http://www.freerepublic.com/tag/unions/ en-us Wed, 30 Dec 2009 18:17:46 GMT Focus Forum 15 http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2417770/posts Something has gone horribly wrong with the California Public Employees’ Retirement System. The 1.6 million local and state government workers and retirees who rely on the pension giant should be deeply worried. State taxpayers who are going to have to bail out CalPERS should be infuriated. In area after area, CalPERS has been a disaster. •Public policy. The 1999 state law that led to an orgy of retroactive pension spiking by government agencies only passed because of Cal-PERS’ insane assurance that a perpetually rising stock market would always cover the cost of sharply increasing benefits. CalPERS is thus directly culpable... San Diego Union - Tribune http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2417770/posts#comment Wed, 30 Dec 2009 18:17:46 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2417609/posts A Pittsburgh ordinance designed to protect janitors from losing their jobs in Downtown office buildings violates Home Rule law. [snip] City Council enacted an ordinance in 2004 governing building complexes with more than 100,000 square feet of floor space. If the owner switches security, janitorial, maintenance, stationary engineering or window-washing contractors, the new firm has to hire the old firm's workers. Pittsburgh Post Gazette http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2417609/posts#comment Wed, 30 Dec 2009 14:36:19 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2417378/posts Flight 253 becomes an excuse to organize airport screeners. The notion that unionized airport baggage screeners in Detroit could have prevented Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab from boarding a plane in Amsterdam or Lagos doesn't make much sense. But sure enough, some in Congress are using the thwarted Christmas Day terrorist attack to argue that a new leader for the Transportation Security Administration could have saved the day. Rahm Emanuel's famous declaration that a crisis is a terrible thing to waste seems to have become a way of Washington life. That's the meaning of the political and media beatdown now being visited... The Wall Street Journal http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2417378/posts#comment Wed, 30 Dec 2009 02:54:03 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2417257/posts I am always amazed how liberals always seem to deny that which they support.  Often times they will go so far as to state that the organizations they support only care about the good of society.  Take the NEA and what they support for instance.  I have heard liberals claim that the NEA only uses their member union dues to support education initiative drives across the nation, and that the dues are not used to support federal legislation in Washington.  Well, it is time to open the eyes of the blind and shine the light of truth on what... Enterprise Record Post Scripts http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2417257/posts#comment Tue, 29 Dec 2009 23:37:09 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/2417046/posts First, they sold the most amount of cars in the world, then, they started cost cutting and now, Toyota are taking another big step towards becoming GM. The Charleston Daily Mail reports that the managers of Toyota’s manufacturing plant in Buffalo, West Virginia have allowed workers to distribute union literature during breaks at the plant. There’d been grumblings about unionisation for some time. Last month, some Toyota employees, (with the backing of the UAW, naturally), filed a grievance with the National Labour Relations Board’s regional office in Cincinnati. They wanted to distribute union material but were stopped by Toyota managers.... The Truth About Cars http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/2417046/posts#comment Tue, 29 Dec 2009 17:45:56 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2416949/posts Target Corp. retooled a training video to warn workers against a bill that would make union organizing easier. Michaels Stores Inc. told investors “our businesses could be impacted” by the measure. Enrollment in Jackson Lewis LLP’s “How to Stay Union-Free” seminars tripled. Companies are rallying to fend off a so-called card-check law sought by labor leaders and backed by President Barack Obama. While the bill stalled in Congress this year as health- care legislation dominated debate, anti-union groups say they expect the president and Democrats to deliver next year on a compromise version of the legislation. “As we approach the... Business Week http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2416949/posts#comment Tue, 29 Dec 2009 15:15:47 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2415907/posts Banta Tile & Marble closed this week after the bricklayers union won a $2.9 million judgment against it. The small Loop Road firm laid off its 25 workers Tuesday and filed for bankruptcy liquidation Wednesday. "It's obviously devastating to all of our employees and their families, and to our customers," said Banta president Ken Morris. Banta installed luxurious tile and stone surfaces at thousands of homes and companies across the region during its 80 years in operation. But it was forced to close after U.S. District Judge John Jones III in Harrisburg agreed with earlier rulings in a case that... Lancaster online http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2415907/posts#comment Sun, 27 Dec 2009 21:37:18 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2415817/posts President Obama's plan to force contractors to hire union workers for large government construction projects is proving easier said than done, confusing and costlier than expected. It's been more than a decade since a federal project required bids that include union representation of workers, known as a "project labor agreement" or PLA, and a $100 million project to modernize the 12-story Lafayette Building that houses federal agencies is highlighting the kinks that need to be worked out. The General Services Administration (GSA), for example, first called for PLAs to win bids to rehabilitate the Washington office complex, but earlier this... The Washington Times http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2415817/posts#comment Sun, 27 Dec 2009 18:20:41 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2415246/posts Michelle Berry runs a private day-care service from her