The lobbyist and spin doctors against the working American have launched all sorts of anti-union websites, one of their newest is using the "stop unions" phrase. So here's a nice little spot on Blogger where I can test some nice widgets for my own site Joe's Union Review
While I dislike all the candidates which the Main Stream Media picked for us, I certainly wouldn't vote for this vehemently anti-labor turd.
Came across this at Broadcast Union News, who made a quick breakdown from the AFL-CIO's recently launched McCain Revealed page, of the important reasons why John McCain is not a choice for any worker.
Sen. John McCain is clearly not a fan of workers’ freedom to form unions and bargain for better wages and benefits. He has spoken out against unions and consistently voted against collective bargaining rights for workers. Union members know the right to bargain is essential to preserving good jobs with good wages and benefits.
McCAIN DOESN’T LIKE UNIONS
McCain: Unions Have Played ‘Important Role’ But Have ‘Serious Excesses.’ When asked if unions are good for America, McCain responded, “I think the unions have played a very important role in the history of this country to improve the plight and conditions of laboring Americans. I think that like many other monopolies, in some cases they have then serious excesses.” [GOP Dearborn Debate, MSNBC, 10/9/07]
McCain: Teachers’ Unions Serve Unions’ Interest, NOT Children’s Interest. McCain has repeatedly attacked teachers’ unions. “It’s time to break the grip of the education monopoly that serves the union bosses at the expense of our children,” he said. [The New York Times, 2/11/00]
McCain Says Government Workers Are ‘Crippled’ by Union Contracts. In his speech to the Oklahoma State Legislature, McCain said, “We must streamline our workforce, demand high standards of behavior, promote excellence at every level based on merit and accountability, and not let good workers be crippled by the fine print of the latest union contract…. The civil service has strayed from its reformist roots and has mutated into a no-accountability zone, where employment is treated as an entitlement, good performance as an option, and accountability as someone else’s problem.” [Address to the Oklahoma State Legislature, 5/21/07]
McCAIN OPPOSES OUR FREEDOM TO FORM UNIONS
McCain Voted for a National Right-to-Work for Less Law.
McCain voted against the Employee Free Choice Act, which would level the playing field for workers trying to form unions. He voted for a National Right-to-Work for Less law that would attempt to eliminate unions altogether. [H.R. 800, Vote #227, 6/26/07; S. 1788 Vote #188, 7/10/96]
McCain Crossed a Writers Guild Picket Line to Appear on ‘The Tonight Show.’
McCain crossed the picket line of the Writers Guild of America to appear on “The Tonight Show with Jay Leno.” [Think Progress, accessed 2/27/08]
McCain Voted to Allow Employers to Hire Permanent Replacements During a Strike. McCain voted against ending debate on a bill that would bar employers from hiring permanent replacements for striking workers. [S. 55,Vote #189, 7/13/94]
McCain Voted Against Collective Bargaining Rights for State and Local Police and Firefighters. [H.R. 3061, Vote #323, 11/6/01]
McCain Did NOT Co-Sponsor the Public Safety Employer-Employee Cooperation Act. McCain did not co-sponsor S. 2123, the Public Safety Employer-Employee Cooperation Act, legislation to grant fire fighters and police officers minimum collective bargaining rights. [S. 2123, 10/1/07; IAFF]
McCain Voted Against Collective Bargaining Rights for TSA Screeners. McCain voted against a measure to grant Transportation Security Administration (TSA) airport screeners limited collective bargaining rights. The measure would not have allowed them to strike or negotiate for higher pay. [S. 4, Vote #64, 3/7/07]
Reminder, Carhartt has now removed it's "Made in the USA" items from its website, wonder which inferior labor standard their enterprise has invaded now. A look at the site from 2005 shows that they proudly still had a few "Made in USA" items. Now they have none that proudly proclaim anything other than one pair of $43 jeans, which the Product Description claim's:
100% Carhartt values! A combination that can't be beat when it comes to a classic like American blue jeans. These are rugged 15-ounce 100% cotton denim. Designed to fit at the natural waist and provide a bit more room in the seat and thigh -- a real plus for easy movement and on-the-job comfort. 17.5-inch leg openings provide plenty of room to slip easily over work boots. Reinforced back pockets, front pocket rivets, and plenty of on-the-job testing all help insure a hard-working, long-wearing, Carhartt-tough USA jean.
