Unions

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

Big Labor’s Shakedown

November 25, 2007 by

-By Warner Todd Huston

The WaTimes has an interesting story today about the newest scare and strong-arm tactics that unions are using to force their will on employers and employees who do not want them around.

Everything from hiring faux protesters at less than union scale to picket a business to using the internet to attack companies that refuse their representation is being used by this newest crop of union thugs. And they are getting a nice rap sheet from the government because of it!

Welcome to the modern world of labor warfare. Call it RICO 2.0. For the second time in as many weeks, an employer has filed a civil-racketeering case against a major union, opening a new battleground in the fight over how unions get (and keep) members.

For decades, employers, government officials and honest union members used RICO (Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act) lawsuits to fight mob influence in the labor movement. It was “On the Waterfront” in real life. Some people got killed, some things fell off the back of trucks, and some businessmen were muscled into toeing the union line.

But as times have changed, so has the style of union extortion.

Continue reading “Big Labor’s Shakedown”

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

Mobster Removed from Union Job Hired by New Jersey City Government

November 23, 2007 by

-By Warner Todd Huston

Tony Soprano would be proud of his old home state, New Jersey. Apparently the Council members of Paramus Borough, New Jersey hired as their new borough administrator a mobster who was once cast out of his union job by the Feds.

Anthony Iacono was removed from his union job in 1996:

The monitor in 1996 removed Agathos as president of Local 69 of the Hotel Employees and Restaurant Employees International Union in Secaucus, asserting that he maintained mob ties and embezzled funds.

Yet the Paramus Borough Council said that they would hire Iacono for the $135,000 a year job even if they had bothered to look into his past.

So, you see, crime DOES pay… at least in the Soprano’s New Jersey.
Continue reading “Mobster Removed from Union Job Hired by New Jersey City Government”

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

Swag Bought With Embezzled Funds Goes on Auction

November 20, 2007 by

-By Warner Todd Huston

Well, it won’t be too much like “getting yours” in the true sense of getting something for free like most imagine of the union ethos (or lack thereof, as the case may be), but at least here is an opportunity to get for yourself some fine furs, purses and other expensive luxury items bought with union money.

Barbara Bullock of the Washington Teachers’ Union is now serving 9 years for embezzling union funds, and the $800,000 worth of brick-a-brack she bought with those ill-gotten gains are going up on the auction block to help the union recoup some of those stolen funds.

As the Washington Post reports:

The purse-obsessed Bullock spent tens of thousands on Chanel, Hermès and Judith Leiber handbags, which are estimated to sell for $500 to $800 at auction. (That’s about a quarter of their original price; ditto for the minks and jewelry.) The top lot: a 288-piece Tiffany sterling silver flatware service (Chrysanthemum pattern) purchased for $100,000-plus and estimated to sell for $25,000 to $35,000. Too much? Well, the Buccellati sterling wine cooler is expected to bring just $3,000 to $5,000. The feds also seized electronics that will sell at another auction — except for the TV that union officials kept for headquarters.

If ya want some neat-o stuff, check them out on Ebay.

If you want to get some of this stuff for free, why just run for the head position in some union or another. Apparently, it’s all the rage for union heads to steal the union blind. In fact, it may just be expected of you.
Continue reading “Swag Bought With Embezzled Funds Goes on Auction”

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

Dem Lawmakers to be Ousted Over Union Criticism?

November 16, 2007 by

-By Warner Todd Huston

There is no room for disagreement among Democrats. If you are a Democrat that has anything at all critical to say about a union, for instance, they don’t just get mad at you and call you names, they arrange special meetings to throw you out of power! See, this is the more “tolerant” and more “adult” Democrat Party we have all come to know and…uh…. love.

In Prince George’s county, Maryland, a little dispute has arisen between the UF&CW (United Food and Commercial Workers union) Local 400 and two members of the Democratic Central Committee, Vice Chairman Arthur A. Turner Jr. and Chairman Terry Speigner.

At issue is the monkey wrench that the union is trying to throw into plans to build a Wegman’s grocery store in the area. This project will bring a lot of tax money as well as jobs into Prince George’s, but because Wegman’s is non-union, the union is trying to deny the area this new commercial development.

We find the story on Prince George’s Gazette.net.

The dispute began in August when a member of the United Food and Commercial Workers union filed an unsuccessful zoning appeal that could have hindered grocer Wegmans from coming to the county. Wegmans, a high-end grocery store chain based in Rochester, N.Y., does not employ union labor.

From here the two aforementioned Democrat Party officials sent out an email saying that they were aghast that the union would try to stop this useful community development.
Continue reading “Dem Lawmakers to be Ousted Over Union Criticism?”

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

Hollywood Writers’ Strike is Rush Limbaugh’s Fault?

