Free Republic

In another example of why unions are antithetical to good government, a pliant, left-wing judge in California has ruled that the Schwarzenegger Administration cannot furlough state workers that belong to three powerful public employees unions. Governor Schwarzenegger has been battling to cut his over spent state budget for several years now and one of the solutions to the problem that he lit upon was the idea that he might furlough his workforce. He would give these workers a few days a month off without pay and this would save the taxpayer's millions. It is a good idea and one that...

Gordon Brown is facing a damaging rift with his party after slowing the pace of reform in the NHS, The Times has learnt. Private companies and charities are being frozen out of the NHS, prompting accusations that the Government has bowed to pressure from the unions. Andy Burnham, the Health Secretary, is facing a Cabinet backlash, criticism from the former ministers John Hutton and Alan Milburn and attacks from the CBI and charity groups over proposals to limit outside involvement in the NHS. The Department of Health will publish new guidelines shortly that limit private companies and charities to providing...

Using Unions As Weapons UPS and FedEx face off in Congress instead of the marketplace. Veronique de Rugy from the October 2009 issue Imagine two competing pizza delivery companies that are identical in every way except their delivery methods. Pizza Company A delivers its pizza by car and Pizza Company B delivers its pizza by bike.Now imagine that the government has completely different labor laws for pizza parlors with cars and pizza parlors with bicycles. The result is much larger labor costs for Company B than Company A. Is that fair? Should the government care?A similar situation underlies a vicious...

No trucks from Mexico, no new trade agreements, a sweet deal for the United Auto Workers at GM and Chrysler, tariffs on Chinese tires, and now Big Labor has another demand of the Obama Administration: Overturn 75 years of labor policy to sandbag Delta Airlines and unionize transportation workers. Will it get that too? The latest looming political favor features the National Mediation Board, the federal agency established in 1934 under the Railway Labor Act to oversee labor relations in the air and rail industries. A department of the AFL-CIO last month sent a letter demanding that the board tear...

Another respected poll is out that shows the American public overwhelmingly favors school reforms opposed by the union that is misnamed the National Education Association. On two issues in particular, the public is far ahead of the NEA. The annual poll, released late last month by Phi Delta Kappa International, a professional association for educators, in conjunction with Gallup, demonstrated strong majority support for charter schools and merit-pay systems for teachers. But the power-hungry union consistently puts roadblocks or stultifying restrictions on these reforms. The poll found that nearly two out of three Americans favor charter schools. The NEA, however,...

The man expected to become the AFL-CIO's next president said Monday that lawmakers will pay a price if they abandon a government-run option in any health care overhaul. "We need to be a labor movement that stands by our friends, punishes its enemies and challenges those who, well, can't seem to decide which side they're on," said Richard Trumka, currently the AFL-CIO's secretary-treasurer. The threats came less than a month after a protester outside an Aug. 6 health care forum meeting organized by Rep. Russ Carnahan, D-Mo., was sent to the hospital after a beating inflicted by goons wearing SEIU...

Local Unions Partner with Mexican Consulate in Thirteen Cities to Offer Innovative Worker Rights Programming CHICAGO--(Business Wire)-- The United Food and Commercial Workers International Union (UFCW) is proud to partner with the Embassy of Mexico, the U.S. Department of Labor and allied organizations to promote the first "Semana de Derechos Laborales", or Labor Rights Week, UFCW International President Joe Hansen joined the Mexican Consul General of Chicago, Manuel Rodríguez Arriaga, to launch the national outreach and education program that is taking place in thirteen cities across the country. As Labor Day 2009 approaches, Semana de Derechos Laborales, which continues through...

President Barack Obama will speak at the AFL-CIO convention in Pittsburgh next month. Obama will address the labor convention on Sept. 15. The organization endorsed Obama during last year's presidential election. Labor unions have been vocal supporters of Obama's proposed health care overhaul. However, the incoming AFL-CIO president has expressed frustration with the president's wavering support of a government-run public option to cover those without health care insurance. Obama will also travel to Pittsburgh later in the month for the economic summit of the world's top 20 industrial and developing economies.

A federal search warrant obtained by the Post-Dispatch connects a former Democratic campaign strategist to a Clayton bombing last year that seriously injured an attorney. About two months after the October bombing, federal law enforcement officials searched the downtown loft of Milton H. "Skip" Ohlsen III, seeking "evidence related to the planning, execution, and/or cover-up of the bombing in Clayton, Missouri, on October 16, 2008." Ohlsen in recent weeks has been at the center of a swirling political scandal that is threatening the political careers of at least two Missouri Democratic legislators. The Clayton bombing injured attorney John L. Gillis...

In response to a recent Wall Street Journal op-ed by Whole Foods’ Chief Executive Officer John Mackey, activists, consumers and labor groups around the country have been organizing in opposition to his efforts to undermine meaningful health care reform. Over the course of the next few weeks, members and staff from the United Food and Commercial Workers Union (UFCW) will be disseminating educational information to Whole Foods shoppers. The purpose of these efforts will be to set the record straight about health care reform and to raise serious concerns about Whole Foods CEO’s position on this critical issue. These events...