Funny, doesn't say "Made In USA" as it used to back in 2005:
15-ounce, 100% cotton denim Sits at the natural waist Relaxed seat and thigh Two reinforced back pockets Made in the USA 15 1/4" tapered leg opening
Also to note that the local store where I used to get work clothes, back in '05, had some Carhartt flannels I was looking through the bunch, and noticed that the 2x-5x were a much thicker material for the same price as the flimsy new ones, then it hit me, I took a look at the tags, it seems that the thicker ones were leftovers from the year before, not only that they were USA made, the newer ones not only were made by cheaper labor standards and cost, they were cheaper materials. So screw Carhartt, they sold out the American worker. Oh, yeah, one more reminder, a year after I got into my union, in around '97 Carhartt was building a new facility with nonunion labor, the entire Building and Construction Trades threw a Boycott on their merchandise. A month later my internationals magazine informed us that the boycott was over, Carhartt agreed to never again build an American textile mill without the use of union construction. Carhartt has kept to that promise. They have never again built a facility in the USA, they have done quite the opposite, they have closed almost all of them.
A good alternative, while only .5 oz. less material weight, but definitely made 100% in the USA is the carpenter jeans at All American Clothing for $38, thats just $1 more than the foreign made Carhartt straight leg and $2 less than the foreign made carpenter jeans.
The story isn't very clear about Red Wing, while the story is legendary, the best in union construction worker footwear, made 100% union in the Minnesota, USA.
Well that story has changed, in the 80's the Red Wing factory expanded it's Minnesota facility for the third time as production reached 2 million, they also expanded their catalog to over 150 different styles, thats where their sites history gets very vague, they say they now have 3 facilities, but no mention of where and what products come from what country. Very deceiving to say the least, I made a picture dedicated to Red Wing, while I feel if they have some union made stuff here in the states and the quality is the same as it has always been I will still buy them, but I'm really mad at the way they are handling the global diversity in their merchandise. Damnit! the union workers made the company. They owe us an explanation, they owe us in a big way. I feel that if the e-mails that are being sent from other liked minded individuals which aren't being answered, example at the Ed Schultz show message board, that if we do not get an answer from the company, that all union workers should boycott their products. For now simply bitching about it in the stores till you get a bona fide union made pair is a great start, geez, they're only about $10 more. Considering a good pair of work boots is upwards of $200, whats $10 to put food on another union workers table.
just in case you missed em the first time heres the images I made to get the message out, from an old story from 7/07 which may not be accurate anymore: Get some USA and Union made stuff
Please explain that there isn't currently a boycott of Red Wing at the moment, just that you have to check the labels before buying them. According to a poster at the above mentioned Ed Schultz site:
Red Wing does still make union-made American made shoes. I went to the Red Wing store a couple of miles from my house last year to get a pair of dress shoes. I did have to special order them, but I got them in a week and they are excellent shoes, still top quality.
Bluedog is correct, it's not like the Chinese-made shoes were half the price, they were still quite expensive (Red Wing have ALWAYS been expensive, but they last for years). I don't know about the difference in quality.
I raised a bru-ha-ha while in the store, and the other customers, once tipped off, were strongly against buying foreign-made shoes. There WERE plenty of the American-made, union-made shoes there, but not in the dress styles.
To me, Red Wing is STILL the place to go, just demand loudly the Union-made shoes, and let them know you'll NEVER buy non-union from them.
Yeah, they closed those plants, I made that over 7 months ago they probably closed a few more by now.
Fuck Carhartt, I say Boycott entirely. You can get the same quality for 1/3rd the price. Why waste your hard earned? That would be pretty foolish.
"Every strike, every community struggle, every battle against racism and discrimination, must be a battle against the bosses as a whole. We are all under attack. Millions of workers not in a Union would want to join an organization that fought for them against slumlords and for affordable decent housing or for a $15 an hour minimum wage. A program to fight the bosses should include such demands as:
A $15 hour national minimum wage or a $5.00 an hour raise whichever is greater.
Oppose collaboration with the employers through the Team Concept.
