Unions

00Publius Contributor - Business - Crime - Democrats/Leftists - History - Media Bias - News - Society/Culture - Unions - Warner Todd Huston

Union Corruption Outpaces Watchdogs

February 13, 2008 by 3 Comments

-By Warner Todd Huston

On Feb. 10th, the New York Times had an article pointing out that union corruption in the Big Apple grows faster than Federal officials can keep up with prosecuting it. To we in the anti-union thug movement this is not news. It does, however, conform to our own mantra that unionism means corruption by its very nature.

For more than a decade, federal officials and court-appointed monitors have strained to clean up two New York-area unions, representing cement truck drivers and construction laborers, that prosecutors say were long under Mafia control.

Indeed, prosecutors once described the cement truck drivers’ union, Local 282 of the Teamsters, as a “candy store” for the mob that they say funneled $1.2 million a year to John Gotti, the longtime Gambino crime family boss who died in prison in 2002.

Well, more indictments have been handed down on the truck drivers union and business owners. This time over the embezzling of large sums of money from the union’s health care and pension finds by a trucking company owner, and another involving the business manager of local 325 who took bribes for favors.

As former prosecutor Robert Luskin said to the Times:

“For as long as we’re around, we’re going to have to fight a ground war in New York and New Jersey,” Mr. Luskin said. “It’s like World War I. We take some ground and then we have to fight to take it back again.”

Well, a really, really good solution might be to get rid of the unions, wouldn’t it?

In any case, unionism brings a constant stream of corruption, theft, graft and criminality and we will continue to monitor it for you here.

Continue reading “Union Corruption Outpaces Watchdogs”

00Publius Contributor - Business - Crime - Democrats/Leftists - Education - News - Society/Culture - Unions - Warner Todd Huston

What Does Seattle Teachers Union Have to Hide?

February 11, 2008 by

-By Warner Todd Huston

Proving once again that there is nothing democratic or open about unions, the Seattle Teachers union has successfully convinced Judge Julie Spector, a pliant activist judge, that no one should be allowed to view emails sent over government servers. Even worse, like most Democrat shills for unions, a Seattle Public School attorney rolled over and didn’t even fight for the public’s right to open records.

The dispute arose when an undisclosed, private citizen filed to see these emails created on government computers (Seattle Public Schools) and sent through government servers but was denied when the SEA went to court to stop the release of these public records, claiming that union business was none of yours — despite that the unions were using government equipment to send and create them.

Even though this pliant judge sided with the union, it is far from clear that these emails should be buttoned up, out of sight of the public.

Despite the union’s protests–and a King County Superior Court judge’s temporary ruling sealing the e-mails–the e-mails may not be so private. According to Kristin Alexander, spokeswoman for the Washington State Attorney General’s Office, “E-mails sent over public computers are public,” although Alexander notes that “there are certain exemptions.”

This action and the weak response from the city attorney will only embolden those who want secrecy in government and freeze out open and transparent government.
Continue reading “What Does Seattle Teachers Union Have to Hide?”

00Publius Contributor - Business - Democrats/Leftists - Economy/Finances - Media Bias - News - Security/Safety - Society/Culture - Unions - Warner Todd Huston

What Unions Do

February 7, 2008 by

-By Warner Todd Huston

Over at the Chicago Maroon (an Independent newspaper of the University of Chicago), Mat Barnum has a post that has some great points in it. In A union divided: Organized labor strikes out, Barnum discusses the writer’s strike and what is going on there.

I miss The Office. A lot.

Thankfully, though, my favorite show will likely return soon, as the writers’ strike appears set to end this week. Likely, this will be heralded as a victory for fairness.

To most, unions are the good guys, fighting for fair wages and just treatment. Opposing these principles are big, greedy businesses eager to abuse workers, firing them willy-nilly, paying them less than they’re worth, and ruthlessly busting their earnest attempts at organizing. This narrative seems particularly pervasive here in Hyde Park: From U of C students rallying behind the campus clerical workers union, to community members blocking a hotel deal because the operating company doesn’t use unionized labor, the vocal consensus is decidedly pro-union.

The problem with the simplistic portrayal of good workers vs. evil businesses is not necessarily with its depiction of employers—of course they’re greedy—but with its glorification of employees. Workers who form unions are self-interested in the same way businesses are.

Unions, just like firms, are happy to promote their own interests, even at the expense of others. Take teachers’ unions, for example. Most, like the National Education Association (the largest labor union in the country), have long opposed merit pay. They argue that it is not effective—but even if it were, unions would still be against it since it’s not in many of their members’ best interest.

Continue reading “What Unions Do”

00Publius Contributor - Business - Democrats/Leftists - Economy/Finances - News - Society/Culture - Taxes - Unions - Warner Todd Huston

Union Celebrates Colorado Guv’s Payoffs

February 2, 2008 by

-By Warner Todd Huston

Back in November, we mentioned that Colorado Governor Bill Ritter slighted his legislature and the people of the state by slipping in through the back door a sop to the SEIU labor union. Ritter was paying back his big union thug pals in the typical way that Democrats do, via fiat as opposed to through the legitimate, democratic process.

Now, the unions are taking Ritter’s illicit gift and running with it… hard.

Ritter’s unwelcome executive order allows unions to force public workers to vote on unionizing with only 30% of the workers petitioning for organization. With that tiny hurdle to jump, unions are flooding Colorado’s public workers with ads to sign these petitions.

Naturally, the unions are starting to push for more from Ritter.

CPEA has taken issue with recent fliers that Colorado WINS has distributed to state workers. In the materials, Colorado WINS tells state employees that it can negotiate health care benefits on the employees’ behalf, a statement that CPEA president Jo Romero questions.

Romero said CPEA began getting phone calls over the weekend from state workers and CPEA members who were concerned about Colorado WINS’ fliers.

She doesn’t think Ritter’s order allows unions to negotiate with the state on health benefits or salaries, and her group is asking the governor’s office for clarification.

So, before they even get their first member, before their petitions are even filed, the unions are lying to the members and using that lie to push for more power.

