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SEIU has taken more than $31M from workers; union 'shellgame' hurts disabled
Michigan Capitol Confidential ^ | 8/13/2012 | Jack Spencer

Posted on 08/15/2012 5:44:47 AM PDT by MichCapCon

A majority of people netted in the 2005 unionization of home health care workers are relatives or friends taking care of loved ones, according to a study being used by supporters of a potential ballot proposal that could lock the scheme into the state constitution.

This is significant because one of the main reasons unions use to explain their existence is the protection of workers who are members. In this case, those workers are being protected by the Service Employees International Union against the people for whom they work — mainly their own family and friends.

In 2005, the SEIU targeted Michigan's Home Help Program as a potential dues-producing source. To date, the SEIU has taken more than $31 million from mostly unsuspecting workers who have been forced into the unionization scheme.

Under the Home Help Program, elderly patients and others suffering from various ailments can be cared for at home instead of being placed in nursing homes or other institutions. Virtually no one opposes the current Home Help Program, which exists with or without a proposed ballot proposal.

However, backers of the "Keep Home Care Safe" proposal are trying to get it passed by tricking voters into thinking the proposal would actually create the program, despite the fact that it already exists.

"The best salespeople can convince you to buy something you already have, like selling ice in the Antarctic," said Rep. Paul Opsommer, R-Dewitt, "This SEIU-supported ballot proposal also ignores the fact that so many of the people it would ensnare into paying dues are just family members of loved ones who have no interest in being on a caregiver registry. They already have their hands full just taking care of grandma or grandpa. If the proposal is passed, they will continue to be forced to pay dues as if they were interested in taking care of multiple people they don't even know. Where is the justice in that?"

Supporters of the ballot proposal like to say that those who get dues taken out of their checks are having it done because they are "hired" as caregivers. Yet there is scant evidence to indicate how many of the 44,000 caregivers fit this description.

In fact, according to an Anderson Economic Group report offered by the Michigan Quality Community Care Council, the dummy employer that was set up to help facilitate the scheme, most workers are taking care of family or friends.

That also helps explain why in six-plus years, the MQC3 has only collected 933 names of people to add to a registry of home health care workers despite roughly 44,000 having been unionized. People taking care of family or friends don't need to add their names to a registry that ostensibly is supposed to do background checks.

"When pushed into a corner, the creators of this ballot proposal have to admit that we already have a program to keep people out of nursing homes, so the next shell in the game deals with the need for a registry," Rep. Opsommer said. "For the minority of people who want to be on a registry, they could either do that privately, without the need for unionizing everyone else who is just taking care of their grandparent, or it could be done within government with just one or two full-time employees. And there would be no need to register everyone, as I can't imagine grandpa wanting to run a criminal background check on his own grandson. It just makes no sense.

"The real pea in this shellgame is the attempt to force union dues from average citizens who are not public employees and are just receiving Medicaid money to take care of loved ones at home," Rep. Opsommer said. "Everything else is just an attempt to distract voters from the true intention of this proposal."


TOPICS: Government
KEYWORDS: 2012; bustunions; corruption; democrats; fraud; law; liberalfascism; michigan; union; unioncorruption; unions

1 posted on 08/15/2012 5:44:56 AM PDT by MichCapCon
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To: Springman; Sioux-san; 70th Division; JPG; PGalt; DuncanWaring; taildragger
And now they're trying to get a "Right to steal" written into the state constitution under the false banner of "Save our jobs".

If anyone wants to be added to the Michigan Cap Con ping list, let me know.
2 posted on 08/15/2012 5:50:03 AM PDT by cripplecreek (What does it profit a man if he gains the whole world but loses his soul?)
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To: MichCapCon

SEIU is a criminal enterprise.

The rank and file are idiots who sweep the floor rent a cops, and others who cannot pass even the test for an affirmative action job. Their leadership however is different. They are slick. They are smart people who are stealing the rank and file blind and getting them to do their dirty work of demonstrating and goon squadding for them.They know their bread is buttered by the corrupt Obama administration. The leadership is using the black members to get themselves rich, and appeal to the liberals.

That’s my opinion and I am sticking to it.


3 posted on 08/15/2012 6:05:30 AM PDT by Venturer
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To: Venturer

Yes a criminal enterprise. Remember when unions were the strongest of patriotic Americans?
Liberal leadership and too much money has corrupted them. Worse for public employee unions like teachers.


4 posted on 08/15/2012 6:30:29 AM PDT by Rapscallion (Hope and change has become meanness, lying, fraud, cover-ups, and vindictiveness.)
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To: Rapscallion

There are still a few of the good patriot type union members out there. These guys walk the walk and put their own butts on the line against the unions. Terry Bowman actually testified against union political fundraising on capitol hill back in the early spring. He’s also one of the strongest advocates of right to work laws in Michigan.

http://www.unionconservatives.com/

No doubt that they’re pro union but they also understand that destroying companies destroys union and non union jobs alike.


5 posted on 08/15/2012 6:41:49 AM PDT by cripplecreek (What does it profit a man if he gains the whole world but loses his soul?)
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To: Rapscallion
The Union conservative message against these ballot initiatives.

Union member organization blasts decision by union officials to change Michigan's Constitution Founder warns of devastating economic consequences if it passes

Ypsilanti, Mi. - 6/14/2012 - Union Conservatives, Inc., president and founder, Terry Bowman, today publicly blasted union officials for submitting signatures to place an economically devastating proposal on the November ballot.

Yesterday, more than 684,000 signatures were turned into the Secretary of State office, more than twice the necessary signatures needed to get on the ballot. Stating that they are trying to protect their 'right' to collectively bargain, the proposal also would forever ban Right to Work legislation and undo the responsible measures taken by the legislature which has led to Michigan's economic recovery.

"Today, we are witnesses to a an historic event," Bowman said in a 34 state-wide e-mail to the organization's membership. "Never before have we seen such a drastic and desperate attempt by union officials to take economic control of a sovereign state out of the hands of the people and their duly elected representatives.

"By submitting signatures to forever change Michigan's constitution, union bosses have said that they are better equipped than the duly elected legislature to handle the economic future of the state of Michigan. By submitting these signatures, union bosses are in essence saying that the citizens and workers of Michigan are nothing more than a 'special interest' that is getting in the way of union control of the economy. They obviously believe that a union boss like Jimmy Hoffa or Bob King should have more control over the state's economy than the Michigan legislature and Governor."

Bowman, who is an active, dues-paying UAW member himself, also says that this would send a permanent message to businesses looking to relocate. "If the initiative passes in November, Michigan's future will be dark and uncertain. This would send a message to businesses that if you come to Michigan, there will be an immediate adversarial relationship guaranteed by union officials. When we have bordering states like Indiana who just passed business and worker-friendly Right to Work legislation, Michigan's prospects for new jobs and investment would be gone. Union jobs in both the private and government sector would suffer as a result.

"Union Conservatives will spend from now until the day of the election educating Michigan residents and workers of the disastrous consequences of this action. Union officials have an income stream and an almost unlimited amount of cash from the forced-dues of Michigan union workers, and we expect them to spend upwards of $50 million or more on this proposal.

If this passes, when anyone crosses the state line into Michigan, the welcome sign will say, "Welcome to Pure Michigan - Closed for Business."

6 posted on 08/15/2012 6:47:03 AM PDT by cripplecreek (What does it profit a man if he gains the whole world but loses his soul?)
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