Free health care for all to be paid for by ending Bush's tax cuts to the rich, by taking from military spending and by taking into public ownership the health insurance corporations and the pharmaceuticals and running the health care industry on the basis of need not profit.
A massive increase in social spending for housing, education and schools as well as public transportation
A return of all troops from Iraq
No support for Democrats—build an independent worker’s party"
The last line is the most important in my eyes.
Cleaning Up Bush's disappointments
Theres a storm brewing against the Bush appointments, or rather disappointments, we all know that the Teamsters have started a site against Mary Peters, the US Secretary of Transportation, for allowing Mexican Domiciled vehicles roam freely throughout the USA. I have done my part check the Blog over there where one of my pictures is featured:
The above photo was taken by our friend in Manhattan. There was a LiUNA rally protesting sweatshop construction in the Big Apple. “Bad, Bad, Bad,” says the Rat sporting a Fire Mary Peters sticker over his broken heart.
Unlike her cohorts in the Bush Administration, Elaine Chao has escaped much-needed public scrutiny of her time on the job. From littering the Labor Department with corporate insiders to dismantling worker safety protections and collaborating with her husband, Sen. Mitch McConnell, on a blatant anti-union political agenda, Elaine has disgraced her role as Secretary of Labor.
Like most union activists we knew Elaine was a stinker – but until ARAW pulled all the information together at one spot, we had no idea just how bad her record is. We’re sure you’ll share our outrage over what we found out she was up to instead of serving in the interest of workers:
Hired a former colleague from the Heritage Foundation who actually wrote a report titled “How to close down the Department of Labor.”
Cut over 100 inspectors at the MSHA and, as a result, hundreds of mines weren’t inspected and tragedies such as Sago and Crandall Canyon might have been prevented.
Had Chao-themed coins, lanyards, and fleece blankets printed at taxpayers’ expense.
Failed to issue a rule requiring employers pay for their workers’ safety gear—contributing to 400,000 workers injured and 50 dead.
Had an auditorium named in her honor – thanks to her husband’s $14.2 million earmark to enhance the Mitch McConnell Center at his alma mater, the University of Louisville. Of course, Elaine never attended the university.
Thats just the tip of the iceberg, my buddy Richie at UnionReview.com has been following her views on the American worker for a while and I pointed out in a comment:
At the Shame on Elaine site theres also, among other atrocious misdeeds, an article about the North Carolina poultry industry, which as you may have read about first right here on JoesUnionReview, the newspaper in the local area, the Charlotte Observer has been doing what has become a rarity in todays Main Stream Media, an expose. Shame On Elaine notes:
The poultry story has created quite a stir, the AFL-CIO Web Blog is currently engaged in a debate in it's comments section pertaining to a story about the newest employer exploitation here on American soil. Slaves, Sharecroppers, Now Immigrants, go check it out, I'm keeping my debates here and at UR.
Hershey's Chocolate Co.
Speaking of Union Review, one of our friends and contributers Kevin recently sent a letter to Hershey's Chocolate Co. expressing his concern about the chocolate giant wacking 1500 Teamster jobs here in the states, along with all the other jobs that go with it, and closing facilities in the US and Canada while opening brand new factories in Mexico. Well he got a half ass response which would be expected.
Thank you for contacting The Hershey Company.
Our history in the town goes back more than 100 years, and we are committed to continue making the world’s best chocolate products in Hershey, Pennsylvania. In fact, the company operates - and will continue to operate - three factories in Hershey.
The Hershey Company is making changes to our global manufacturing network to ensure that our company remains competitive in the global marketplace for the long-term. When these changes are completed, 90 percent of the items that Hershey sells in the United States and Canada will continue to be made in these countries. And we will continue to make Hershey’s milk chocolate bars, Hershey’s Kisses and Reese's Peanut Butter Cups in Hershey, Pennsylvania.
We have a strict policy, that if any products are made outside of the USA and Canada, the name of the country of origin will be marked on the package.
Your interest in our company is appreciated.