All this will do nothing positive for the people of Colorado, for sure. All this will result in more expensive and more expansive government which will cause taxes to rise to meet those new expenditures. Colorado can thank Gov Billy Ritter for bloating government and making government harder and more costly to operate.

And this seems to be beginning to dawn on state workers that oppose unions.

Kathy Zamperini, a CAPE/SEIU member and state worker, said she has gotten signatures from fellow employees in support of Colorado WINS, but reaction is often mixed.

“We’re having a difficult time with some of our employees,” she said. “I think some people are just apathetic. A lot of people don’t know what the governor has done.”

Others, she said, don’t want to be saddled with union dues.

Raymond Hogler, a professor of management at Colorado State University, said he is not surprised that some workers are resisting.

“This is a not a very pro-union state, and employees may decide they don’t need a union,” he said. Others may be afraid to join a bargaining group for fear of retaliation from a manager, Hogler said.

The guv’s backdoor, underhanded payoff to unions is beginning to see the light. Let’s hope that the light is shinned on the Ritter’s perfidy soon enough to stop these unions.

00Publius Contributor - Business - Democrats/Leftists - News - Society/Culture - Taxes - The Law - Unions - Warner Todd Huston

Freshman KY Lawmaker’s Debate Shut Down by Union Flaks

February 1, 2008 by

-By Warner Todd Huston

First term Kentucky House member Tim Moore (R, Elizabethtown) tried to start a debate on the efficacy of Kentucky’s prevailing-wage laws last week, but union flacks on the floor of the Commonwealth’s House would have none of it. He was quickly shut down when he tried to re-visit the idea of whether or not contractors that work for the gov’t should be forced to pay union scale even if they are not a union shop.

The Herald-Leader gives us the scoop:

The prevailing-wage law requires contractors who are building government facilities and schools to pay the typical wage for similar construction work done in the region. Two years ago, when former Gov. Ernie Fletcher suggested repealing it, union workers marched on the Capitol several times.

Some Republicans, however, say the law is fiscally irresponsible and unnecessary.

So, Moore brought it up and wanted it debated. Union lovers were aghast.

So Moore decided to talk about the issue instead. But his brief floor speech was immediately met with sharp criticism, mostly from Democrats who represent union districts.

“Mostly from Democrats”… imagine that?

Continue reading “Freshman KY Lawmaker’s Debate Shut Down by Union Flaks”

00Publius Contributor - Business - Democrats/Leftists - Economy/Finances - News - Society/Culture - Unions - Warner Todd Huston

Another Nabbed in Mob Controlled NY School Bus Union Scandal

January 31, 2008 by

-By Warner Todd Huston

We’ve mentioned the little problem with the organized crime infested New York Transit Workers union Local 1181 a few times here on the Union Label. Well, we can report that another indictment in this growing and embarrassing scandal has been handed down.

Joseph Fazzia, owner of Jofaz Transportation was charged with making false statements to the FBI.

And that isn’t all…

But that union’s corrupt president, Salvatore Battaglia, last week pleaded guilty to taking payoffs and said several bus company owners have made regular payments to his union for decades.

The union has been controlled by the Genovese crime family since the 1970s, helping private bus companies milk the taxpayers and pumping millions into mob pockets.

Prosecutors identified three owners who said they had made payments to the union: Domenic Gatto, owner of Atlantic Express; Ray Fouche, owner of Rainbow Transit and Robert Dimino, owner of Safe Coach.

These companies currently have millions of dollars in DOE contracts to transport tens of thousands of New York City students.

It is a huge embarrassment to the New York Department of Education and no end seems to be in sight yet.

We’ll keep our eye on this mounting scandal and the corruption it reveals.

Continue reading “Another Nabbed in Mob Controlled NY School Bus Union Scandal”

00Publius Contributor - Business - Democrats/Leftists - Media Bias - News - Society/Culture - Unions - Warner Todd Huston

How to increase worker intimidation by union leaders

January 29, 2008 by

-By Warner Todd Huston

Here is a great explanation on why the new card-check idea that the dems are trying so hard to institute as a sop to their union thug pals is so bad: worker intimidation will be increased because of it.

By Lawrence B. Lindsey, Union Leader.com

AS OUR DEMOCRATIC process grinds toward selecting the next leader of the free world, it is also shedding light on the values a democracy should hold dear. Last weekend in Nevada, former President Bill Clinton said he witnessed voter intimidation firsthand. According to Clinton, a union representative was telling workers to agree to caucus for Sen. Barack Obama or expect to get a work schedule making it impossible for them to attend at all.

We all know that things like this happen and that our electoral process isn’t perfect, though it is the best available. One benefit of the secret ballot is that it minimizes incidences of such pressure because those doing the intimidating can never be sure if their threats worked. But in a caucus there is no secret ballot, so these union leaders would be able to tell how their members voted if they participated.

I wonder if, having seen such voter intimidation, the Clinton campaign will change its position on doing away with government-supervised secret-ballot elections for union representation. Under the Orwellian-named Employee Free Choice Act, secret-ballot elections to decide whether a plant is unionized would be replaced with a public “card check” system, under which both employers and union organizers would know how each worker voted. Sen. Hillary Clinton, Obama and former Sen. John Edwards all support this bill.

But a card-check system would offer even more room for intimidation of workers. A union card can be signed by workers at any time during an organizing campaign, which can take many months. Union organizers can pursue workers in their homes, at churches and civic clubs, and at watering holes after hours. Workers’ family members can also be intimidated during this process. So much for a “free choice” for employees.

Continue reading “How to increase worker intimidation by union leaders”

00Publius Contributor - Democrats/Leftists - Economy/Finances - News - Society/Culture - Unions - Warner Todd Huston

Regular Folks Against Union at KY Toyota Plant

January 27, 2008 by

-By Warner Todd Huston

The Cincy Enquirer gives us the inspiring story of a regular Joe just looking out for his own best interest. And his best interest, as far as he and many other of his coworkers are concerned, is to stay OUT of the United Auto Workers union.

