Boy Scout, SEIU clear brush, bury hatchet

The Morning Call Online ^ | November 28, 2009 | Michael Duck

[NittanyLion]

Hauling brush and old tires out of the woods in Allentown early Friday, members of the Service Employees International Union learned an Eagle-Scout-to-be is just as forgiving as he is trustworthy, loyal and helpful.

The Eagle Scout service project of Kevin Anderson, 17, of Upper Saucon Township was caught up in a national media firestorm after Nick Balzano, an Allentown union official, threatened to file a grievance over Kevin's work clearing a trail in Kimmets Lock Park. Conservative pundits seized on the remark as evidence of the SEIU's ''thuggery,'' and Balzano later resigned.

To show there were no hard feelings, SEIU members from as far away as Philadelphia and New Jersey accepted Kevin's invitation to help with the project Friday.

[NittanyLion]

Of course, my guess is the SEIU members only worked from 9-10 (30 minute break), 10:30-12 (90 minute lunch), 1:30-2:15 (30 minute break), and then the remainder of their day was spent trying to organize the other volunteers into a new local...

[Vaquero]

Now wait till the union leaders(read: thugs) are read the riot act from the Dhimmicrats, about the BSA not allowing queers in their ranks...that will change things....

[SlowBoat407]

Now wait till the union leaders(read: thugs) are read the riot act from the Dhimmicrats, about the BSA not allowing queers in their ranks...that will change things....

That's probably why they started complaining in the first place.

[sodpoodle]

*When Morning Call journalists showed up at Kevin’s project Friday to interview and photograph him for this story, they were encouraged to help pick up trash and brush along with the volunteers — and did.*

So Kevin is an ORGANIZER!!!! LOL!!!

[cake_crumb]

The SEIU are STILL thugs, brush-clearing summit or no brush-clearing summit. Don’t forget the man they assaulted and battered in Mo for handing out flags.

[NittanyLion]

Now wait till the union leaders(read: thugs) are read the riot act from the Dhimmicrats, about the BSA not allowing queers in their ranks...that will change things....

That is quite a quandary they're in...but I guess self-preservation always wins out, which is exactly what motivated them to accept his offer. Personally, I wish he would not have facilitated this rehab of their image, but I do realize that it was the gracious thing to do (and in line with the ethics the BSA is trying to teach its members).

[bmwcyle]

[ktscarlett66]

Well that was very big of the SEIU. I am SO impressed.

[mazda77]

THE ONE LINE, ONE SONG, LYIN’ PURPLE PEOPLE BEATERS.

[Popman]

''Everybody's here on their day off, volunteering,'' said MacManiman, of Burlington County, N.J. He noted SEIU members from Allentown had signed up to be part of the union's 20-member crew.

This is written as if they were not paid.

I'd like to know if they were paid. I would make a rather large bet they were compensated in same way

[Puddleglum]

the real question is, did they have a beer and chalk this up as a “teachable moment”?

[NittanyLion]

the real question is, did they have a beer and chalk this up as a “teachable moment”?

LOL - that's a good question!

[Virginia Ridgerunner]

Balzano later resigned.

Glad to see that this thug is gone. He actually threatened "to look into" the scout.

[SandRat]

Sounds more like a First Sergeant.

[Condor51]

''Everybody's here on their day off, volunteering,'' said MacManiman, of Burlington County, N.J. He noted SEIU members from Allentown had signed up to be part of the union's 20-member crew.

Wow.
That was mighty white of them.

[NittanyLion]

Something tells me these "volunteers" drew the short straw when their union leadership decided 20 people had to "volunteer".

[Condor51]

*** Something tells me these "volunteers" drew the short straw when their union leadership decided 20 people had to "volunteer". ***

You betcha.
Our neighbor recently made a career change to be a HVAC Service Tech - it's a union job (Pipe-Fitters). So being a newbie, for all Parades and off work related stuff he HAS TO SHOW ('volunteer') to represent the union.

It's NOT an SEIU Union. And I've dealt with this union & Pipe-Fitters for all of my career (since 1970). They're okay guys, not thugs, and this is in the Chi Metro Area.

Natch, the Bosses are Dem Tools but the workers, not so.

[healy61]

The young lad’s father should have looked into booting Balzano in the a$$ for threatening his boy. Balzano will be back. Could someone keep an eye out for his next union / political move?