SaLoua Iouani Consumer Representative
I'd like to hold them to that 90% theory, we had been following that since I made my very first story at UnionReview: Hershey's Fiesta * when does the worker beating stop ? Which was also my first image I made to go with a story
Wins and Losses For Big Union Members
I always was kinda good with the headlines, speaking of which my cries to the General Motors UAW members went unheard when they singed that PoS contract, remember my story back in Sept. at UR: UAW: Some Reasons for GM Workers to Vote NO !
This contract shows the omnipotence of corporations, the back rubbing of upper union officials and the complete degradation of the American industrial working class.
So fight UAW workers, don't let them do this to you , if this goes into effect you can almost be sure that future auto's (electric and otherwise) will NOT be made in USA or Canada. Don't agree with me, re-read this in 3 years if this passes. If I am mistaken about any of my points, please inform me, I am willing to learn .
But GM Chairman and Chief Executive Rick Wagoner said that the company made significant progress in 2007, reducing structural costs in North America, negotiating a historic labor agreement and growing aggressively in Latin America and Asia.
The Detroit-based automaker said it was offering a new round of buyouts to all 74,000 of its U.S. hourly workers who are represented by the United Auto Workers.
GM won't say how many workers it hopes to shed, but under its new contract with the UAW, it will be able to replace up to 16,000 workers doing non-assembly jobs with new employees who will be paid half the old wage of $28 per hour.
Ford Motor Co. and Chrysler LLC already have announced similar buyout offers. GM shares fell 65 cents, or 2.4 percent, to $26.47 in premarket trading. GM's annual loss of $38.7 billion largely was due to a third-quarter charge related to unused tax credits.
The 2007 loss topped GM's previous record in 1992, when the company lost $23.4 billion because of a change in health care accounting, according to Standard & Poor's Compustat.
Thats a bad part of history, speaking of which lets talk a bit of a victory, this week the Writers Guild members, which UnionReview has covered since the beginning of this strike, have ratified their contract. It was a long drawn out battle, but they hung in there through rain, sleet and snow(at least here in New York), and while many may be out for a period of time for schedule correction and show cancellation, they have triumphed. According to Uni Global Union:
“The strike is over. Our membership has voted, and writers can go back to work,” said Patric M. Verrone, president of the Writers Guild of America, West. “This was not a strike we wanted, but one we had to conduct in order to win jurisdiction and establish appropriate residuals for writing in new media and on the Internet.” developed.”
“The success of this strike is a significant achievement not only for ourselves but the entire creative community, now and in the future,” said Michael Winship, president of the Writers Guild of America, East.
I stood there with them, with other construction workers here in New York, in solidarity. We took action via the net, through online petitions to the AMPTP and even E-Mail's to Ellen DeGeneres who was going to cross the picket, she changed her mind afterwards. One of our finest moments. Now I was getting a bit of thinking going on the other day and didn't post the next two items, but now I feel it's time...
Dumb Downed Americana, NCLB and More Bullshit
Wow, I didn't realize that the New York Times would actually point out how dumb Americans are, I take offense. Actually after being in a store or 2 with a broken register I can understand why the message on this site doesn't get out too far. Not only do I need a English-Spanish-Chinese-Russian translator, I need a dumb it down to 4th. grade reading level with some slang and computer speak thrown in translator. It's a simple fact that the school system cares more about pushing the masses through the system to get payments than to actually teach the students. The leaders want to stay in office, what better way then to have an ignorant populous?
The author of seven other books, she was a fellow at the library when she first got the idea for this book back in 2001, on 9/11.
Walking home to her Upper East Side apartment, she said, overwhelmed and confused, she stopped at a bar. As she sipped her bloody mary, she quietly listened to two men, neatly dressed in suits. For a second she thought they were going to compare that day’s horrifying attack to the Japanese bombing in 1941 that blew America into World War II:
“This is just like Pearl Harbor,” one of the men said. The other asked, “What is Pearl Harbor?”
“That was when the Vietnamese dropped bombs in a harbor, and it started the Vietnam War,” the first man replied. At that moment, Ms. Jacoby said, “I decided to write this book.”
No, the American public isn't stupid by a long shot, as long as no one is asking them questions
Maybe we were just too damned smart to bother learning about geography, history and culture. At least with No Child Left behind our kids can now get left behind, DuH?!?
Thats enough bullshit for now, enjoy your recalled beef ya' dopes. Hmmm, no charges have been filed against the company. Figures.
