Why American Business is Losing the War to Big Labor's PR Offensive...

This is an open letter to America's business leaders and, although long in coming, is in response to discussions we've had with several of our readers and clients:

For the last several years, labor bosses and their leftist allies have been waging a PR war on American business. Sadly, American business is losing the war. The problem is, as business loses this war, it is the American worker who ultimately suffers. For those businesspeople paying attention to the climate in the country right now, they realize they are losing the war, but very few understand why.

Note: For an excellent, protagonistic definition of what a businessman is, go here.

As American business is the engine that drives economic prosperity in one way or another for all honest Americans, when the union bosses and their leftist allies win, the results are generally increased regulation, higher tax burdens, or, in the case of the union bosses' ultimate goal (the Orwellian-named Employee Free Choice Act) a broad expansion in unionization--all of these factors result in weighing down and choking the engine that drives prosperity for America.

Why, then, is it that American business is losing the PR war? To answer this question, there are several factors that come into play, as follows:

First, blame Al Gore. For, were it not for his inventing the internet, much of the propaganda spewed by the Left would fall on deaf ears. Now that there is instantaneous communication available to just about anyone with access to a computer, the Left has found innumerable ways in which to spread its message and, in doing so, has formed coalitions among previously disparate groups.

Before St. Gore invented the internet, no one knew (or cared) who Arianna Huffington was, there was no such thing as George Soros' Salon.com, and the proliferation of leftist propaganda was relegated to old mimeographed paper rags. Today, the Left has built an empire almost entirely through cyberspace. Unfortunately, defenders of American business came to the dance late. [To view our post related to this topic, go here.]

Second, though not entirely their fault, blame American business for its complacency. Businesspeople at all levels are generally a positive and productive breed. They see problems as 'opportunities' or 'challenges' to overcome.

Conversely, all-too-often, Leftists have a paranoid, glass-half-empty view of the world. [Think of the saying "it's THEM," then repeat it everytime something remotely bad happens, and you'll understand this phenomonon.] As a result of this frame of mind, Leftists typically blame capitalism (aka businesspeople) for all of the ills that befall society. [Anyone watching the current campaign for president can bear witness to this fact.]

Since the drivers of business generally think in terms of "production" (not "destruction," as many on the Left do), they are generally of the mindset to ignore their detractors on the Left, figuring the detractor is a mere nuisance and that no one of a rationale mindset would give credence to the Left's annoying irrationality.

Note: For a brief description of these two competing worldviews, read Ayn Rand's description of the Malevolent Universe Premise versus the Benevolent Universe Premise. The Left primarily operates in the former, while businesspeople primarily operate in the latter (though not always).

Third, and perhaps most importantly, given the above, it is important to understand that for many on the Left, their full time job is not to build, but to tear down. Not to produce, but to attack. In fact, for most people who are employed full-time in the union movement, their jobs are nothing more than to identify (or invent), complain about and propagandize problems.

Perhaps it is because we came from the union movement and have spent more than a dozen years fighting Big Labor’s propaganda and enlightening workers to the realities of unions that we recognize this for what it is--a war of ideas and a war of propaganda.

You see, whether its the AFL-CIO or the Change to Win union bosses, leaders of these groups (as well as their allies) are either personally trained, or they employ those who are professionally trained in the art of propaganda and very few businesspeople understand this. Businesspeople who fail to grasp the nature of this war are the ones who enable their detractors to win.

Fourth, businesspeople have no idea that by appeasing their detractors, they ultimately lose. It has been said that, "In any compromise between food and poison, it is only death that can win. In any compromise between good and evil, it is only evil that can profit."

Lastly, businesspeople do not understand that there are no Geneva Convention-like rules in this propaganda war. Fair play is non-existent to the Left. Businesspeople do not realize that the Left's malevolent view of the world leads them to deploy a strategy of 'the ends always justify the means.'

In this regard, for businesspeople to have any idea of the type of foe they face, they need to know who Saul Alinsky was. Though dead now for more than 35 years, Alinsky's Rules for Radicals is the foundation of what many on the Left have built their arsenal on.

If businesspeople understand Alinsky's "rules," they can go a long way in countering Big Labor's PR offensive. In this regard, here are Alinsky's "rules," compiled by a friend of ours whom we refer to as Spartacus:

Alinsky emphatically stated that the end justifies the means but cautions that extreme means are only justified in certain situations. Here are Alinsky's rules to test whether the means are ethical.