November 14, 2007 by

-By Warner Todd Huston

Hollywood’s Variety is wounded. They are upset that their buddies across the lines of the Hollyweird writer’s strike have written some mean things about them on the Internet and they are just cut to the quick over it all. Aghast, really. So, instead of dealing with this criticism, Variety decided that it’s all Rush Limbaugh’s fault because he has made “modern politics” so “poisonous.” I guess they really are so used to creating their own reality in La La Land that they don’t know their creation from God’s creation!

In “Strike fight rages on in a bubble,” Variety complains that this writer’s strike is getting ugly. But, it isn’t because unions are filled with thugs, loudmouths and the uncouth, no it’s because talk radio is filled with a bunch of meanies. I know, this absurd claim makes my head spin in amazement, too.

The Industry newser has been scanning the Internet to see what some of these petulant Writer’s are saying about them on message boards and they are not happy:

Scanning message boards and blogs uncovers all manner of allegations about kowtowing to corporate interests. The assumption is that those not fully following the Writers Guild’s script must be bowing to pressure from their ownership or currying favor among advertisers, with journalists lacking the spine to bite the hands that feed us.

Gosh. Imagine that? Someone impugning the integrity of the “news” folks out there. Of course, we have been doing it for a long time, but now even their left-wing pals are doing it. This insult must be too close to home, eh?

So, why is this all happening? Blame Rush!
Continue reading “Hollywood Writers’ Strike is Rush Limbaugh’s Fault?”

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

Union Harasses Workers, Capitalizes on Dead Worker’s Accident

November 12, 2007 by

-By Warner Todd Huston

Here is a story that shows exactly how a union will lie, cheat and violate the law to get their way. Apparently UNITE, the Union of Needletrades, Industrial and Textile Employees, is trying to force the Cintas Uniform company in Mason, Ohio to accept union representation. And, they don’t care what they have to do to get that done… even IF the Cintas employees consistently vote the union down!

As the Cincinnati Enquirer reports the union “wants to skip the customary secret-ballot and force 17,000 Cintas workers to join the union and pay dues. But Cintas and its workers have said no thanks.”

So, what has the union done to force the issue?

Unite copied license numbers from Cintas workers in Pennsylvania, to snoop in personal information and harass them at home. The union has been ordered to pay the workers $2,500 each. Unite also published a false press release that caused Cintas stock to drop $300 million, according to a defamation suit by Cintas that is going to trial in Warren County court.

Harassing the workers that they want to represent? Seems a bad way to start a relationship, doesn’t it? That and their tactics violating the law, and all that.
Continue reading “Union Harasses Workers, Capitalizes on Dead Worker’s Accident”

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

Gov’t Steps In To Assure Fair Union Election

November 4, 2007 by

-By Warner Todd Huston

If THIS isn’t the wolf guarding the hen house, what is? After all, expecting the government — known for voter fraud since Aaron Burr strode the halls of Congress — to make sure a union election is run fairly shows how really bad it has gotten for the unions!

Still, that said, the government are pikers compared to the fraud perpetrated by unions over the years. And this story is just another example of union corruption and vote fraud.

Union aims to start with a clean slate

Reformers win Teamsters vote supervised by feds

A slate of reformers has been elected to head the Teamsters’ 12,000-member Local 743, where last month its president was indicted for helping steal the last election.

Members elected all but one trustee of the 743 New Leadership Slate headed by Richard Berg, who received 1,112 votes for president, narrowly beating opponent Reginald D. Ford, who garnered 1,058 votes.

“This is great,” said Berg, who lost in his last bid for president. “It’s been a long time coming. The 743 New Leadership slate has been part of the rank-and-file movement that has been tying to rid our local of corruption and give the union back to our workers. We’ve very pleased.”

The union represents transportation, clerical, food service, nursing home and manufacturing workers.

The election was supervised by the U.S. Labor Department.

In September, federal prosecutors indicted Local 743 President Richard Lopez along with three other union members alleging they schemed to defraud the local by diverting hundreds of ballots that had been returned to the union by mail because the addresses were old or no longer good. The four were accused of changing the addresses in a union database and having the ballots sent to friends, relatives or associates who weren’t union members.

Berg filed a complaint with the Labor Department, which found the ballots had been diverted. In a July settlement, union officials admitted a controller shredded the eligibility list, noting that might have affected the outcome of the election.

“Our first priority is to clean all the corruption out of 743 and then use the resources to give full representation to the members,” Berg said.

Well, let’s hope these rank and file fellows can clean up their union and lead their fellows to a more legitimate representation.

I CAN hope, can’t I?
Continue reading “Gov’t Steps In To Assure Fair Union Election”

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

Teamsters Teaming With Lefty Bloggers?

November 2, 2007 by

-By Warner Todd Huston

In another sure sign that unions are desperately “looking for any allies it can get” (in the words of Bret Jacobson of the Center for Union Facts), the Teamsters are trying to enlist the aid of leftist bloggers to help them get the union word out.