Funny as the producers are trying to end the strike as quickly as possible now that their viewer base is turning to the alternative media that this strike is all about.
(1)It is an agreement that protects a future in which the Internet becomes the primary means of both content creation and delivery. It creates formulas for revenue-based residuals in new media, provides access to deals and financial data to help us evaluate and enforce those formulas, and establishes the principle that, "When they get paid, we get paid." - wrote Michael Winship, President of Writers Guild of America - East Coast and Patric M. Verrone, President of Writers Guild of America - West Coast in a joint letter to WGA members.
Not going to give many details, only that it's about time that the Producers made an effort to add new media to the contract, it's a bit confusing to me, as I'm sure it is for the Writers who are voting on it today. Hopefully the clips provided can explain the terms better. New media is in the language.
(2)Rafat Ali of Paid Content has gotten a hold of the terms, and, well, to say that the formulas are complex is a bit of an understatement. But we’ll try to boil it down some for you.
One of the main thrusts of the strike was the lack of residual payments for the use of written content via online sources, referred to as “new media”. Though most of the videos are streamed for free, the companies were collecting advertising revenue, with none of it going to the writers.
The proposed deal from the AMPTP is for the writers to receive initial payments for the first two minutes of a program; then a smaller fee for each additional minute past that, with the minimum payment being equal to the amount for the first two minutes. For dramas, it is $618 for the first two minutes, and $309 for each additional minute. For comedy-variety and daytime serials (soap operas), the payments will be $309 for the first two minutes, and $155 for each additional minute. There is also some question about how long the rights will be in effect. For free streams it is 13 weeks. For paid downloads it is 26 weeks.
Now, if the content is original, and has a budget of over $25,000, there is an entirely separate set of rules that apply. For original content, it switches to percentages of the producer’s gross receipts for the product. Downloaded rentals of 1.2%; while sales are figured at .36% for the first 100,000 sales, and .7% for each additional sale on television programs, and .65% for feature films.
The numbers keep pouring in from there, all percentage based for up to two years of online usage of the products.
As we mentioned earlier today, television is losing ratings due to the strike, and online viewing seems to be picking up those missing viewers, so “new media” is truly an important point of contention for both sides. When the last strike happened in 1988, it lasted for 22 weeks. There was no alternative place for viewers to turn. But now with online content, producers are probably seeing that they could lose viewers permanently if they don’t hurry and settle the strike.
Striking Writers Agree to Resume Talks With Studios (Update1)
By Michael White
Striking film and television writers agreed to discuss ground rules for new negotiations with Hollywood studios, a step that could lead to resolution of the 11-week-old strike.
The Writers Guild of America withdrew proposals seeking jurisdiction over animation and reality television shows, the union said today in an e-mailed statement.
The discussions will be the first since Dec. 7, when negotiations broke down over pay for the use of work on the Internet, as well as writers' demands regarding reality and animation shows. The studios agreed last week to pay directors more for Web distribution of content, helping to clear the way for renewed talks with the writers. That agreement, reached in one week, followed three weeks of preliminary discussions.
The Writers Guild has made new media the focal point of the strike, arguing that the Internet and mobile devices will become an increasingly important method for distributing content. They walked off the job on Nov. 5.
The studios also must negotiate separate labor agreements with the Screen Actors Guild and American Federation of Television and Radio Artists, which represents singers, dancers, announcers and some news personnel who work in TV and radio.
To contact the reporter on this story: Michael White in Los Angeles at Mwhite8@bloomberg.net
Heres the letter to the membership from the WGAE site:
WGA Joint Presidents' Letter on Start of Informal Talks
We have responded favorably to the invitation from the AMPTP to enter into informal talks that will help establish a reasonable basis for returning to negotiations. During this period we have agreed to a complete news blackout. We are grateful for this opportunity to engage in meaningful discussion with industry leaders that we hope will lead to a contract. We ask that all members exercise restraint in their public statements during this critical period.
In order to make absolutely clear our commitment to bringing a speedy conclusion to negotiations we have decided to withdraw our proposals on reality and animation. Our organizing efforts to achieve Guild representation in these genres for writers will continue. You will hear more about this in the next two weeks.