1. One's concern with the ethics of means and ends varies inversely with one's personal interest in the issue.


2. The judgment of the ethics of means is dependent upon the political position of those sitting in judgment.


3. In war the end justifies almost any means.


4. Judgment must be made in the context of the times in which the action occurred and not from any other chronological vantage point.


5. Concern with ethics increases with the number of means available and vice versa.
   The less important the end to be desired, the more one can afford to engage in ethical evaluations of means.


6. Generally, success or failure is a mighty determinant of ethics.


7. The morality of means depends upon whether the means is being employed at a time of imminent defeat or imminent victory.


8. Any effective means is automatically judged by the opposition to be unethical.


9. You do what you can with what you have and clothe it in moral garments.


10. Goals must be phrased in general terms like "Liberty, Equality, Fraternity," "Of the Common Welfare," "Pursuit of Happiness," or "Bread and Peace."

Alinsky also had rules for what he called "power tactics" or the means used to "take." He described it as "how the Have Nots can take power away from the Haves."

Here are his rules of power tactics.

1. Power is not only what you have but what the enemy thinks you have.


2. Never go outside the experience of your people.


3. Whenever possible, go outside of the experience of the enemy.


4. Make the enemy live up to their own book of rules.


5. Ridicule is man's most potent weapon.


6. A good tactic is one that your people enjoy.


7. A tactic that drags on too long becomes a drag.


8. Keep the pressure on with different tactics and actions, and utilize all events of the period for your purpose.


9. The threat is usually more terrifying than the thing itself.


10. The major premise for tactics is the development of operations that will maintain a constant pressure upon the opposition.


11. If you push a negative hard and deep enough, it will break through into its counterside.


12. The price of a successful attack is a constructive alternative.


13. Pick the target, freeze it, personalize it, and polarize it.

Even a cursory review of these rules for radicals reveals that a Leftist activist schooled in them will have no compunction about using almost any tactic in a conflict with businesspeople. In fact, radicals must often create issues to stir up problems in order to radicalize their potential followers.

As stated above, perhaps it is because we've spent so many years both in the belly of the beast and so many years battling Big Labor's propaganda and educating workers to the realities of unionization that, for us, it is easier to engage in the battle than it is for most. However, even to a lay person, once you recognize the tactics for what they are, the Left can be defeated, but in order to do so, one must sometimes play by the same rules as the radicals.

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For more information, go to EmployerReport.com

Today's Unions: Stirring the Kool-Aid and Causing Collateral Damage

As former union leaders, there was a time when we admired unions and what they allegedly stood for. However, like many, the deeper we dug, the more we saw, and the more we experienced the betrayal of workers, the more disgusted we became with the union leaders of today. Like many people who are duped into believing in something, only to find out it is based on a false premise, a collectivist creed, and, in the end, causing more harm than good, we left in order to oppose that which we once preached.

There are several stories circulating in the media that offer prime examples of just what is meant by the above paragraph.

The first, of course, is the sordid battle going on between the SEIU and the CNA. There are enough stories floating around the internet for one to research on their own, so we won't spend any more time on it, except to offer you our opinion on What's Really Behind the SEIU vs. CNA Fight, which we posted on Friday.

The second story comes by way of the Detroit News and discusses a United Auto Workers' (UAW) strike against General Motors at one of its plants and several others that the UAW has threatened with strikes. The title of the piece is aptly titled: Motive in UAW threats unclear.

In the piece, the writer quotes a UAW striker, Michael Shrubbe, as saying: "None of us know why we're here."

Mr. Shrubbe, the article states, has been walking a picket line in Delta Township, where workers have been off the job since April 17 at the factory that builds GM's popular crossovers.

The article goes on to say:

GM believes the UAW threats, all against factories that either make critical models for the automaker or supply the parts to build them, are a tactic being used to draw the company into the strike against American Axle & Manufacturing Holdings Inc., according to several sources familiar with negotiations. Labor law prohibits the union from striking because of a dispute elsewhere; many think the union is using local negotiations to apply indirect pressure.

"There's a feeling among workers that their jobs are being jeopardized by things beyond their control," Gary Chaison, a labor specialist at Clark University in Worcester, Mass. "Their expectations were when everything was tied up nationally everything would fall into place. Now it appears to be unraveling so fast."