Brian Howard is the operator of the website NoUAW.com where he helps keep his coworkers informed on the latest union machinations and news. But, he is often portrayed by the UAW and the media as, “big, bad Toyota preventing the union.”

But, Howard is not “Toyota,” he is just a worker that doesn’t want to be forced into a union. And he isn’t alone. The majority of the Toyota employees in Williamstown, Kentucky agree with him.

Fewer than 20 percent would vote to join the UAW, he said. “Hard-core, dead-set against it, I’d say 40 percent or more.”

“The UAW knows they do not have and will never have the votes to win an election,” says Howard’s co-worker Marvin Robbins. “So they want to take the rights of the workers away and not have an election.”

And, even more to the point the employees are getting sick of the UAW’s harassment.

Continue reading “Regular Folks Against Union at KY Toyota Plant”

00Publius Contributor - Democrats/Leftists - Education - Lee Culpepper - News - Society/Culture - Unions

Charter Schools: The Marine Corps of Public Education

January 25, 2008 by

Charter Schools: The Marine Corps of Public Education
-By Lee Culpepper

The Marine Corps’ mystique entices motivated recruits. Its battlefield ferocity strikes fear in the hearts of its enemies. The Corps is something nearly everyone admires, but only a few have what it takes to make the commitment.

Marines do not make excuses; they find ways to accomplish their mission – often without assets others require. Marines pride themselves on their ability to “accomplish more with less.”

Charter schools have benefited from a similar philosophy. They, too, “accomplish more with less.” They entice committed families and teachers searching for something better in public education. They also strike fear in the hearts of teacher unions and slippery politicians.

Overall, charter schools have produced at least as good — but typically better — results than traditional public schools. They have done so without assets their competition demands. Charters have succeeded despite receiving less taxpayer funding. They are completely on their own to pay for classroom facilities. Whether they build, lease, or restore property, charters own the problem.
Continue reading “Charter Schools: The Marine Corps of Public Education”

00Publius Contributor - Business - Democrats/Leftists - Economy/Finances - News - Society/Culture - Taxes - Unions - Warner Todd Huston

Unions Fighting Property Tax Cuts

January 21, 2008 by

-By Warner Todd Huston

Wouldn’t it be nice to get a break on your property taxes? Florida’s Governor Crist is trying to give the folks there just that with his Amendment 1 plan that will see a five-year, $9.3 billion property tax reduction to homeowners. But, guess who is against if. Yep, it’s unions.

Apparently AFSCME and the AFL-CIO aren’t too happy with the tax cut. And, it isn’t just unions in Florida, either. Apparently, unions from outside the state are poking their nose into the state’s politics.

Behind the uniformed army of public servants fighting Amendment 1 are lesser-known but powerful labor organizations, such as the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees and the national and state chapters of the AFL-CIO.

AFSCME donated $100,000 and the group claims 1.4 million members nationwide. The state chapter claims more than 110,000 active members, with seven regional offices and a professional staff of 33.

Another labor group, the Service Employees International Union, or SEIU, claims 1.9 million members in the United States, Canada and Puerto Rico. It gave $200,000. Teachers unions, through either the Florida Education Association or the Florida Public Education Defense Fund, gave more than $400,000.

The AFL-CIO, both the state and national, gave about $2,000 in in-kind donations.

So, national union organizations are flooding money into the state to defeat a proposal that will save the tax payers money.

What is it that unions always claim? That they are for the “little guy”?

I guess the unions don’t feel that the “little guy” should have their bloated taxes cut so that they can afford to won a home!

Yep, it’s great that these caring unions are out there tryin’ to help all them “little guys,” isn’t it?
Continue reading “Unions Fighting Property Tax Cuts”

00Publius Contributor - Business - Democrats/Leftists - News - Unions - Warner Todd Huston

When Even Union Members Cross Picket Lines…

January 13, 2008 by 1 Comment

-By Warner Todd Huston

When even union members cross picket lines, I’d say that unions are seeing their once axiomatic power seriously waning. Such was the case in Kentucky today. This from the Lexington Herold-Leader via the AP:

Ellis Park workers walk off job
AT ISSUE ARE PAY CUT, ELIMINATION OF SOME BENEFITS

Parimutuel clerks went on strike and started picketing Tuesday at Ellis Park, where they were being asked to take a 24 percent pay cut.

The clerks’ contract expired Monday night, leading to their first strike at the track.

A track official said it had no problem staffing the parimutuel windows.

“Ten people are working today,” said Bob Jackson, Ellis Park director of operations. “I only had seven scheduled. But I had some volunteer to work, so I told them to go ahead and come in.”

Picketers saw four union members cross the line, including two who work at the betting windows and two who work in the office, said Service Employees International Union Local 514 President Herman Fehler.

Union members overwhelmingly rejected a contract offer Friday that would have reduced wages from $15.80 to $12 an hour and eliminated certain fringe benefits.

Carl Renck, a clerk and member of the negotiating committee, has said union members merely want the current salaries and benefits to continue.

Track owner Ron Geary said contract concessions are needed to help keep the track, which is losing money, afloat until it is known whether Kentucky lawmakers and voters will agree to amend the state constitution to allow casino gambling at racetracks.

The union represents about 150 parimutuel clerks who work the betting windows and in related jobs at the track.

Not only did some union members cross the picket lines to work anyway, but the union itself is barely struggling to keep things the same as before the strike instead of trying to extort more money and benefits. Looks like trouble at the track, doesn’t it?

It also looks like the beginning of more union troubles for 2008, fortunately. Perhaps the right to work is beginning to beat the fetid unions at last?

00Publius Contributor - Business - Congress - Democrats/Leftists - News - Unions - Warner Todd Huston

Congressional Support for Unions in 2007

January 12, 2008 by

-By Warner Todd Huston

George Will gave us a few words in his wrap up of the 2007 Congress on their union supporting activities:

Bruce Raynor, president of the union Unite Here, expressed organized labor’s compassionate liberalism when he urged sparing workers the burden of democracy: “There’s no reason to subject workers to an election.” The House agreed, voting for “card check” organizing that strips workers of their right to a secret ballot when deciding for or against unionization of their workplace. Senate Republicans blocked this, but the Senate Democrats voted to cripple the Department of Labor agency that requires union bosses to explain how they spend their members’ money.

