"Can't we all just get along?"
Posted on 02/15/2006 6:53:21 AM PST by Mr. Brightside
Wednesday 15th February, 2006
Two unions leave AFL-CIO
Big News Network.com Tuesday 14th February, 2006 (UPI)
The Laborers' International Union and the International Union of Operating Engineers said Tuesday they were leaving the AFL-CIO.
The two unions, two of the largest in the United States and have 1.1 million members between them, will leave the AFL-CIO's Building and Construction Trades Department to form a new organization.
Both unions will join several other construction trade unions in founding the National Construction Alliance, which will represent virtually all union basic trades workers in the United States.
The NCA will focus on helping lift working and living standards for the nation's approximately 8 million construction workers, increasing the union share of the construction market and helping union contractors compete in today's construction industry.
The construction industry has changed, said Laborers' Union General President Terence M. O'Sullivan. If our union is going to provide our members with good jobs, good wages, good training and safe workplaces, we must embrace change and opportunities. It is our obligation to stop decades of decline and begin a renaissance of unions in construction.
"Can't we all just get along?"
While I revel in the AFL-CIO's misery for today, did these unions state exactly why they were leaving that org?
I'll tell you why. Dues. They are sick and tired of doleing out millions of dollar of their members dues to the blood sucker mob bosses to get nada in return.
Just think of the wage raise they'll get by NOT paying any dues.
If our union is going to provide our members with good jobs, good wages, good training and safe workplaces,
Who would have thought that was the purpose of a union?
Time for the CNBC, WSJ, CNN and their mouthpieces in this forum to go after Wally-World, after this brief pause following Christmas.
They're still gonna pay dues - just under another union.
The last unions left AFL-CIO because it spent too much time politicing and not enough time .... doing whatever unions do.
(striking, threatening workers, causing work slow downs, etc.)
The construction trades used to be a good way to make a living. Now non-union illegals have brought wages down toward minimum levels.
Yes, but what was their official reason (excuse) for leaving. We know they won't tell the media the real reasoning, dues, political sellout to the DNC, etc.
well like maybe these Unions should defend AMERICAN workers from the flood of illegals taking construction jobs from them..Union leaders better wake up to the fact that cheap labor is going to decimate them..do they speak one word on this topic just one??
In 1983 my father was a carpenter and made $15 an hour. Now a carpenter is lucky to make $15 an hour. Thanks Jorge Arbusto.
ping
Can you imagine how much houses would cost today if we had to pay carpenters the 2005 equilivent that wage?
A $300,000 house would cost what... $350,000 or $370,000? So much for the "housing boom."
Well, this isn't really workers leaving a union, it's more like unions leaving a labor consortium - the rank and file members of the individual locals of LIUNA, the Laborers, won't see a dues reduction...
You would think after 50 years of seeing your unions decimated by businesses leaving, that maybe, just maybe you decided to give the Republicans a shot at helping your members.
"Who would have thought that was the purpose of a union?"
I agree. I'm not dogmatically anti union, as some here are. But I do understand what a union SHOULD do, and that isn't it.
Unions cannot defend American workers aginst illegals in the workplace and continue to stay on the Democrat plantation. Their heads would explode.
I work for a trade union in Canada. Most members dues go to paying per capita to every Tom, Dick and Harry that forms an association. Actually, office wages make up the bulk of the money, then per capita.
The dues already are increasing where I work and this won't make any difference, except it will be one more association to finance.
So. Heaven forbid we pay workers what they are worth. One of the reasons that wages are low is supply and demand. The current administration and past ones as well let illegals flood across the border increasing supply there by lowering wages. That is wrong.
Besides if carpenters and masons were paid more would that not also spur wage increases in other fiels. A rising tide lifts all boats. So you could afford more for a house.
Looks like more people are leaving the plantation.
The Democratic Party has a farm
The Democratic Party has a farm
C-I, C-I-O
And on that farm they have some workers
C-I, C-I-O
With a pluck, pluck here
And a pluck, pluck there
They pluck workers pay everywhere
The Democratic Party has a farm
C-I, C-I-O
The Democratic Party has a farm
N-A, A-C-P
And on that farm have some minorities
N-A, A-C-P
With a quota here
And a set aside there
Non-minorities get jobbed everywhere
The Democratic Party has a farm
N-A, A-C-P
With a pluck, pluck here
And a pluck, pluck there
They pluck workers pay everywhere
The Democratic Party has a farm
C-I, C-I-O
The Democratic Party has a farm
A-A, A-R-P
And on that farm they have some seniors
A-A, A-R-P
With a free drug here
And a free drug there
Working-age people get the bill everywhere
The Democratic Party has a farm
A-A, A-R-P
With a quota here
And a set aside there
Non-minorities get jobbed everywhere
The Democratic Party has a farm
N-A, A-C-P
With a pluck, pluck here
And a pluck, pluck there
They pluck workers pay everywhere
The Democratic Party has a farm
C-I, C-I-O
The Democratic Party has a farm
A-F, F-D-C
And on that farm they have some welfare
A-F, F-D-C
With a cash grant here
And a cash grant there
Taxpayers get the taken for granted everywhere
The Democratic Party has a farm
A-F, F-D-C
With a free drug here
And a free drug there
Working-age people get the bill everywhere
The Democratic Party has a farm
A-A, A-R-P
With a quota here
And a set aside there
Non-minorities get jobbed everywhere
The Democratic Party has a farm
N-A, A-C-P
With a pluck, pluck here
And a pluck, pluck there
They pluck workers pay everywhere
The Democratic Party has a farm
C-I, C-I-O
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.