As laborpains.org has it:

There was much ado, for a moment, when news broke that far-lefty bloggers were talking with Teamsters officials about getting out the union bosses’ propaganda. Campaigns and Elections has the story, and we were happy to help out with some thoughts:

“This is just the latest sign that the labor movement is feeling weak and looking for any allies it can get,” said Bret Jacobson, a senior research analyst at the Center for Union Facts, a conservative antiunion group. “The real underlying reason for this is that union officials are having a tough time creating alliances with moderates, so they have to join forces with radicals like those in the blogging community.”

One stumbling block to this burgeoning political alliance could be their discord on issues like oil drilling in the Arctic. While both groups say they agree more often than not, it is far from a match made in heaven.

“Just announcing a grand alliance,” Jacobson said, “doesn’t make it workable.”

Why do I say its a “sure sign” that the unions are desperate? Why else would they allow their message to end up in the hands of people they don’t fully control? These leftist bloggers ostensibly may be on the side of the unions, but the unions cannot be 100% sure that they can control what these bloggers say. And it has been seen that lefty bloggers love to eat their own when these DailyKoz types have the slightest hint that things aren’t going satisfactorily.

This lefty blogger thing could easily blow up in the union’s face, but here they are doing it anyway. It just shows that they are desperate enough to relinquish some amount of control of their message.

This could be an interesting mistake on behalf of the union.
Continue reading “Teamsters Teaming With Lefty Bloggers?”

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

Penn. Union Boss Brags About What Dems Will “Do” for Them

October 30, 2007 by

Bucks County AFL-CIO president Tom Bates posted a You-Tube video bragging about all the great things that a pair of Bucks County Democrats are going to do for unions. “Great” things like assuring heavy union contracting for country construction and shutting out non-union contractors and legislating health care plans crafted to union bosses desires.

But, even as the AFL-CIo has donated $47,000 to the Bucks county Democrat Party Campaign Committee, Democrats claim there is no quid pro quo.

But, someone forgot to tell good ‘ol Tommy Bates…

Nah. Dems aren’t going to pay the AFL-CIO back for all their campaign donations. REALLY they won’t!

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

Lawmakers Threaten Private Company to Help Union

October 29, 2007 by

-By Warner Todd Huston

A gaggle of State Senators in the State of Washington have signed a letter written on official state Legislature letterhead threatening to remove state funding from an Olympia-based health care service, Behavioral Health Resources. The problem is, this harassment is illegal and has landed these union thugs masquerading as legislators in hot water.

Several Democratic legislators may have violated state ethics laws when they signed a letter scolding a private nonprofit mental-health-care provider for using “hostile” and “anti-union” bargaining tactics in recent contract talks.

The letter, which was sent this month to the director of Olympia-based Behavioral Health Resources (BHR), was written on official Washington state Legislature letterhead.

The Legislative Ethics Board has ruled recently that it is illegal for lawmakers to use public resources to advocate for one side in a private dispute.

Oopsie!

So, how did this come about?
Continue reading “Lawmakers Threaten Private Company to Help Union”

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

Senate Now to Attack OLMS, Too

October 27, 2007 by

First the left in the House led by Nancy Pelosi attacked the union watchdog group, the Office of Labor Management Standards, by trying to cut its budget. Even though it is one for the few successful government offices, prosecuting corrupt union officials, the Democrats in the House tried to cut its budget as a payback to unions that don’t like being held accountable. Now the Senate Democrats are getting into the act.

Amid debate on H.R. 3043, the FY2008 Labor-HHS-Education appropriations bill, the Senate is patting itself on the back for providing in their version of the bill $9.6 billion more than president Bush requested. But there is one little area they want to cut: the OLMS.

While the both the Senate and the House are seeking to raise spending on all sorts of programs, including all those in this bill in question, the LOMS faces a 4 percent cut in its budget.

Gee, why do ya think that is? Why, its because the Democrats want to help unions escape prosecution for their wide spread fraud, of course.

As the NAM says:

Cutting the budget of OLMS will only serve to benefit union bosses at the expense of hard working, dues paying union workers. Again, we ask for your support of the Sessions amendment which would restore the much needed funding to OLMS so that this important agency can continue protecting America’s workers.

And who can argue with that logic?

00Publius Contributor - Democrats/Leftists - Education - Media Bias - Society/Culture - Uncategorized - Unions - Warner Todd Huston

Baltimore Teachers Union Protests Chief… Or Did They?

October 26, 2007 by

-By Warner Todd Huston

It was claimed that 150 members of the Baltimore teachers union had gathered to protest in front of school system headquarters to protest an issue the union has with school Chief Andres Alonso. The story in the Baltimore Sun tries its best to make it seem a united cause by teachers but one upon reflection it becomes obvious that the 150 protesters were not who they pretended to be. In a teachers union of 12,000 members a showing of 150 is bad enough a representation but when many of the 150 protesters aren’t even teachers, well, doesn’t that say how little support this union has on the issue? So, if many of the so-called protesters at this rally weren’t even members of the union in question… just who IS the Baltimore teachers union representing?