This has been one of the union’s newest tactics and our anti-democratic Congress has been doing their best to help them out. Keep your eye on this next year as the unions continue to try and eliminate the secret ballot from the people voting on organizing.

The reason this is a danger is one of intimidation. You see, if the votes are not secret, everyone can know if any particular employee voted against the union and, if made public, could leave that employee up for union harassment. And, with the violent past that all unions have, that would be sure to place many thousands of people in danger.

Of course, it shouldn’t surprise that the unions want to be able to intimidate workers into agreeing to their thuggish “representation” but it is shocking that in the venerable halls of government our voted representatives should be passing laws that they know will be used to put the citizenry in mortal danger.

This card check deal must be stopped at all costs.

Continue reading “Congressional Support for Unions in 2007”

00Publius Contributor - Business - Crime - Democrats/Leftists - Media Bias - News - Unions

More Union Violence in Somerville

January 6, 2008 by 1 Comment

-By Warner Todd Huston

We reported about some union violence in Somerville, Mass. a few days ago, and now here is an update.

Charles Carneglia, owner of Russell Disposal, claimed to the Somerville News that union members who have been picketing his place of business drew a gun and a knife on him. He says he pulled his own gun and they backed off. While I won’t necessarily believe this story must be true, it wouldn’t be too surprising if it were. Not after the violence that union members have been responsible for in this case.

In fact, more union members were arrested by police for disorderly conduct as they picketed the disposal service last Thursday.

According to the Somerville News:

Close to 100 Teamsters from Local 25 and 70 police officers dressed in riot gear with wooden sticks in hand pushed each other back and forth as police removed the padlock from the gate. Minor scuffles broke out in the crowd and 10 Teamsters were arrested “for rude, offensive and threatening conduct,” according to police.

The situation, though, is telling. The union continues to harass this business and its employees even though the majority of those same employees rejected union representation in a vote not long ago. The voting down of the union was by “a wide margin” according to reports.

Yet, still, this union continues to harass everyone at Russell Disposal, despite what the voice of the “little man” told the union to go do with their representation!

Yeah, them thar union fellers is all about “democracy,” ain’t they?
Continue reading “More Union Violence in Somerville”

00Publius Contributor - Business - Democrats/Leftists - News - The Law - Unions - Warner Todd Huston

A Riot that Isn’t A Riot – When Unions Go Wild

January 5, 2008 by 1 Comment

-By Warner Todd Huston

OK, so you are a business trying to stave off union thugs and, instead of acting like civilized adults, the thugs put an unauthorized padlock on your driveway gate and then park a trailer in front of the entrance so that your trucks cannot enter or leave the premisses. Then, when the police come to try and restore order, the unions thugs start a street brawl. Of this incident, the police claim “there is no riot.”

So, what’s a business to do?

Somerville – At approximately 1 a.m. his morning, members of Teamsters Local 25 established a picket line at F.W. Russell Disposal Company located at 120 McGrath Highway and Broadway Brake at Broadway and Lombardi Way.

Russell Disposal is the contractor providing trash removal services for the city of Somerville.

Protestors bused into the scene padlocked the front gate and parked a trailer in front of it so Russell’s employees could not enter and the trucks could not leave.

At approximately 8:15 a.m. Thursday morning, acting Chief Robert Bradley gave the order for police to push back the picketers who had been bused into the site. Somerville Police were backed up by Northeastern Massachusetts Law Enforcement Council (a regional force from other cities) which includes a SWAT Team. Officials from Peabody, Concord, Pepperell, North Andover, Watertown, Bedford, Chelmsford, Lexington and Woburn staged in the Target parking lot and marched to the site in full riot gear.

As police pushed picketers back, a scuffle broke out. Ten picketers were arrested.

Continue reading “A Riot that Isn’t A Riot – When Unions Go Wild”

00Publius Contributor - Business - Society/Culture - Unions - Warner Todd Huston

Huckabee Scolded by Union

January 5, 2008 by

-By Warner Todd Huston

Ooopsie. Just after his winning the Hawkeye Caucus comes word that the folks in unions across America are a tad upset with former Arkansas Guv Mike Huckabee for crossing the picket lines of the writer’s strike to visit on air with Jay Leno.

The Huckster was not long ago endorsed by the Machinists union (IAM), but they aren’t too happy with his picket line crossing. President of the IAM, Tom Buffenberger was none too happy, apparently.

“Governor Huckabee should not cross the picket line. We have made that abundantly clear to his campaign. With such missteps, he risks losing the support his jobs and economic policies have won for him among trade unionists who will attend the GOP caucuses in Iowa or will vote in the later primaries.”

I don’t imagine that Huckabee will be too broken hearted with this pique, though. Now that Huck is an unexpected GOP front runner, it is doubtful that having a union mad at him will hurt him much. In fact, it could give him GOP street cred! After all, the IAM also endorsed Hillary Clinton! What self respecting Republican wants to be in THAT company?

Of course, this is one more reason to reassess supporting Huckabee. But that is another story for another post…

00Publius Contributor - Business - Democrats/Leftists - Economy/Finances - News - Society/Culture - Unions - Warner Todd Huston

Teamsters/UFCW Smack Down

January 4, 2008 by

-By Warner Todd Huston

Boy is this one embarrassing for two unions in one shot. Both the Teamsters and the United Food and Commercial Workers union got cremated in a vote by workers pondering representation. Turns out the employees of FreshDirect, a New York City grocery corporation, turned down BOTH of the unions by a vote of 80% against the unions!

The UFC reports the following:

NEW YORK — FreshDirect workers voted against joining a union, but the United Food and Commercial Workers will renew its push to organize the online grocer in the new year, according to reports. Employees of the company, based here, had been courted by both UFCW Local 348S and Teamsters Local 805, but 80% of the 530 warehouse workers who voted over the weekend chose not to organize with either union, the reports said. The vote came shortly after the company asked workers to provide proof of citizenship, saying the grocer was the subject of an investigation by federal immigration officials. Neither the unions nor FreshDirect could be reached for comment yesterday.