The American Axle strike, in its ninth week, has created a parts shortage that has forced GM to idle or cut production at more than two dozen North American factories. But GM's bottom line has been relatively unscathed since the affected factories produce slow-selling large trucks and SUV that were backing up on dealer lots.

Now, besides strikers not knowing why they're unemployed and on the picket lines (that, by itself, is condemning enough of the union's leadership), the fact of the matter is, if GM's assumptions are correct and the UAW is trying to use local strikes as leverage to draw the car maker into the American Axle strike, then the UAW has become woefully inept at flexing its own muscle.

As every unionist (former or otherwise) knows, the strike is a union's only weapon and for a union to pull the trigger without making sure its gun is fully loaded and correctly aimed is not only irresponsible, but borders on a negligent dereliction of a union leader's duty--to care for his membership first.

In this case though, it would appear GM workers and their families are being sacrificed because of Ron Gettlefinger's poor calculations in dealing with American Axle and, if true, that is both reprehensible and inexcusable.

Our third and final story comes from the Los Angeles Times and deals with the aftermath of the 100-day writer's strike.

In the LA Times article, the reporter discusses at length the many hardship cases of the "collateral damage" caused by the strike. Namely, the crew members and other talent (mostly union members) that are facing financial ruin from the economic fallout from the writer's strike.

As the article states: Some are at risk of losing their homes. Some can't afford groceries. Others have filed for bankruptcy. Still others struggle to work enough hours to hold on to their health insurance.

Although hard figures are not available, union officials say that thousands of crew members who normally would be busy at this time of year are still idled because of the sharp contraction in television production. Some union locals report a quarter of their members are sitting at home.

Karen Hartjen is one. She can't bring herself to open the utility bills lying on her
kitchen table in Simi Valley.

The 53-year-old assistant prop master has been out of work since early November,
when a string of jobs on TV shows such as "CSI: New York" and "Medium" came to a halt after the writers walked out.Although Hartjen is accustomed to earning $100,000 a year, she is now $10,000 in debt and her home is threatened with
foreclosure. She has turned to her church and the Salvation Army for help with
groceries.

To add insult to injury, these workers who stood behind their union "brothers" and "sisters" are getting the shaft from their own unions who administer their health care...

Many crew members are in a race against the clock to keep their health insurance.
Union rules require that members work at least 300 hours every six months to
maintain their benefits.

After a four-month hiatus, foley artist Dominique Tabach of Valencia recently returned to work part-time on the CBS drama "Numb3rs." But she has nothing else lined up.

Without additional work, Tabach, 43, is concerned that she won't accumulate enough hours to keep her union health insurance beyond September. The insurance covers Tabach, her 8-year-old daughter and her husband, a former TV executive who recently lost his job.

Yet, in the face of an actors' strike that is certain to bring financial devastation to those teetering on the edge right now, NONE of these "victims" seem to question whether their "union solidarity" was worth it. None seem to wonder if "Hollywood is a Union Town" is really a good thing, or perhaps it is a bad thing.

Last December, we received a comment from a rather irate wife of a man who was unemployed due to the writer's strike (which is posted here). In her comment, she called she and her husband "collateral damage," to which we took her to task. In sum, if you place yourself in harm's way, then you cannot call yourself "collateral damage."

In closing, as was stated at the beginning of this post, when people realize that today's unions are based on a false premise, a collectivist creed and, in the end, causing more harm than good, perhaps they will stop allowing themselves to become the "collateral damage" to half-witted union leaders of today who only know how to lead people down a one-way path to self-destruction.

WHAT'S REALLY BEHIND THE SEIU VS. CNA FIGHT...

Nichole Lucht from the Las Vegas Sun writes about the current war between the SEIU & the California Nurses Association:

On the surface it appears as a fight between the Service Employees International Union and the California Nurses Association.

But the torn history between the service workers' union and the AFL-CIO (which the nurses' association is affiliated with) could be the real reason behind the current rift, as well as the steady decline in union membership across the country.

Ms. Lucht is sort of close to hitting the nail on the head with her piece. However, she doesn't take it where it needs to go...back to basics. And, perhaps because she's not a dude, she's over-thinking it...(no offense, Ms. Lucht.)

You see, this is nothing more than a grudge match between two guys who used to be friends....Except they're letting CHICKS DO THEIR FIGHTING FOR THEM.