At issue is whether the schools should require teachers to spend at least 45 minutes per week in planning sessions with colleagues. The union says that teachers don’t have time for planning for their own class work, much less time to be forced to meet with colleagues. Alonso claims he won’t budge from his position and therefore the union wants him fired.

Not earth shattering conflict, to be sure and the fact that the issue isn’t moving too many of Baltimore’s teachers to protest shows that. Yet, even as they can’t get much support from their own members the union is still pressing forward with their own agenda.

Here is what the Baltimore Sun says about the makeup of the 150 protesters. Two of the 150 were a city councilwoman and a national union official, neither of whom represent the actual teachers of Baltimore.

Among those who turned out to support the union was Edward J. McElroy, president of the American Federation of Teachers, which has 1.2 million members. And City Councilwoman Sharon Green Middleton, who spoke at the protest, said she would introduce a resolution asking the council to intervene on behalf of teachers.

And here is the most telling paragraph in the story:

Last night’s protest attracted more than just teachers. Some education advocates used the rally to further their argument that the city should have an elected school board, rather than the current structure where the mayor and governor appoint the board jointly. Other unions, including electrical workers, sent representatives to show their support.

So, let’s consider this. There were only 150 protesters in the first place. If we take away the “other unions” and advocates for separate issues how many ACTUAL teachers union members were at this thing?

It seems that the original 150 out of 12,000 members is even smaller still.
Continue reading “Baltimore Teachers Union Protests Chief… Or Did They?”

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

Restore Funding For Fighting Union Corruption

October 24, 2007 by

-By Warner Todd Huston

David Denholm of the Public Service Research Council gives us the update on the OLMS:

On Thursday, October 18 the Senate voted 47 to 46 to kill an amendment by Alabama Republican Senator Jeff Sessions to the 2008 Labor-HHS Appropriation Bill, H.R. 3043, that would have restored funding for the Office of Labor-Management Standards (OLMS) to its 2007 level.

Two Republican (In Name Only) Senators, Arlen Specter of Pennsylvania and Ted Stevens of Alaska, voted with the Democrats to defeat this amendment.

The OLMS is the only government agency charged with monitoring labor union finances and rooting out union corruption. It has been doing an excellent job. So excellent, in fact, that the Union Bosses’ friends in Congress are reducing its funding, despite the fact that they found reasons to spend hundreds of millions of dollars more than the President requested in other parts of the Labor-HHS appropriation bill.

Now is the time to begin urging President Bush not only to veto H.R. 3043 but, just as importantly, to mention the need to restore OLMS funding in his veto message

My fear is that if he doesn’t make a strong point of this the Democrats will cut a few hundred million dollars of fat from the bill and return it to him without restoring OLMS funding.

Folks, we need to get our representatives in Congress to understand that we won’t allow the Democrats to cover for union corruption anymore. If the Dems want to claim that they are the ones that want to eliminate the so-called “culture of corruption,” then we must hold their feet to the fire and actually live up to their words.

But, the defunding of the OLMS that the Dems are involved in certainly makes the lie to their claims to care about fighting corruption!
Continue reading “Restore Funding For Fighting Union Corruption”

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

94% of Unions Fail OLMS Audits

October 23, 2007 by

-By Warner Todd Huston

Just a quick note about the “success” rate of unions and their audit compliance from Ed Morrissey.

The OLMS points out far too many “inconvenient truths”, as one Democrat might put it. For instance, it reported that only 43 of 643 union audits showed financial compliance. That’s a whopping 6%, meaning 94% of all unions can’t pass a financial audit. It doesn’t seem very surprising, since millions of worker dollars end up at the Democratic Party. If a group of publicly-held corporations had a 6% failure rate for their financial audits, the Democrats and unions would scream bloody murder, let alone a 94% failure rate.

Now, imagine how the left would be all over that if such a failure rate were to be had from groups supporting conservative causes. They’d be all over it with their “Republican culture of corruption” rhetoric, for sure.

Remember how the left was all up in arms about Enron? Amazing how silent they are about unions, isn’t it?
Continue reading “94% of Unions Fail OLMS Audits”

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

Union Workers Compelled to Protest Army hospital

October 22, 2007 by

-By Warner Todd Huston

The folks over at FreeRepublic have reported that at one of their pro-troops vigils in front of Walter Reed Army Hospital, a union member told them that he was ordered by his union to attend the nearby anti-war protest.

WASHINGTON, DC, September 28, 2007— The DC Chapter has suspected all along that the dwindling handful of anti-war protestors outside Walter Reed are paid to show up. This week, one of their newbies came by our troop-support rally at the gates by mistake, and spilled the truth: a labor union had recruited this worker to show up at the lefties’ phony “vigil.” The worker’s remarks clearly revealed that standing outside the Walter Reed Army Medical Center with anti-war signs wasn’t a personal choice, but a workplace commitment demanded by a union representative.

Our rally must have looked a lot more attractive, even at a glance—in fact, that’s what this unionized worker said. I’m going to avoid describing this person’s looks or gender, to avoid making trouble. Why? Because this office worker’s confusion appeared sincere, revealing that the decision to be there wasn’t intentional; in fact, the person didn’t really seem to know what either demonstration was about.

