest

Today Sad: Dennis Kucinich: Timing of Attack In Syria So Close To Election Questioned

July sadness: Republicans helping to encourage the use of more illegal alien labor

Military says Twitter, the social networking tool is for terrorists

2008-10-27T21:41:00.000-04:00

Are you f@cking kidding me?

I heard this on the news tonight, the social network tool that you can send text messages to cell phones or friends online has been deemed a terrorist tool by the US military.

From Vnunut:

A report by US military intelligence has claimed that the messaging application Twitter could be used by terrorists as an operational tool.

The report into the increasing security implications of mobile technology envisaged terrorists using Twitter messages, or Tweets, to communicate and share images and locations of future terrorist attacks.

"Twitter is already used by some members to post and/or support extremist ideologies and perspectives," the report said.

"For example, there are multiple pro and anti Hezbollah Tweets. In addition, extremist and terrorist use of Twitter could evolve over time to reflect tactics that are already evolving in use by 'hacktivists' and activist for surveillance. This could theoretically be combined with targeting."

It notes that Twitter was used extensively by protestors at the recent Republican National Convention to identify the location of police and security guards in an effort to get around them.

It's called technology assholes, it's better than the mass beatings to American's that the stormtroopers at both the RNC and DNC dished out. Wheres the ACLU. This is quickly becoming a fascist police state.

eFluxMedia adds:

The report also focuses on newer applications for mobile phones such as digital maps, GPS locators and many more. The army report analyzes discussions on Al-Qaeda-affiliated online forums and the fact that terrorists and followers are discussing about the benefits of modern-day technology and how it can be used to coordinate a terrorist attack.

One of the online conversations was reportedly about the benefits of "using a mobile phone camera to monitor the enemy and its mechanisms," while another was about how one can use a Nokia 6210 Navigator for "marksmanship, border crossings, and in concealment of supplies" through the cell phone’s GPS functions.

Another similar, online chat focused on how terrorists could use voice-modification software in order to conceal their identity when making phone calls. Using the above-mentioned features as well as many other and adding Twitter use to that may have a bigger impact.

"Twitter was recently used as a countersurveillance, command and control, and movement tool by activists at the Republican National Convention," the Army report notes.

"The activists would Tweet each other and their Twitter pages to add information on what was happening with Law Enforcement near real time."

Take Action: Tell the Gap to stop supporting union-buster's at Oak Harbor Freight

2008-10-27T18:40:00.000-04:00

Cross-posted at DailyKos

Don't just sit there, take action!

From Labourstart:

Tell the Gap: Don't Harbor Worker Abuses
Don't let Gap Inc. support worker and retiree abuses!

Oak Harbor Freight Lines workers in Oregon, Washington and Idaho were forced to strike on Sept. 22 in protest of the freight company's violations of U.S. labor laws, as well as hostile efforts by the company to intimidate workers.

A day later, Oak Harbor took the outrageous step of cutting off health care benefits to its workers and retirees. Instead of negotiating with striking workers in good faith, Oak Harbor has imported teams of professional strikebreakers to coerce and scare loyal long-time employees.

Oak Harbor's biggest freight customer, Gap Inc., has supported the move to replace striking workers and cut off health care benefits to retirees.

REI, Urban Outfitters, and other companies have elected to suspend their relationship with Oak Harbor until the company finds a just and lasting resolution to the ongoing labor dispute.

Several organizations, including, Sweatfree Communities, the International Textile, Garment and Leather Workers' Federation, the International Transport Workers' Federation, Students & Scholars Against Corporate Misbehavior, and the International Labor Rights Forum have called on Gap Inc. to suspend its relationship with Oak Harbor.

Unfortunately, the Gap continues to ignore workers' rights abuses and use Oak Harbor to transport merchandise. Tell the Gap to stop harboring worker abuses.

CLICK HERE! To send your message to Gap Clothing!

Wake up people, we can't just let shit like this go anymore!

From The Teamsters website:

On Oct. 21st. Teamsters rappelled down the side of a building adjacent to The Gap’s headquarters in San Francisco to bring attention to the company’s support of union-busting freight firm Oak Harbor Freight Lines.

*Click above for larger image

“We are here today at Gap Inc. to let the people of San Francisco, and the country, know that Gap, Inc. supports union-busters,” said Dan Jurpik, a striking worker who participated in the banner drop. “I have worked for Oak Harbor for 14 years. Now they are slashing our health care and bringing in professional strikebreakers to coerce and scare loyal long-time employees.”

“This company is treating its employees badly,” said Al Hobart, President of Teamsters Joint Council 28 and International Vice President. “Not only do they not want to negotiate fairly, but now they have taken the outrageous step of slashing health care benefits for workers. And, to add insult to injury, they cut health care for retirees – the very workers who built Oak Harbor into a strong company.”

Oak Harbor’s biggest freight customer, retail giant Gap Inc., continues to provide support to Oak Harbor even after it cut retiree health care benefits, froze workers’ retirement income and slashed sick leave.

More than 600 Teamsters remain on strike in Washington, Oregon and Idaho against Auburn, Washington-based Oak Harbor, after bargaining unsuccessfully for a fair contract for the past 11 months.

CLICK HERE! It only takes a minute!

A huge thank's to Eric Lee at the folks at Labourstart for helping gather support for our fellow workers. A huge thanks to the labor and social justice organizations worldwide that are in support of our American workers.

Stand in solidarity CLICK HERE!

Video: The value of a dollar

2008-10-27T01:17:00.000-04:00

The video that explains the value of gold Vs.the dollar on YouTube