Like two old pervs going down to the neighborhood Hooters to check out the Tuesday night mud-wrestling match, the dudes in DC are just hanging back (plausible deniability), checking out the chicks ripping each other apart, hoping the one he's betting on won't lose her top before the other does.

These two three-pieced pimps of power are letting CHICKS do their fighting for them, placing their bets, and each are hoping they don't get too covered in the dirt themselves.

THAT'S IT. IT IS REALLY THAT SIMPLE. HERE'S WHY:

Like most street fights over who controls the corner, Andy Stern, the former student, picked a fight with his old boss John Sweeney a few years ago over money. (Stern wanted to spend the cash on getting more Johns to visit the bordello, while Sweeney wanted the money to go to the politicians for protection).

Stern called his old boss out in front of the whole neighborhood and, while Boss Sweeney showed remarkable restraint, he didn't give in.

It should be noted that Boss Sweeney could have squashed Stern then and there (and, in hind sight, he may be wishing he did), but he let the little traitor shoot his mouth off for months and months.

As the Spring of 2005 went on, like a drunk at the bar, Stern's ramblings got louder, his insults more insulting and Boss Sweeney showed remarkable tolerance and restraint as his former friend slapped him in the face. As a result, Stern got even more upset and decided to try to burn the House of Labor down. By Summer, Stern split the K Street Crew, and almost half the gang went with Stern.

Well, as it turns out, barely a year later, the 2006 elections proved Old Boss Sweeney was right.

Now, Stern's got egg on his face. His gang hasn't grown much and he's back to backing politicians with millions of dollars.

Over the last couple of years, as though having taken a lesson from The Godfather, Boss Sweeney's been patiently lining up his new crew, the California Nurses Association, and waiting for the right time to strike back.

That day came a few weeks ago, when the CNA went to Ohio and snatched 8,000 workers from the SEIU in an SEIU-staged election.

Predictably, like Sonny Corleone whose temper always got the best of him, the younger Stern struck back by sending SEIU thugs to the Labor Notes conference to disrupt in typical SEIU fashion, but it backfired...A woman went to the hospital, an SEIU member died, and its been a PR war ever since.

Unfortunately for Stern, Boss Sweeney's got the upper hand in this war, his moral authority ratings are slightly higher in the world of labor opinion (not that that really matters).

However, until Andy Stern grows up and offers his old boss an apology and kisses Boss Sweeney's ring, it appears that the mud-slinging will continue between the SEIU and AFL-CIO's CNA.

In the meantime, although we wish we had some buttery popcorn, we are having fun watching the melee and reading the dueling press releases. Everyday more mud is thrown and more flesh exposed by this hypocritical internecine war, the more the public sees today's unions for what they are: Parasites living off the blood of America's productive workers.

TV ads to target Employee Free Choice Act

Since 2004, we've been talking to clients (and anyone else who would listen) about the union agenda to do away with worker rights to a secret-ballot election.

All-too-often, it seemed as though we (and very few others) were the only ones on the bandwagon trying to raise awareness to the link between unions' efforts to do away with the right to an election and the Democratic Party.

Of course, the National Right to Work Foundation has been a longstanding protector of employee rights in many different respects. But very few (none, as far as we could tell) were committed to raising awareness about what the unions call the "Employee Free Choice Act," but what is really the Kill American Jobs Act.

Then, a couple of years ago, UnionFacts.com came along. At last...A beacon in the night.

A few months later, on Labor Day 2006, we started EmployerReport.com, with no donations, no expert web people, just us...on our own time and on our own dime.

Then, of course, the Democrats took over Congress in November of 2006 and FINALLY some people began to wake up in the business community. (Better late than never, as the saying goes.)

Well, it's long past time (but maybe not too late) that the American public be made aware of the $1 billion scheme union bosses are trying to pull off in this year's elections by demanding their political puppets pass the hallucenogenically-named Employee Free Choice Act.

According to a press release, the Coalition for a Democratic Workplace will be airing nationwide TV spots.

Hopefully, between watching Desperate Housewives and reruns of M*A*S*H* the public will sit up and take notice.

Perhaps the public will realize that the so-called "hope" that so many Bush-weary citizens have been fawning and fainting over has already sold out to special interests....the union bosses at the AFL-CIO & Change to Whine federations.

But, then again, perhaps we're hoping for too much?... Time will tell.