The fellow that the Freepers spoke to was a member of the O.P.E.I.U., the Office and Professional Employees International Union, Local no. 2.

So, why, exactly, is a union forcing their members to attend anti-war rallies?

Is that truly union business?
Continue reading “Union Workers Compelled to Protest Army hospital”

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

Union Dues Meanstested? Organized Labor’s Organized Theft

October 21, 2007 by

-By Warner Todd Huston

What is your concept of a union dues payment? Is it a single, democratic fee paid at the same rate for all members, a payment that ensures the equal treatment of all union members? If so, you’d be wrong if you were an SEIU member. Because, for the SEIU, your dues are not a single standard payment for all your members, but it is a payment calculated on how much you make… just like income taxes are.

According to a blog about the nursing profession the SEIU district 1199 is violating one of the most dearly help ideals of any union; that it is interested in “equal treatment” for all.
Continue reading “Union Dues Meanstested? Organized Labor’s Organized Theft”

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

Union Rep Helps Illegals Escape Federal Detection

October 18, 2007 by

-By Warner Todd Huston

A Federal judge has refused to dismiss charges against an Iowa UF&CW union rep who was arrested and accused of helping illegal workers keep from being detected by Federal immigration officials.

The DesMoines Register reports that Braulio Pereyra-Gabino will stand trial for, “advising workers in the United States illegally of how to avoid detection and arrest,” and that “prosecutors say he did so in orientation speeches he gave to new Spanish-speaking employees.”

An immigration agent recorded a version of the speech Aug. 22, 2006, according to court documents.

Pereyra-Gabino is charged with a single count of shielding from detection and attempting to shield from detection undocumented immigrants at the Marshalltown meatpacking plant from June 2003 until he was arrested.

This story goes to show that Unions are not only out to defraud American business, but that they are aiding and abetting illegal immigrants in order to gain more members. And it is not a leap to realize that these additional members will be paying millions to aid the Democrat Party with their dues and that unions are materially supporting the Democrat Party with illicit money stolen from illegal immigrants.

Welcome to the post American world of the left.
Continue reading “Union Rep Helps Illegals Escape Federal Detection”

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

Gov. Schwarzenegger Vetoes SB180

October 17, 2007 by

– By Warner Todd Huston

Imagine the pressure of being asked by union thugs to vote for them to represent you. Then imagine that your ballot is open for them to see it after you cast it. Then ponder this question: how safe would you feel voting against a union thug if he could see your vote?

That is the purpose of the secret ballot. Cesar Chavez, the famed California farm worker organizer, fought long and hard for secret ballots. Of course, then it was to keep the corporate farmers from knowing if a potential union member voted in favor of the union. But, regardless, the secret ballot cuts both ways because now it is the union, rather than the employer, that has more propensity to abuse the worker’s best interests.

But, California’s farm workers already have the secret ballot, right? Yes, they do. But SB180 sponsored by the United Farm Workers wanted the secret ballot eliminated. And it is for the simple reason that they wanted to be able to intimidate any worker that would vote against the union.

Well, thankfully Gov. Schwarzenegger vetoed this abomination.
Continue reading “Gov. Schwarzenegger Vetoes SB180”

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

Unions Against Democracy in Ohio

October 16, 2007 by

-By Warner Todd Huston

Of course, we all know that unions constantly pump themselves up as representatives of a real democracy because they claim to be men of the people. They pretend that they are elected fairly to office and that they have only the best interests of their people in mind. How often these claims are true is anyone’s guess as who really knows the hearts of men? But one thing can be known and that is that unions are not any more above deceit, theft and corruption prone to any men. But one other thing is also true, the entire concept of a union is far more prone to the faults of men than otherwise.

Well, that pontificating aside, there is one more aspect that a union is prone to — at least for one in Stark County, Ohio. And that is a hunger for power. It appears that these petulant would-be politicos in the AFL-CIO in Stark County have gotten mad at the Democrat Party there.

Why you ask? How could a union be mad at their patron party, the Democrats?

It seems the Union imagined that they somehow deserved an automatic seat on the four-member County election board upon the resignation of a previous member but the local Democrat Party put up one of their own folk, Samuel Ferruccio, Jr., for the seat instead of the handpicked shill the union offered.

So, what did the union do?

Effective immediately, the council and its unions – which represent 30,000 workers – won’t donate money, walk door-to-door or make phone calls in support of Democratic political candidates in Stark County.

Hilarious. The union took their black ball and went home!

Says unions rep Mike McElfresh, union shill in question:

“This is not about anything personally, but we’re not getting the respect that’s due,” said Mike McElfresh, second vice president of the Hall of Fame Central Labor Council, AFL-CIO.

Not anything “personally.” Jeeze, what a lie that is!

So, the union put their shill up for the election, anyway.

He lost.

Maier said Ferruccio earned 51 votes and McElfresh only 14 from the executive committee.