Notice, however, that the UFCW could care less about the rejection and have no intention of leaving these workers alone even when they were rejected by a massive percentage of them. No might mean no to some people… but never to a union thug.

As LaborPains.org quips:

It’s not a proud moment when you have to admit 80 percent of the voting public reject you. In politics, it’s a landslide. For today’s organized labor, it’s another day at the office.

Right on!
Continue reading “Teamsters/UFCW Smack Down”

00Publius Contributor - Business - Democrats/Leftists - Economy/Finances - Media Bias - News - Society/Culture - Taxes - Unions - Warner Todd Huston

Unions Thwart Private Property Rights

January 3, 2008 by

-By Warner Todd Huston

Here is a loss to liberty, freedom and our rights. Once again, judicial activism slaps down one of our most central rights, property rights, n favor of union thugs. In California, unions won the right to be able to disrupt the businesses inside malls.

Now, a mall should be considered private property, but these extremist leftists on the Calif. Supreme court have decided in their finite wisdom that a union may legally invade a mall and protest a business that they don’t like, disrupting the store’s operations and scaring customers away.

The 4-3 ruling came in a case dating to 1998 involving the Fashion Valley mall and a labor union representing press workers at The San Diego Union-Tribune. The court majority said that free-speech rights – as interpreted under the state Constitution and a 1979 state Supreme Court case – also extend to the private property of shopping malls.

“Urging customers to boycott a store lies at the core of the right to free speech,” Associate Justice Carlos Moreno wrote for the majority.

Moreno was joined by Chief Justice Ronald George and Associate Justices Joyce Kennard and Kathryn Mickle Werdegar.

Almost half the court had enough sense to understand that this ruling is a violation of the rights to private property:

In a strong dissent, Associate Justice Ming Chin criticized the ruling and said the court should have overturned the 1979 case that extended free-speech rights to shopping malls.

“Private property should be treated as private property, not as a public free speech zone,” Chin wrote.

He was joined by Justices Marvin Baxter and Carol A. Corrigan.

Call this one a strike against Americanism and our rights and a win for union thugs all across the state. Now, lets hope that such a blow against freedom and liberty isn’t replicated elsewhere.

Continue reading “Unions Thwart Private Property Rights”

00Publius Contributor - Business - Democrats/Leftists - Economy/Finances - News - Uncategorized - Unions - Warner Todd Huston

Fed-Ex Gets Christmas Present – No Union Interference

December 29, 2007 by

-By Warner Todd Huston

FedEx corporation was given an early Christmas present by the House early this week. In the omnibus spending bill being sent to the Senate, House Republicans succeeded in stripping language that would force the air delivery service to be open to unionization by the Teamsters, language the Democrat Party was pushing to get included.

We get the story today from the Memphis Commercial Appeal:

FedEx wins labor word war House passes spending bill without jurisdictional change

WASHINGTON — In a victory for FedEx, the 2,206-page omnibus spending bill passed by the House Monday does not contain language to change the jurisdiction of labor agreements that involve FedEx Express.

Efforts to kill the language that put the division under the jurisdiction of the National Labor Relations Act, which was passed in a House bill that reauthorized the Federal Aviation Administration earlier this year, were successful, those familiar with the negotiations said Monday.

This is a blow to the Teamster’s efforts to destroy yet another business…

The International Brotherhood of Teamsters has been trying to organize the company’s drivers at the local level, where labor disputes are resolved by the National Labor Relations Board. A labor dispute at a single local could affect FedEx’s overall operation and jeopardize the company’s reputation for next-day deliveries.

Kudos to the GOP for this win. Let’s hope that the GOP continues to be able to resist any and all union efforts.
Continue reading “Fed-Ex Gets Christmas Present – No Union Interference”

00Publius Contributor - Business - Democrats/Leftists - Economy/Finances - News - Uncategorized - Unions - Warner Todd Huston

NY Carpenters Can’t Hammer Way Out of Corruption to Save their Lives

December 28, 2007 by 1 Comment

-By Warner Todd Huston

The Village Voice in New York gives us the all too common tale of another corrupt union local this Christmas season. It is filled with union officials who “roam about” their palatial Summer homes instead of reporting to work, and “a mismanaged mess where [business agents] come and go as they please, following few, if any, rules.” We are, of course, completely used to such stories here. After all, it is our well proven contention that corruption and unions are inseparable. But, the amusing thing with this story is that the unions thuggish officials were dismissed three weeks ago and union members STILL don’t have any real answers to what the heck is going on.

Remember, unions are only there to serve the little guys… as long as the little guys don’t get too uppity and ask all sorts of questions, that is!

“Nobody knows what the hell is going on,” griped a veteran carpenter who called this newspaper in a vain attempt to find something out.

Ouch. So much for the membership being an important part of the union, eh?

The first official out the door was William Hanley, 55, the $140,000-a-year president and business manager of Local 157, who resigned his position shortly before Thanksgiving. Hanley’s sudden retirement came after he was confronted with evidence gathered by William Callahan, the union’s court-appointed independent investigator. The evidence was in the form of cell-phone records that suggested the union leader had spent many weekday afternoons roaming Long Island, where his family happens to have a splendid waterfront home, instead of working the streets of Manhattan’s East Side, where his members are employed.

Similar evidence was presented against Hanley’s second-in-command, financial secretary Fred Kennedy, who made the same quick career choice. Local business representative Daniel DeMorato was suspended from his post and reassigned. But another target, local vice president George DiLacio, told his interrogators to get lost. DiLacio refused to give up his elected post at the local but was summarily fired from his $127,000-a-year job as a union representative.

There is a lot more where that came from… not that the union membership knows any of it.

Go to the Voice and read this whole lamentable story. It’s a laugher, to be sure.