home on the outskirts of this city, the birthplace of General Motors. "The Berry Patch," as she calls the service, features overstuffed purple gorillas, giant cartoon murals, and a playroom covered in Astroturf. Her clients are mostly low-income parents who need child care to keep their jobs in a city that now has a 26% unemployment rate. Ms. Berry owns her own business—yet the Michigan Department of Human Services claims she is a government employee and union member. The agency thus withholds union dues from the child-care subsidies it sends to... WSJ online http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2415246/posts#comment Sat, 26 Dec 2009 12:23:11 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-bloggers/2414577/posts In their greedy desire to steal even more money from employers one union has even gone so far as to block Red Cross blood donations from getting to a hospital as well as picketing blood drives from private companies. In other words, these union thugs have put money and their quest for power above the health, welfare, and medical needs of real people. As BigGovernment.com reported a few days ago, union workers for Red Cross have been picketing locations in an attempt to disrupt Red Cross Blood Services operations. In one case, the Red Cross was blocked from delivering blood... Publius Forum http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-bloggers/2414577/posts#comment Thu, 24 Dec 2009 18:14:42 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2414233/posts On December 8, Susan Gustafson at MLive.com proclaimed that "GM's announcement of no more layoffs is good news after years of hemorrhaging jobs": General Motors' announcement this morning that it plans no further layoffs in the immediate future is huge news for both the automaker and Michigan as a whole after years of steady erosion in the ranks of hourly and salaried workers. .... the company doesn't expect the numbers of hourly workers on indefinite layoff to increase. That same day, Robert Snell at the Detroit News reported the same thing: General Motors Co. does not plan any job cuts... Newsbusters http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2414233/posts#comment Thu, 24 Dec 2009 03:24:06 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/2413620/posts DETROIT - General Motors Co. and Chrysler L.L.C., took dramatically different stands yesterday on repaying the billions each received over the last year in federal bailout funds. GM plans to pay all of its $6.7 billion in government loans by the end of June, chairman and chief executive officer Ed Whitacre Jr. said. The quarterly installments will begin this month with a $1.2 billion payment, he said. But Chrysler, now known as Old Carco L.L.C., filed a Chapter 11 bankruptcy reorganization plan in which the company said it planned on giving nothing back to the government for its $3.7-billion claim,... Philly.com http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/2413620/posts#comment Wed, 23 Dec 2009 11:22:49 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2413549/posts President Obama praised the Senate yesterday for clearing a 60-40 procedural vote on his health plan in the dead of night and "standing up to the special interests who've prevented reform for decades and who are furiously lobbying against it now." They're furiously lobbying all right—not against ObamaCare but for the sundry preferences in the Senate bill. Start with the special tax carve-outs included in the "manager's amendment" that Harry Reid dropped Saturday morning. White House budget director Peter Orszag has claimed that the bill's 40% excise tax on high-cost insurance plans is key to reducing health costs. Yet the... The Wall Street Journal http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2413549/posts#comment Wed, 23 Dec 2009 05:19:05 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2412468/posts Ford offers buyouts to all UAW workers Photo 3:27pm EST DETROIT (Reuters) - Ford Motor Co said Monday it is offering its 41,000 U.S. factory workers buyouts and early retirement offers in a bid to reduce its payroll costs as it aims to return to profit by 2011. The buyouts mark the second round of such offers for Ford workers represented by the United Auto Workers union. About 1,000 workers took offers to leave the automaker in July. Ford workers have until late January to accept the offers, which include payouts of up to $70,000 cash for newer hires to... Reuters http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2412468/posts#comment Mon, 21 Dec 2009 20:48:47 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2412408/posts A young married couple, Paul and Nancy were neighbors of mine back in the seventies. Nancy was extremely excited. An unexpected opportunity arose for her to attend college. This would broaden her horizons and enable her to pursue opportunities beyond her current minimum wage jobs. Paul was dead set against it. He confided in me, “I'm afraid if she gets educated, she may not want me anymore”. I thought, “So rather than allowing Nancy whom you profess to love to be all she can be, you would prefer to keep her down”. In the eighties, I was a member of... LloydMarcus.com http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2412408/posts#comment Mon, 21 Dec 2009 19:33:10 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2412345/posts The Democrats have consistently cultivated a public image as the party of the little guy, the party that stands up against big interests and protects the rights of minorities. You would think that a program that helps minority students, lowers costs, and increases funds for public schools would be right up their alley. You would be wrong. The Democrats in Congress have essentially killed Washington D.C.’s Opportunity Scholarship Program effectively throwing nearly 2000 disadvantaged students back into one of the worst school systems in the country. The very popular program had a long waiting list and has strong support in... American Thinker http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2412345/posts#comment Mon, 21 Dec 2009 17:58:33 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2411601/posts The barren economy of this rustbelt state is weakening the labor movement, but well-connected unions continue to shape Michigan's politics. So it's not surprising that some are willing to take extraordinary measures to help repopulate union ranks--even to the extent of making the state an accessory to a scheme to shanghai more than 