“We had an election,” Maier said. “It was a very democratic process.”

A “democratic process” is NOT what a union is interested in, obviously!
Continue reading “Unions Against Democracy in Ohio”

00Publius Contributor - Constitution - GOP - News - Patriotism - President - Security/Safety - Society/Culture - The Law - Uncategorized - Unions - Warner Todd Huston

The Keyes to Reno

October 13, 2007 by 2 Comments

– By Warner Todd Huston

Ambassador Alan Keyes addressed several hundred attendees of the Conservative Leadership Conference being held in Reno, Nevada on Friday night, October 12th. Ostensibly he was there to explain why he was running for president of the United States but it soon became obvious that he was there far more for a cause separate from a simple run for the White House. Ambassador Keyes was there no less to rejuvenate the Republic and if mere passion could turn back the tide of anti-Constitutionalism, Alan Keyes would be the dynamo powering that effort.

Instead of simply desiring the national spotlight to take the Oval office, Keyes is seeking the pulpit for his oratory was not just your average meet-and-greet, no simple canned speech. Keyes’ presentation was more sermon than stump speech, and as powerful as that description assumes.

When he first mounted the stage, the setting seemed a tad incongruous. As Ambassador Keyes took the microphone form those who introduced him, a 12-foot-high Duncan Hunter for president banner loomed behind him, dominating the view of the audience before him. That somewhat odd juxtaposition of the monumental face of Hunter peering down at the seemingly diminutive Keyes didn’t dissipate with Ambassador Keyes’ initial comments, either. For Alan Keyes admitted he was about to break Ronald Reagan’s famed 11th commandment; “thou shalt not speak badly of other Republicans.”

But that incongruity quickly vanished for the audience as Dr. Keyes warmed to his theme. The Hunter for president banner that initially seemed to loom so large vanished to the mind as Keyes’ oratory captivated, compelled, cajoled and cavorted across that stage. All eyes and ears were on Keyes and, as always, he held that audience in the palm of his hand.
Continue reading “The Keyes to Reno”

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

Replacement Sought for Ineffective Union Investigator

October 6, 2007 by

-By Warner Todd Huston

Here’s the situation: In 2005 the NY Carpenter’s Union was able to convince a weak Federal judge to get rid of a union investigator that was… well, doing too much investigating. Not only that, but the union was able to convince this nitwit of a judge to replace the good investigator with their own hand-picked guy who would… well, not do ANY investigating.

Turns out that now, two years later, Federal prosecutors are finally seeking to get the union stooge out of his office and out of their way so that they can again get someone who will actually do some investigating of union corruption.

Imagine, a union investigator who will actually investigate a union? A novel concept, indeed. Well, novel as far as the union is concerned, anyway.
Continue reading “Replacement Sought for Ineffective Union Investigator”

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

Unions Picketing in Virtual Reality on the Web?

October 2, 2007 by

-By Warner Todd Huston

Well, here is an interesting tale. Apparently IBM workers in Italy have started walking a picket line for workers upset over job benefits. Not unusual, you say? Well this picket line is being walked by animated, virtual characters in an on-line game called “Second Life.”

It’s a pretty silly exercise that won’t get much notice by anyone in the real world, of course. After all, the whole point of a picket line is an in-your-face, annoyance to regular folk who just happen to be inconvenienced by union thugs walking the streets. On the internet, all one need do to avoid them is just not click there!

That being said, it is an interesting thing to see. A virtual protest! Certainly a new experience.

Now here is the hilarious part. UnionFacts.com added their own character to the picket line intruding on the socialists and whiners picketing their company!

For those of you unaware, UnionFacts.com is an anti-union organization that informs the public on a daily basis of the evils unions do.

So, the folks at UnionFacts.com on their LaborPains.org blog crashed the picket line and went in with their giant sign advertising UnionFacts.com and exhorting all the slackers to get back to work and quit whining!

Absolutely hilarious!
Continue reading “Unions Picketing in Virtual Reality on the Web?”

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

In New Haven, Get Indicted for Corruption — Retire With BIG Union Pension

September 30, 2007 by

-By Warner Todd Huston

One of the most absurd things about unions is their penchant for rewarding criminal behavior. In the real world, most people would not agree to allow a convicted criminal or someone under a cloud of corruption to benefit from a big pension paid for by everyone else. But, not in union land. In union land even those convicted of crimes should be carried from the cradle to the grave by the work force.

Well, in New Haven, Connecticut lawmakers are trying to change this ridiculous union requirement by crafting a new law to deny the pensions of public employees and union members who have been convicted of a crime or those who are in the midst of being indicted for corruption.

This new initiative is fast on the tail of the story of Billy White and Justen Kasperzyk, two New Haven narcotics cops who were indicted as a result of an FBI corruption investigation, both of whom retired with large pensions — one of them at $91,000.

Sadly, if New Haven passes this new law, they will join only a tiny handful of states and cities that sensibly deny luxurious pensions for people who have violated the public trust.