Continue reading “NY Carpenters Can’t Hammer Way Out of Corruption to Save their Lives”

00Publius Contributor - Business - Democrats/Leftists - Economy/Finances - News - Society/Culture - Uncategorized - Unions - Warner Todd Huston

Feds Slap Union for Violating Employee’s Wishes

December 27, 2007 by

-By Warner Todd Huston

So, you are a bus driver in Batavia, Illinois. You and your co-workers go to the effort to gather together in true democratic fashion and vote to opt out of your union at Laidlaw Transit. The next thing you know, the union is STILL claiming to represent you in contract talks with the company. Not only that, but the union is demanding you pay dues and if you don’t you are threatened with being fired!

An impossible scenario, you think? Hardly, because that is exactly what is happening.

The NRTW gives us the details:

As Haasch details in his charges, ATU union officials have been negotiating a contract with First Group, despite the fact that Haasch and his coworkers had successfully ousted the union earlier this year. According to First Group’s website, on October 1 the UK-based transit company completed the purchase of Haasch’s employer, Laidlaw Transit.

So, the union is out. But how is it they are still trying to extort the employee’s money?

Continue reading “Feds Slap Union for Violating Employee’s Wishes”

00Publius Contributor - Business - Democrats/Leftists - Economy/Finances - News - Uncategorized - Unions - Warner Todd Huston

Unions in Philly Racist?

December 21, 2007 by

-By Warner Todd Huston

Amazingly, the city council in Philadelphia is proposing that the new $700 million dollar Convention Center expansion be open to bids from nonunion contractors in an effort to include more workers “of color” in the project. City hall is claiming that the 42 local unions in Philly have refused to disclose the racial makeup of their membership. They also claim that these 42 locals are predominantly populated by white members.

Accusing trade unions of standing in the way of minority hiring objectives, City Council yesterday declared the $700 million Convention Center expansion open to nonunion contractors and workers – an unprecedented gesture in a city dominated by organized labor.

Citing the construction industry’s repeated failures to meet minority hiring goals on public projects and the unions’ refusal to disclose the racial makeup of their memberships, Council voted to amend the Convention Center’s operating agreement to allow nonunion workers, to help increase minority participation.

The Philly Inquirer quotes Bruce Crowley’s amazement that the city is going against the unions like this.

“Wow,” said public relations executive A. Bruce Crawley, one of the city’s leading critics of the union’s efforts at hiring minorities. “Wow.”

“This is very encouraging for African American contractors who would simply like not to be excluded from the work,” he said.

Of course, we have one bad thing (that unions are infesting city contracts) to another bad thing (racial quotes), so Philly is in no way getting any of this right. Why can’t we just have the best bids getting the work no matter if they are union thugs or race card throwers??

Still, it is pretty amusing that the leftist ideal of race baiting is trumping the leftist ideal of union thuggery, here.

Talk about eating your own!
Continue reading “Unions in Philly Racist?”

00Publius Contributor - Business - Democrats/Leftists - Military - News - Uncategorized - Unions - Warner Todd Huston

Maryland Dems Still Being Attacked by Their Own Union Supporters

December 16, 2007 by

-By Warner Todd Huston

Back on the 5th of Nov., we brought you the amusing story of Dems and union thugs eating their own in Maryland. Well, we have an update on this imbroglio that proves there is neither compromise with, nor pleasing union thugs.

The story was that in Prince George’s County, some Dems there were a bit miffed that because the union wasn’t getting all it wanted it was opposing the creation of new jobs in the county. So, instead of working with the new businesses, they tried to stop those business from opening and improving the economy of the county. A few Democrat committeemen took umbrage at this irresponsible behavior and chastised the unions. Then the floodgates of hate opened up by union thugs and these two Dems were attacked unmercifully.

Well, it appears that the two Dem County operatives in question have tried to appease union thugs, even pledging to add more union thug members to the committee, but to no avail. Let’s let the Gazette pick it up from here:

Spat between Democrats and unions continues

Central Committee’s eviction is the latest sign of tensions

Under pressure from union workers and elected officials, Democratic Party leaders in Prince George’s County passed several resolutions supporting organized labor.

But union members said the measures passed last week, which included a pledge to add six pro-union women to the party’s central committee, have not eased the tensions sparked by committee Chairman Terry Speigner and Vice Chairman Arthur Turner earlier this fall by several e-mail messages.

‘‘We were hoping to get on a path to reconciliation,” said Mark Federici, spokesman for the United Food and Commercial Workers Local 400. ‘‘Obviously, they did not do that.”

The crowd of about 30 union workers and officials attending the Nov. 20 meeting booed Speigner as he held up his gavel and tried to assert that he supported the trade groups.

Continue reading “Maryland Dems Still Being Attacked by Their Own Union Supporters”

00Publius Contributor - Business - Democrats/Leftists - Economy/Finances - News - Uncategorized - Unions - Warner Todd Huston

Small Victory Against Union Dues Misuse

December 13, 2007 by

-By Warner Todd Huston

Well, mark one in the “win” column for the little guy against union thugs, here.

One thing that many states and employees groups as well as brave individuals have been trying to get settled for at least the last 10 years is a ruling that prevents unions from using a member’s union dues for political purposes of which the member doesn’t approve. It’s an opt out policy whereby an employee can tell the union not to use his dues for political purposes.

Part of the battle to get such a rule in place has been won. But unions continue to try to find ways around this rule so that they can continue to steal members’ dues and use them against a member’s wishes. Currently, many unions force the employee and union member to sign the request every single year instead of allowing it to be stated but once. In this way, the union imagines that the employee will forget (if he ever knew) to apply for the exemption all over again after doing it the first time. Often they are correct. So, even a request not to use dues for political purposes can be ignored at a later date.

Well, apparently there has been a ruling against the unions in Florida. As reported by NRTW.org:

Pensacola, FL (December 11, 2007) – After nearly a four-year delay, a Florida worker has prompted an administrative law judge of the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) to strike down a nationwide policy of a major international union that requires employees to object annually to prevent union officials from spending their compulsory union dues for political activities. The policy is a pervasive tactic used by union officials to prevent dissenting employees from reclaiming forced union dues used to promote political causes they oppose.