Fresh on the heels of rumors that former union hatchet man Ron Bloom may become "czar" of US manufacturing policy, the AFL-CIO is crowing about the appointment of one of their own to run the most powerful regional Federal Reserve bank. Former electricians union boss Denis Hughes, top dog in a state where a forced unionism stanglehold has crushed the economy and employee freedom, has just been named chairman of New York's powerful financial oversight board: Denis Hughes, president of the New York State AFL-CIO, was named chairman of the powerful Federal Reserve Bank of New York today. -- Hughes,...

The California Republican Party seemed to hit political paydirt in a YouTube ad that pilloried the Service Employees International Union for "bullying state leaders in the budget process." The ad featured footage of an angry woman telling lawmakers that union members would work to defeat lawmakers who didn't vote their way. It turns out that the woman portrayed as an SEIU union leader in the commercial is a home health care worker from Fresno named Lisa Brown, who works for the state by caring for her son who has Down syndrome. Now Brown is calling on Republicans to pull the...

<p>“President Obama’s executive order will drive up the cost of government at a time when we should be doing everything possible to save taxpayer dollars. Federal contracts should go to the businesses that can offer taxpayers the best value – not just the unions who supported the Democrats’ campaigns last year. Quietly signing executive orders to payback campaign backers undermines Obama promise to change Washington. It is a disappointment for Americans hoping for more transparency and less politics as usual in Washington.”</p>

In his latest labor-friendly move, President Obama signed an executive order this afternoon encouraging the use of union workers for big federal construction projects. The order instructs federal agencies to have construction contractors make agreements that require contractors to negotiate with unions, recognize union wages and benefits, and follow collective bargaining agreements. Obama's order restores a Clinton administration rule that was rescinded by President George W. Bush, the Associated Press reports. In response, Stephen Sandherr, chief executive officer of the Associated General Contractors of America, issued a statement: "Today's executive order has the unfortunate potential to limit contractors' ability to...

WASHINGTON — Government workers in the state of Washington are being hit with a tough choice — if they want to keep their jobs, they have to join the union or pay a hefty union fee. "I don't like being forced. I don't like being told either join the union or I lose my job," said state employee Sharon Mathews. The Personnel Reform Act passed in 2002 gives managers more flexibility in hiring, firing and outsourcing. It also allowed the workers union to bargain directly with the governor on provisions of their contracts. After taking office this year, Democratic Gov....

A local State Troopers union president has decided to start something reminiscent of an "enemies list" and sent it out to all his State Trooper union members. Public enemy number one? Apparently the Taxpayers League of Minnesota.Perhaps I'm being paranoid when a State Trooper in a position of influence over other State Troopers compares a group I personally associate with to violent criminals hiding behind misleading rhetoric. But then again, perhaps I'm not the paranoid one here. Corporal Jensen's remarks darkly suggest a police organization being incited to intimidate those who do not toe their desired political line. Allow me...

"Q: I'm curious as to what kind of responses you have been getting. Do you use curse words at them? A: I made an Indian woman cry and promise to quit her job in 60 seconds. You can do it too!" MUMBAI: This is only a random (and printable) selection from the thousands of messages in cyberspace calling for a campaign to harass Indian call centre operators, to put an end to the offshoring of jobs. The same person goes on to describe some more of his experiences while calling these call centres, an activity to which he promises...

Daniels 'not welcome' in parade Posted: Thursday, Sep 02, 2004 - 12:14:45 am EST By SUZY HEICHELBECH Staff writer PRINCETON - What's a parade without politicians? Candidates have used local festival parades as a tool for meeting the people for years. This year's Labor Day parade is no exception to the tradition, but the number of Democrats marching through Princeton Monday will likely far outnumber Republican candidates. Gov. Joe Kernan, U.S. Sen. Evan Bayh and 8th District U.S. House of Representative Democrat candidate Jon Jennings are expected to participate. But their opponents won't be marching, says Labor Day Celebration chairman...

Calls traced to Eyman foes EIJIRO KAWADA; The News Tribune R. August Pommerening of Tacoma received a phone call Thursday that sounded like a courtesy notice from his local police department, warning him of the risk of identity theft. The official-sounding recording said the potential culprits might approach him posing as paid signature gatherers for initiative campaigns. Pommerening wondered if he should be worried about it. So he called the Tacoma Police Department and City Hall, but couldn't find out where the call came from. In fact, Pommerening was one of many registered voters in Pierce County who received the...

Public unions challenge ban on payroll deductions 06/27/2003 Associated Press BOISE - A coalition of labor groups asked a federal judge today to block enforcement of the new state ban on government payroll deductions to finance political activity before it takes effect next Tuesday. Union leaders argued that the ban _ pushed through the Legislature in 11 days last March, violates constitutional guarantees for free speech, freedom of association, freedom to petition government and equal protection under the laws. In addition, they claim the attempt by the state to regulate collection of money from public employee union members violates...