In the meantime, welcome to the party CDW! We're happy to have you in the fight to save workers' private ballots and their jobs from the future outsourcing and small business closures that will occur if EFCA passes.

You can view the ad HERE or here...

WHY CONDOLEEZZA RICE IS A BAD CHOICE FOR VEEP...

If this doesn't make you 'bitter'...

"But clearly, the prime minister has laid down some ground rules which any functioning democratic state would insist upon, having to do with, you know, arms belonging to the state, not to -- not in private hands."

FOR THE WHOLE STORY, YOU CAN CLICK HERE, BUT THE ABOVE SAYS IT ALL...

As the saying goes: Outlaw guns and only outlaws will carry guns.

Thanks go to the good Professor McDevitt for pointing this out to us.

CHANGE TO WIN BOSSES BLOW IT BIG TIME BACKING THE WRONG DUDE...

On March 5th, AFSCME boss Gerald McEntee told the AFL-CIO Executive Committee in San Diego: ``We kicked Andy's ass from one end of Ohio to the other, and in Texas, too.''

With that in mind, please allow us to be blunt: The Change to Win bosses (that Gang of Seven) got their asses kicked tonight in Pennsylvania (again).

After breaking up the House of Labor, their boss of bosses being accused of top-down management, anti-democratic hostile takeovers, and now embroiled in another inter-union fight, SEIU members and their "brothers" and "sisters" in the Change to Win federation have one more thing to be ashamed of tonight:

The union bosses have picked the wrong presidential primary candidate again...

Remember President Howard Dean? Oh yeah, the SEIU's Andy Stern (the ringleader in the Gang of Seven) bet big on him too during the '04 primaries.

Although the Pennsylvania primary results are still coming in, Hillary has beaten Barak in another big key state. The question is: By how much? (Click here to go Pennsylvania's Official Election Page.)

This evening, SEIU's website still has a page posted boasting SEIU Members: Making the Difference in Pennsylvania, then listing all of the actions that the SEIU has had its members do for Obama, such as:

• More than 3,000 SEIU members working directly to contact voters door-to-door or over the phone
• Extensive statewide TV ad featuring SEIU members and other workers on the air 4/17 through 4/22
• SEIU members leafleted at a Philadelphia gas station on 4/17 to inform voters about Obama’s plan to reduce gas prices
• More than 150,000 doors knocked and 17 waves of direct mail to hundreds of thousands of Democratic households
• SEIU President Andy Stern, Secretary-Treasurer Anna Burger and Pennsylvania State Council President Eileen Connelly have been campaigning across the state to turn out the vote for Obama
• Stern, Burger and Connelly introduced Obama at the Pennsylvania AFL-CIO 38th Constitutional Convention
• Burger and Connelly participating in an Election Day rally on Obama’s plans to turn around the economy
• SEIU members canvassing alongside thousands of Change to Win union members in numerous cities

Now, add the SEIU's partners in the Change to Whine federation, the Teamsters, UNITE-HERE, Carpenters, UFCW, Laborers, and UFW--all of them backing Obama--and that's a lot of members' time and dues money wasted. Obama outspent Clinton three to one in the Keystone State.

And, since 32% of Pennsylvania's union members dominated by Change to Whine unions, it appears that all their union dues have gone to back another candidate who starts strong and fizzles at the end...

Hillary should be happy that Change to Whine is in Obama's camp, as they haven't picked a winner yet, and it appears their track record at picking candidates may fail again

EMPLOYERREPORT.COM ALERT: Tell Senate that Ledbetter is BAD, not Better...

We've received several e-mail 'alerts' today regarding another Orwellian-named bill that unions and their anti-business allies are attempting to pass called the "Lily Ledbetter Pay Fair Act" (aka HR 2831).

With bill-sponsor Ted Kennedy (D-MA) leading the assault on employers' ability to do business in America, the Senate WILL BE VOTING ON THIS BILL WEDNESDAY.

This bill, if passed, will remove any time constraints on employment-related claims of discrimination. This means that employers will be exposed to lawsuits from employees who claim they were discriminated against years (or decades) before.

To get more information on this dangerous and costly bill, check out:

The US Chamber of Commerce's Action Alert (complete with a form to e-mail your Senators) here...

EMPLOYERS, BY NOT TAKING ACTING ON THIS LEGISLATION, YOU MAY BE IGNORING IT TO YOUR OWN (AND YOUR EMPLOYEES') PERIL.