National Right to Work Foundation attorneys helped Robert Prime, an employee of L-3 Communications Vertex Aerospace, LLC at the Naval Air Station, file unfair labor practice charges in December 2003 against the International Association of Machinists (IAM) union Local Lodge 2777. The charges alleged that union officials violated Prime’s rights by forcing him to renew his objection to funding union political advocacy every single year.

This decision was originally sought in 2003, but better late than never.

Continue reading “Small Victory Against Union Dues Misuse”

00Publius Contributor - Business - Democrats/Leftists - Economy/Finances - News - Society/Culture - Uncategorized - Unions - Warner Todd Huston

Don’t Belong to the Union? Pay Dues Anyway… Don’t You DARE Complain

December 12, 2007 by

-By Warner Todd Huston

Only a union could call extorted faux dues payments a “fair share fee” and complain when people want to use the democratic process to stop being forced to pay the extortion. Apparently, Inland Empire’s Caltrans HQ in downtown San Bernadino saw the gathering of non-union State workers who wanted to vote out their forced payment of union dues (euphemistically called “fair share fees”) at an upcoming vote but they were scolded by SEIU Local 1000 prez, Davy Hart, for their desire to stop paying the “fees.”

Of course, Mr. Hart almost has a point about why they might be expected to pay these so-called “fair share fees” and that is because the dolts in Sacramento (Calif.’s State capitol) have passed a really, really stupid law that states that the Local 1000 has to represent all employees whether they are part of the union or not. Of course, this is another example of the incestuous relationship between union thugs and Democrats because such a law should never have been passed in the first place. So, no wonder Davey-boy is a bit miffed. After all, the “fair share fees” that he has come to expect do fund his work on behalf of non-union employees.

On the other hand… and it is a hand that is far more logical and in the right… why should anyone who chooses not to join the union have to pay anything? Who has a right to make a worker a defacto member of a union they don’t want by passing an absurd law that says you are represented whether you like it or not, and THEN force you to pay dues that aren’t called dues!!??
Continue reading “Don’t Belong to the Union? Pay Dues Anyway… Don’t You DARE Complain”

00Publius Contributor - Business - Democrats/Leftists - Economy/Finances - Media Bias - News - Society/Culture - Uncategorized - Unions - Warner Todd Huston

Colorado Gov. Gives Unions Backdoor Win

December 11, 2007 by

-By Warner Todd Huston

Our pal Billy Ritter, Governor of Colorado, was not so “august” enough as to allow either the legislature nor the people of his fair state to have a chance to vote on whether they wanted a union to gain a huge amount of power over the state’s public workers there. Instead of allowing the democratic process to reign supreme, Billy boy decreed his payoff to big labor by executive order not long ago.

Ritter has issued an executive order that will create a “bargaining partnership” between the state and its public sector workers. But, not to worry, Billy assures us, it has a “very clear” no-strike provision.

Color me unconvinced. After all, the existence of a union presupposes that they will have the power to strike and walk off the job in case their thuggish demands are not met. Otherwise, what teeth would any such organization have and why would it bother to exist?

Colorado Secretary of State Mike Coffman (a Republican) is not very happy and he and other GOP state office holders claim they will ignore the Guv’s Monarchical degree. “This effort is clearly not in the interest of Colorado’s taxpayers and will not lead to more efficient government,” Coffman said.

Naturally, the louts that work for the state are thrilled by this overstepping of their union beholding Guv.
Continue reading “Colorado Gov. Gives Unions Backdoor Win”

00Publius Contributor - Business - Democrats/Leftists - Economy/Finances - News - Society/Culture - Taxes - Uncategorized - Unions - Warner Todd Huston

Union Organized With Less Than 30% of ‘Employees’ Agreeing to Representation?

December 8, 2007 by

-By Warner Todd Huston

The Associated Press brings us a doozie of a story about the creation of an entirely new area of union representation created in order to represent a workforce that mostly doesn’t even know they have a union in the first place. For that matter, this new union representation has a workforce the majority of which didn’t vote to join. This was one neat trick for the union, for sure. In essence the SEIU (Service Employees International Union) created a new branch of their union out of whole cloth with the approving nod of 11 Democrat state administrations.

How did they do it? They sent a postcard in the mail and since a bunch came back saying they’d like the idea, wham-o-change-o a union was created out of thin air. But here is the thing: there was no vote, there were no mass meetings, there was no election of leadership… the unions just sent out a few postcards and decided they were now authorized to create a new union for a workforce that had no such union.

The SEIU has decided that in 11 states they now represent child-care providers that work out of their homes. Again, there were no meetings, there was no vote. Just some postcards.

In New York, for instance, the AP reports that this presumptuous new union organization represents 28,000 child-care providers. How did it happen? Well, see, the SEIU sent out postcards and got back 8,382 that said they wanted to join such a thing if it were to be created. So, as far as the SEIU is concerned with less than 30% of the 28,000 New York child-care providers saying it was a good idea that gives them the right to claim they are now representing ALL of the rest of them!

What gall!

Continue reading “Union Organized With Less Than 30% of ‘Employees’ Agreeing to Representation?”

00Publius Contributor - Democrats/Leftists - Economy/Finances - News - Uncategorized - Unions - Warner Todd Huston

Can Teamsters Clean up Own Act? Obviously Not

December 2, 2007 by 2 Comments

-By Warner Todd Huston

There is an old joke of a gingerbread man who was running away from a hungry farmer and came to a river. A fox told him he could help the cookie man get across the river and away from the farmer. The cookie asked if the fox would eat him after they crossed, but the fox said he wouldn’t because “he only wanted to help” the gingerbread man. So, the living cookie agreed and sat atop the fox’s nose as they swam across the river. As soon as they got to the other side, the fox ate the cookie man because, after all, the fox is a fox and cannot be trusted.

This little folk tale is a mirror of real life, only in this case the fox is the unions and the gingerbread cookie’s fate is that of the worker under the union thug’s thumb and this tale is a perfect allegory to the situation in Chicago with a corrupt Teamsters union being expected to investigate and punish one of their own corrupt locals.