On another issue, the Writers Guild, West Board of Directors has voted not to picket the Grammy Awards in Los Angeles. Members of the American Federation of Musicians (AFM) face many of the same issues concerning compensation in new media that we do. In the interest of advancing our goal of achieving a fair contract, the WGAW Board felt that this gesture should be made on behalf our brothers and sisters in AFM and the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (AFTRA).
Best,
Michael Winship President Writers Guild of America, East
Patric M. Verrone President Writers Guild of America, West
I know this isn’t what anybody wants to hear, but…
The DGA deal is not a sign that the writers strike is close to ending.
Over the last few days, you might have heard a lot of people speculating with giddy glee that the WGA and the AMPTP have entered the endgame. You might have heard industry insiders talking about how the DGA deal is revolutionary and groundbreaking – setting historical precedents in the areas of new media, electronic sell-through, and internet jurisdiction. You might have heard people saying that writers are insane if they don’t accept the terms that the directors have agreed to.
You might have also noticed that the WGA hasn’t issued an official comment on the DGA deal other than “the terms of the deal will be carefully analyzed”. The Guild is being smart by trying to slow this down. I believe that when the WGA finally comments, what they have to say is going to be very unpopular.
It is going to be a reality check. (And it’s always controversial when the WGA gets into areas of reality.)
Not to say that the DGA deal is all bad. It brings up closer to the end of the strike in that same way that every day that passes brings us closer to the end of the strike.
The bigger news this week is really the fact that the AMPTP has agreed to resume “informal” negotiations. And I suppose, in a sense, the DGA deal had to get done before the producers would turn their attention back to us.
Given the way negotiating has gone so far, the skeptic in me is worried that this could be another ploy to break our spirits. It’s Union-Breaking 101, and for most of the strike, the producers have attempted to play on our emotions by leaking stories to Nikki Finke over at Deadline Hollywood Daily. Unfortunately for them, earlier this week, Nikki Finke announced she was taking a break, so maybe they had to do something more drastic to screw with us. Get the writers excited that a resolution could be around the corner, then walk out of negotiations again, making us feel like the strike will never end.
Television and film directors have reached a tentative agreement on a new contract with the major media conglomerates, including new language and payment formulas covering digital media.... The DGA agreement could serve as a template for a new writers' contract and for one with the Screen Actors Guild of America. The actors union's agreement with the studios and networks expires in June.
Gil Cates, chairman of the DGA's negotiating committee, said in a statement that "two words describe this agreement - groundbreaking and substantial. There are no rollbacks of any kind."
The DGA agreement reportedly includes increases in wages and residual payments, establishes guild jurisdiction over programs created for the Internet and sets a payment formulas for paid Internet downloads and streaming of original programming online.
Digital media has been the main stumbling block in negotiations between the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers - which represents such major media companies as Disney, CBS and NBC-Universal - and the writers' union. Continued at site
Studios Accord With Directors May Help Resolve (Writers Guild) Strike(update 3) By Michael White and Andy Fixmer Jan. 18
The labor agreement reached late yesterday between Hollywood directors and movie and television studios may help resolve a writers strike that has put more than 10,000 people out of work.
The Directors Guild of America reached the three-year accord yesterday with the studios' bargaining entity, the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers, the groups said in a statement. They began talks Jan. 12.
The deal may serve as a model for negotiations between the studios and writers, who walked off the job Nov. 5. Directors won increased pay for Internet distribution, an issue splitting the studios and the Writers Guild of America. Their talks broke off Dec. 7.
``This may be the beginning of the end of the strike,'' Jonathan Handel, a Los Angeles-based entertainment attorney with TroyGould, said in an interview. ``It's extremely unlikely the writers are going to be able to achieve improvement over what the directors have negotiated.''
Directors get an overall wage increase of 3 percent for primetime shows and daytime serials, and 3.5 percent for all other programming. The agreement increases pay for films and TV shows sold on the Web. It also sets pay levels for content that is streamed for free over Internet sites.
``This was a very difficult negotiation that required real give and take on both sides,'' said DGA president Michael Apted in the statement.Continued at site
Sorry don't have much to add, real busy today. Would be nice to see this end so the writers can get back to work