40,000 home-based day care entrepreneurs and providers into a government-employee union. This development was first brought to the attention of the Mackinac -Center for Public Policy, where we work, in early 2009, when the center was approached by Sherry Loar, owner of Baby Steps Childcare Center in... Weekly Standard http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2411601/posts#comment Sun, 20 Dec 2009 12:36:17 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-bloggers/2411307/posts A recalcitrant teachers union in Florida once again shows that reform for the sake of the kids doesn't interest it. A federal program called Race to the Top bestows federal money on any district that institutes merit pay and reforms its schools. Guess who hates the idea. Yep, you guessed it: Florida's teachers unions. Instead of launching in full support of school reform in order to help kids get a better education, the union has announced that it will instead be foot draggers and opposers... Read the rest at Publiusforum.com... Publius Forum http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-bloggers/2411307/posts#comment Sat, 19 Dec 2009 20:28:19 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-bloggers/2409726/posts This is momentous news, harrowing news if you are a Democrat that wants Obamacare passed at all costs. The powerful and very rich Service Employees International Union (SEIU), is wavering in its until now stated support of Obamacare. The Hill is reporting that the SEIU just backed out of an event promoting the Senate's healthcare bill over "concerns" about the changes that have recently been made to get the support of Joe Lieberman and centrist Democrats. Apparently the SEIU was going to attend a rah-rah session with the AARP, the liberal advocacy group Families USA, Consumers Union and the American... Publius Forum http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-bloggers/2409726/posts#comment Thu, 17 Dec 2009 17:56:17 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-bloggers/2409722/posts Big Labor has, for the most part, fallen all over itself to help its patron President get his Obamacare policies passed in Congress spending millions to do so. If Obamacare should pass many millions will lose their healthcare and will be forced into government healthcare. According to the CBO at least 10 million will lose their insurance in short order. The CBO is likely lowballing the number, too. That means many people that now have insurance through their employers will lose it and, thereby, lose some of their compensation and that brings up a major point that few people are... Publius Forum http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-bloggers/2409722/posts#comment Thu, 17 Dec 2009 17:53:29 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2409562/posts WASHINGTON — The head of the politically powerful SEIU has sent a letter to members saying the union would continue to stand with President Barack Obama in pushing for health overhaul, "but he must fight for the reform we all know is possible." Andrew Stern and other union leaders are frustrated that the Senate bill has no government-run insurance option and will not allow Americans to purchase Medicare at an earlier age. They are still waiting to see final language in the bill before deciding whether to support the legislation. AP via Google News http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2409562/posts#comment Thu, 17 Dec 2009 15:21:41 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2409026/posts The purple people-beaters already dropped out of an event to promote the bill earlier today. Now this. Dude, it’s like the KISS army turning on Gene Simmons. Let the Democratic civil war begin. Though there’s no official word yet, early indications based on talks with various officials are that the groups will either formally oppose the legislation or, less dramatically, just not fight very hard to ensure its passage. Hot Air http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2409026/posts#comment Wed, 16 Dec 2009 21:17:22 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2408995/posts Wisconsin Governor Jim Doyle has just signed a bill into law that forces schools to teach the glories of organized labor and collective bargaining. Doyle has received significant campaign contributions from labor unions over the years prior to forcing their special interest agenda into the classroom. Ever since unions have been involved in teaching, our system has spiraled into laughable mediocrity. It is what happens when you abandon actual education to turn children into racially-sensitive little environmentalists. Teachers' unions even tried to have the fact that 9/11 was committed by Muslim extremists scrubbed from the history books. Their effect on... The Macon County Conservative Examiner http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2408995/posts#comment Wed, 16 Dec 2009 20:38:30 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-bloggers/2408859/posts Do you think your boss should pay you for getting dressed in the morning or for taking off your day's clothes to climb into your snuggly Pjs each night? No reasonable, sane person would. But unions are neither reasonable, sane, nor apparently interested in what's good and right. At least the moron unionists in Oakland, California are illicit like that because the thugs of the police union have found some halfwit judge to agree with them that the city… that would mean the taxpayers… should pay them for zipping up their fly each morning and taking off their clothes at... Publius Forum http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-bloggers/2408859/posts#comment Wed, 16 Dec 2009 18:02:31 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2408493/posts Responding to calls among rank-and-file Democrats for more infrastructure spending, House leaders Tuesday unveiled a plan to add almost $50 billion in spending on highways, housing, and school repair as part of a year-end plan to create jobs. The measure is aimed at keeping the fragile economic recovery on track with money for teachers, the unemployed and small businesses. A vote is planned for Wednesday. The Senate, however, won't act until next month at the earliest and has less of an appetite for another costly round of economic stimulus measures. All told the measure tops $150 billion once additional help... Business Week http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2408493/posts#comment Wed, 16 Dec 2009 05:29:45 GMT