SEIU Battle with CNA Gets Deadly

During the SEIU's April 12th melee at the Labor Notes conference in Dearborn, Michigan, it was widely reported that a retired UAW member and conference attendee was knocked to the ground and suffered a head wound that required medical attention.

What hasn't been widely reported is that the SEIU's "rally" also led to the death of one of its own members. SEIU member David Smith apparently collapsed and later died on April 12th.

Based on its website posting, it does not appear the SEIU will be taking any responsibility for its member's death, which leaves one to wonder if Mr. Smith's family has retained counsel yet.

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For more union-related news, go to EmployerReport.com

Union Infighting Exposes Union Hypocrisy and Reasons Why Employee Free Choice Act Should Be Opposed

April 21, 2008, West Caldwell, NJ—For several years, Big Labor has spent millions of dollars of their members’ dues money waging an offensive and often misleading PR war. Union efforts are being made in order to lure politicians into supporting a draconian bill entitled the Employee Free Choice Act. It is estimated that labor union spending on the November elections may exceed $1 billion in order to target and unionize millions of America’s union-free workers through this Orwellian law.

Yet, it is a very public fight between unions that has taken place over the last two months, leading to allegations of union-led violence at a union conference on Saturday, April 12th, that demonstrates exactly why the Employee Free Choice Act should be opposed, says EmployerReport.com Editor and Chief Blogger Peter A. List, a noted labor relations consultant.

List is referring to the current clash going on right now between the Service Employees International Union, the National Nurses Organizing Committee, an offshoot of the California Nurses Association (an AFL-CIO affiliate), and the AFL-CIO. All three have been locked in a heated battle over which union gets representational and monetary control over the nation’s registered nurses.

This inter-union war has led to dueling press releases, allegations of harassment, stalking, violence, and even a union member’s death that occurred at a labor conference in Dearborn, Michigan on April 12th. In California, a judge has issued a temporary restraining order against the SEIU over allegations of stalking and harassing CNA executive board members at their homes and workplaces. Last week, AFL-CIO boss John Sweeney issued a press release stating (in part), “Violence in attacking freedom of speech must be strongly condemned.”

“For these union bosses to complain about the union tactics they’re using on each another is both ironic and smacks of union hypocrisy,” List (himself a former union activist) states, “since these are the very tactics these unions deploy on employers and their employees all-too-often during union organizing campaigns throughout the country.”

“Many Americans are, perhaps for the first time, seeing the type of common tactics that union bosses have used against employers and employees for years, only this time unions are doing it to themselves,” List says. “By their own actions against each other, unions are shedding light on exactly why EFCA should be exposed for the fraud that it is.”

“If enacted, EFCA would strip workers of the right to vote on unionization by secret-ballot, causing the unionization of workers based purely on trained union organizers’ ability to obtain signed union authorization cards through harassment and deception, as well as leaving workers exposed to the very tactics these unions are accusing each other of right now,” says List.

An additional component of EFCA is the binding arbitration provision that mandates that a government-appointed arbitrator will impose a contract on a newly-unionized employer if the union and company representatives cannot reach agreement within 120 days of unionization.

“In a global economy, EFCA is the ultimate American job killer,” says List, himself a former union activist whose union job was outsourced pre-NAFTA. “Both forced unionization and binding arbitration will further destroy countless American jobs and cause the destruction of a huge number of small businesses as their ability to compete will be damaged beyond repair.”

“Politicians should not allow themselves to become the political pawns of union bosses in exchange for union support in November,” states List. “Unfortunately, certain politicians are allowing themselves to be used by this special interest group in exchange for union money and union ‘get-out-the-vote’ efforts. However, these same politicians run the risk of becoming the paid-political puppets of union bosses in an effort that may, ultimately, lead to more American
job losses.”
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EOW: Labor's Bad Acid Trip

Dear Readers:

This is really, really important...

For your End of Week wrap-up, we have a question for you: What are you (or your company or law-firm) doing to help defeat the hallucinogenically-named Employee Free Choice Act?

Here's our problem, dear readers: There are too few of us on the front lines trying to stop the blitzkrieg of union propaganda across the country and we need your help so that America doesn't fall victim to LSD (Labor's Sadistic Dishonesty).