The fox guarding the hen house is also a fine allegory for this situation.

The full story is at the Chicago Tribune, but here is the key paragraph:

The recommendation came in a sweeping call by the anti-corruption unit for an in-depth look at wrongdoing and mob ties among Chicago-area Teamsters locals. But the group’s report, which was never made public, was rejected by Teamsters officials.

In other words, the union was supposed to take the recommendations of this anti-corruption unit but decided to ignore the report issued from that very unit in their desire to safeguard their own corrupt pals.

Go read the whole mess over at the Trib, but you’ll find that the Teamsters don’t give a hoot about cleaning up their own corruption.

It is also interesting that the union pointed to the existence of the anti-corruption unit as evidence that they were, indeed, cleaning things up. Of course, if you just ignore the report and go on with business as usual, are you cleaning anything up?

Uh, no would be the answer to that.

Just more evidence that the union isn’t interested in lawful operations.
Continue reading “Can Teamsters Clean up Own Act? Obviously Not”

00Publius Contributor - Democrats/Leftists - Economy/Finances - Media Bias - News - Society/Culture - Taxes - Uncategorized - Unions - Warner Todd Huston

Unions Trying to Force Higher Property Taxes in Florida

November 30, 2007 by

Why are so many people fooled by unions? It is because unions care about the little guy they are told. It is because unions are supposed to be against the “rich,” or so gullible people are led to believe. Well, here is another case that proves the lie to that claim.

Realtors and business groups in Florida are squaring off against big labor unions in an attempt to pass a property tax cut amendment in the Sunshine state. The labor unions oppose this legislation because they claim it would “cost” local governments and schools “$12.4 billion in lost revenue over the next 5 years.” Why are they worried about that so-called loss? Because it might cause cities and schools to cut some deadwood jobs and that means union jobs cut.

In other words, to save union jobs in our bloated local governments and to save the jobs in failing schools, unions are trying to INCREASE taxes on EVERYONE.

Once again, unions prove how much they are out to help “the little guy.” This time by trying to tax him out of his home.

Nice going unions.

00Publius Contributor - Business - Congress - Democrats/Leftists - Economy/Finances - News - Uncategorized - Unions - Warner Todd Huston

Five Reasons Why Congress Should Enact a National Right to Work Law

November 28, 2007 by

-By Warner Todd Huston

Here are five reasons why forced association with unions breeds corruption and why right to work laws are good to stem that coercion.

  1. Freedom to Associate Also Means Freedom Not to Associate – The average man on the street, as well as constitutional scholars, understands that any genuine personal right should include the freedom to refrain from exercising that right.
  2. Right to Work Bolsters Job Creation, Personal Income Growth – In addition to freeing millions of Americans from the yoke of forced union dues, a national Right to Work law would at the same time help to improve our nation’s economy.
  3. Right to Work’s Benefits Reach Citizens at All Income Levels – In addition to protecting the freedom of association and promoting economic development, Right to Work laws are an anti-poverty program with a proven record of success.
  4. Passage of a National Right to Work Law Would Eliminate All Forced-Dues Politicking by Private-Sector Union Bosses – Not passing a national Right to Work law means not only that American workers will be denied a brighter economic future. It also means that millions of private-sector workers will continue to be forced to contribute to political candidates they do not wish to support.

  5. A National Right to Work Law Would Reduce Union Corruption – The incestuous relationship between forced union dues and corruption was captured perfectly by the late U.S. Sen. John McClellan (D-Ark.): “Compulsory unionism and corruption go hand in hand.” McClellan was referring to the corruption inherent within labor organizations that depend on the forced tribute of workers.

Check out the National Institute for Labor Relations Research, a great organization with tons of info available on their website.
Continue reading “Five Reasons Why Congress Should Enact a National Right to Work Law”

00Publius Contributor - Business - Crime - Democrats/Leftists - News - Society/Culture - Uncategorized - Unions - Warner Todd Huston

Hotel Workers’ Union’s ‘Interference Tactics’

November 26, 2007 by

-By Warner Todd Huston

OK, we here at the UnionLabel blog are all about being fair. Here we have a report that the folks at the Tropicana casino in Atlantic City have filed a complaint against the good ‘ol folks of Local 54 (Hotel Employees and Restaurant Employees Union, Hotel & Motel Trades Council, AFL-CIO) for unsavory and, perhaps, illegal union tactics. But, far be it for us to automatically accept the word of a casino.

But here is what the casino’s General Manager said:

“Not only are the tactics in direct violation of our agreement, but this is a classic case of the union’s leadership trying to further its own agenda with callous disregard for employees who must suffer the consequences, both financial and job-related, when we cannot maintain certain levels of business,” Tropicana General Manager Mark Giannantonio said. “These kinds of tactics go beyond advocacy and it’s high time that someone stood up for the interests of the 3,700 people working on our property who are being hurt by the union’s destructive intent.”

So, a casino guy. OK. But let’s consider this. We ARE talking about a union here! So, who do we believe? Well, as America’s Founding Fathers said during the debates over the ratification of the Constitution, “let history be our guide.” And a perusal of history finds us unable to be too overawed by the innocence, truth and peacefulness of Local 54.

Speaking of “peace”, these fine peaceful union folks have been photographed carrying signs that proclaim “No Contract, No Peace!,” so their peaceful intentions are certainly above question.

Of course, it should go without saying that since the 1990s this particular local has been mixed up with the mob and had various officials accused and convicted of embezzlement… but then, seemingly what union hasn’t? Even as late as this month The New York Times reported that claims of unsavory tactics of Local 54.

In announcing a civil suit aimed at taking over Local 54 of the Hotel Employees and Restaurant Employees Union, Attorney General Dick Thornburgh said the Philadelphia-based Bruno/Scarfo crime family had used violence and intimidation to control Local 54 for 20 years and to systematically loot its health and welfare funds.

Hmmm. So, who do we believe?

I’ll leave that you, our faithful readers.
Continue reading “Hotel Workers’ Union’s ‘Interference Tactics’”