Blumenthal and Bysiewicz have already been researching the legal possibilities of such legislation, in the wake of a string of corruption convictions of state officials in the past few years. At Thursday’s hearing they offered their personal expertise and access to state files on pension reduction resolutions. They also advised aldermen to sit down with union officials and other objectors in order to address their concerns. They said if New Haven were to gain the power to reduce or revoke convicted city employees’ pensions, it would become the first city in the nation to do so. Thirteen states have similar judicial or administrative processes in place. Blumenthal and Bysiewicz been involved in four so-far unsuccessful efforts to convince the legislature to make Connecticut the 14th.

No cities and only 13 states have such laws!?

Disgusting.

It all goes to show that crime often pays if you’re a union member!
Continue reading “In New Haven, Get Indicted for Corruption — Retire With BIG Union Pension”

00Publius Contributor - Constitution - Democrats/Leftists - Education - Immigration/Immigrants - Media Bias - News - Race - Security/Safety - Society/Culture - Uncategorized - Unions - Warner Todd Huston

Mexican Kids Daily Cross Texas Border for Free U.S. Paid Education

September 26, 2007 by 3 Comments

-By Warner Todd Huston

At the beginning of September, Channel 5 News revealed a shocking story in Roma, Texas. As their cameras chronicled, each morning dozens of Mexican kids are crossing the border from Mexico into the Texas border town of Roma to attend an American school, free of charge. You read that correctly. American tax money is funding the education of kids who actually live IN Mexico and who are illegally crossing the border every single day to attend U.S. schools. I have waited a suitable period of time to bring this story up, hoping that the national news sources will pick up on this absurd violation of our National sovereignty and misuse of our tax money… yet not a peep has been heard to my knowledge.

It is estimated that $4 million has been spent on Mexican kids just in Roma, Texas, alone. And no one really even knows how much has been thrown down the rat hole in other Texas border towns, not to mentions similar towns in other border states.

News Channel 5 reported on the 6th of September that these Mexican kids are getting a free education from US taxpayers because the county schools do not have very stringent residency requirements. (See video here)

Even more ridiculously, school administrators report that they aren’t even allowed to ask if a student is a U.S. citizen before admitting them to class.

The report also reveals that no one in the school system is even bothering to keep track of how many schools are giving a free education to children whose parents are not U.S. taxpayers.
Continue reading “Mexican Kids Daily Cross Texas Border for Free U.S. Paid Education”

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

Galling – Public Service Unions Denounce ‘Privatizing Public Services’

September 26, 2007 by

-By Warner Todd Huston

Someone at the Waterbury Republican American newspaper is a bit perturbed with a new union ad campaign against the idea of privatizing public services. The new campaign seems to imagine that privatizing public services will result in “corruption” yet the unions seem blissfully ignorant of the corruption endemic in their own operations!
——-

Crooks infest Big Labor

At the height of the Rowland scandal, Council 4 of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees and a host of union locals chipped in for the “Privatization Equals Corruption” ad campaign highlighting “the pitfalls and perils of privatizing public services.”

Union officials, of course, are pure as the driven snow. Take Jorge Aponte-Figueroa, who until he was sentenced last month to five years in prison was president of the International Longshoreman’s Association Local 1740 in San Juan, P.R. His crime? He embezzled $1.9 million from the rank and file, falsified records and laundered money. And Council 4 was distressed about gutters, drywall and a hot tub?

Mr. Aponte-Figueroa is hardly alone. In August, 11 union officials were indicted and eight convicted on corruption charges, mostly for stealing retirement money from their members. As of Sept. 1, the Department of Labor has bagged 84 indictments and 108 convictions this year. One of the worst cases was a nearly $5 million embezzlement involving the Washington, D.C., teachers union. The DoL said it is “as committed as ever to protecting union members from criminal activity by those entrusted to represent them, and we will maintain efforts to uncover wrongdoing against the rank-and-file.”

Continue reading “Galling – Public Service Unions Denounce ‘Privatizing Public Services’”

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

Where Do Your Union Dues Go? One Word… Embezzlement

September 24, 2007 by

-By Warner Todd Huston

Here’s a few heart warming stories of union officials living large off the dues stolen from their membership.

… but remember, they are only looking out for the little guy!

Allied-Industrial Workers (PACE)
Claudia R. Thompson found guilty of embezzlement of union funds and falsifying records on August 15th.

United Auto Workers (UAW)
William Haynes pleads guilty on July 9th to falsifying records, $10,000 in dues money missing

Bakery and Tobacco Workers (BC&T)
Sharon Burt, convicted of embezzlement of $72,701 in union funds in March.

Boilermakers (IBB)
Jeffery Klope, pleaded guilty on June 13th to embezzlement of $25,794 from the union.
Continue reading “Where Do Your Union Dues Go? One Word… Embezzlement”

00Publius Contributor - Democrats/Leftists - Education - History - Media Bias - Security/Safety - Society/Culture - Uncategorized - Unions - Warner Todd Huston

‘History’ Teacher Asks 14-Year-Olds to Renounce U.S. Citizenship

September 16, 2007 by 1 Comment

-By Warner Todd Huston

One often hears that government schools in totalitarian nations brainwash their children to love the government. People in free nations decry that as oppressing the free will of innocent children, and rightly so. In American schools, however, just the opposite is true as with the case of an anti-American teacher in a public school in Chico, California who hates this country so much that he sent a letter home to his student’s parents urging them to renounce their citizenship in the U.S. as he announced he was so doing.

Since the troubling work of the so-called progressives led by John Dewey that has resulted in the near destruction of our institutes of higher learning, American schools have been steadily undermining this country. For a long time, at least, it was isolated mostly in the Universities safely removed from our youngest and most vulnerable students. Now, this pernicious and self-loathing force is commonly seen in even our elementary and high schools all too often. Supposed “teachers” who so hate the United States, its culture, history and ideals that they are willing to cast aside any pretense of teaching and are going straight for political indoctrination of their own hate filled ideology appear everywhere you turn.

This is the case of yet another American hater, another Ward Churchillesque propagandist infesting an American public school, one paid for by public funds, who is advocating the destruction of the United States by teaching things antithetical to our nation.

“Teacher” Mike Brooks is teaching his 14-year-old, middle school children that the U.S. tortures people and that it is better to be a member of “the global community” than to be an American. He is so filled with hate against the U.S.A. that he even sent a letter home to his student’s parents asking them to renounce their citizenship in the U.S.
Continue reading “‘History’ Teacher Asks 14-Year-Olds to Renounce U.S. Citizenship”

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

Union Negotiates Pay Raises… For Union Chiefs

September 15, 2007 by

-By Warner Todd Huston

I suppose we shouldn’t be surprised when union representatives negotiate themselves bigger raises than they do for their own membership. But, it still rankles every time it happens… and it happens almost every time!

In this case it is the Broward County, Florida teacher’s union that has fenagled a higher raise for the top earners in the District than those at the lower end of the pay scale. It seems they have invented an absurdly complicated “steps” plan (there are 22 of these “steps”) where folks at the low end will forever get smaller raises than folks at the high end. Naturally, the union reps are all at the highest end of the scale.

Big surprise, eh?
Continue reading “Union Negotiates Pay Raises… For Union Chiefs”

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

Teacher’s Union That Represents Few of Their Own Members

September 13, 2007 by

-By Warner Todd Huston

Few any longer deny that unions, no matter what union is under consideration, have any desire to consult their own membership on what causes, political candidates or Parties their dues money is spent upon. Several states are beginning, at long last, to address the unamerican, forced nature of such spending of dues against the member’s wishes by the organization to which they belong — or are forced to belong just to hold their job. But still this practice goes on despite the light shined upon the unconscionable practice employed by every union in the country. Apparently, teachers in Washington state have about had it with this practice, too, and their support of their own union organization is wearing thin.

The Evergreen Freedom Foundation* has released the results of their latest poll of teachers from the great Pacific state, and they aren’t a happy lot.

Ten-year Trend: Democrat teachers want political independence from union

Washington’s teachers, Democrat and Republican alike, increasingly agree that they should not be forced to pay for the Washington Education Association’s politics. In a poll commissioned by EFF, teachers were asked if they agreed or disagreed that, “Teachers should not be forced to pay for someone else’s politics, including the WEA’s.”

73% agreed compared to 62% who agreed in a poll ten years ago when the same question was asked. Support for the statement increased sharply among both Republicans and Democrats.

Republicans : (1997) 81% (2007)92%

Independents : (1997) 67% (2007)66%

Democrats : (1997) 52% (2007)66%

Now think about WEA’s decade-long campaign to convince teachers that, when it comes to politics, it knows best. WEA’s message has not resonated with teachers, even those who side with it ideologically. Maybe for teachers, the First Amendment cannot be “untaught.”

Continue reading “Teacher’s Union That Represents Few of Their Own Members”

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

Teamsters win… by losing members!

September 5, 2007 by

Ya, gotta love this one. Union Free America is awarding the Teamsters their “Most Decertified Union Award” because they are being knocked down by their own membership.

Read on and enjoy…

Teamsters Union Wins 2007 Most Decertified Union Award

The International Brotherhood of Teamsters is the winner of Union Free America’s 2nd Annual “Most Decertified Union Award.” This honor is awarded to the labor union that lost the most decertification elections during the preceding 12 months.

The judging was based on an analysis of the reports of election results on the National Labor Relations Board’s web site for the period August 2006 through July 2007. During that time the NLRB conducted 353 decertification elections. Employees seeking to rid themselves of a union won 236 or 67 percent of them.

The Teamsters union won the “Most Decertified Union Award” by being decertified 61 times during that period. The Teamsters were involved in a total of 86 decertification elections of which they lost 71 percent.

Continue reading “Teamsters win… by losing members!”