Until today, we have not asked the readers of EmployerReport.com to do anything other than help spread our name and news. However, today, we're asking you to do something a little different: GET INVOLVED.

Following our recap of the news, please see how you can get involved in the fight to stop American from drinking union bosses' LSD-laced Kool-Aid...

____________
On to the News...

Here are just a few of the stories we're posting on EmployerReport.com for you:

UNIONS WINNING 72% OF HEALTH CARE CAMPAIGNS...
Organizers slapping organizers in SNA/SEIU feud...
POWERFUL SEIU LOCAL SUED...BY ANOTHER UNION!...
Prelude to strike?...American's pilots seek mediation...
FOXWOODS BATTLE RAGES ON...

On our blog, we ask (rather crudely):
Is Democrats Porking Pork-Barrel-Loving Union Lobbyists Becoming an Epidemic?...

For these and many more stories, please go to EmployerReport.com

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Now, on to our PSA/Call of Action for you:

The Center for Union Facts, those good folks who run UnionFacts.com (and the only ones with a budget to combat Union Bosses in the media) are asking for information-gathering assistance...Here's what they're asking for:

As you may know, over the years we've collected hundreds of stories of labor union leaders’ abuse of their powers.

From intimidation and lies to violence and more, many union leaders have demonstrated a total lack of respect for their own membership.

Now, we are pulling together these stories into a series of documentaries and we're looking for individuals who have fallen victim to lies, intimidation, or violence during a union "card check" campaigns.

If you've personally experienced this, or know someone who has, please let us know.Here are a few examples of stories we've heard in the past:

• "Union leaders came to my home and told me that if I didn't sign a union card, I'd lose my job when the union won the election."


• "My co-worker who was working for the union handed out a list of "scabs" to my co-workers that he said refused to join the union."

If you are HR or LR and don't have this info personally, please pass this blogpost along to your labor attorneys (as they may have the information you don't) or other HR or LR peers.]

We will forward all submissions to the Center for Union Facts, please e-mail us by going here, or contact the Center for Union Facts directly here.

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ON BEHALF OF EMPLOYERREPORT.COM, PLEASE HAVE A GREAT WEEK'S END...

Is Democrats Porking Pork-Barrel-Loving Union Lobbyists Becoming an Epidemic?

We always suspected (actually, we knew) that Democrats are in bed with union bosses. However, lately, there seems to be a growing epidemic of Ladies from the House of Labor fostering (shall we say) "relationships" with Democrat lawmakers.

This comes to us courtesy of AFSCME lobbyist Janice O'Malley and her boyfriend Larry Galizio, a Democrat lawmaker in Oregon.

Mr. Galizio, it seems, is having trouble understanding how his extracurricular activities could influence his decision making under Oregon's ethics law.

“I’d be glad to discuss the substantive issues that affect my district but otherwise, I’m entitled to a private life,” Galizio says.

Geez, Galizio, all you need to do is ask the billionaire New Jersey governor Jon Corzine who would rather increase the taxes on the citizens of his state than draw the ire of his "ex"-sweetheart and her union (the Communications Workers of America) by being fiscally responsible and cutting state worker budgets.

In addition to the governor giving $6 million to "end" his relationship with this union boss, the taxpayers of New Jersey are still paying for their relationship.

If you need more edification, Mr Galizio, on how your "relationship" porking a pork-barrel-loving union lobbyist can influence you, read this article, it might enlighten you, you Democrat dolt!

Now THAT'S Customer Service...and other union news...

Dear Readers:

IN AN EFFORT TO TRY SOMETHING NEW, rather than commenting with our usual bluster, we're bringing the news headlines that are posted on EmployerReport.com, so that we can editorialize on our current (as in right now) travel travails...

Here's what you'll find posted on EmployerReport.com:

• BUFFALO BUST!..Feds bust Operating Engineers officers for extortion & racketeering!...
• Former NLRB member Raudabaugh smashes union EFCA arguments for Senators...
• UAW & American axle to meet Wednesday to resume bargaining...
• DEMS LOOK TO ADD MORE HOUSE & SENATE SEATS...
  

Our continuing coverage of the War Within the SEIU...

• 'A VIGOROUS DEBATE'...SEIU responds with a press release...
• Letter to Stern: End the 'campaign of lies, slander and political assault'...
• ANDY STERN GETS OUT THE LONG KNIVES...
• MEMBERS SUE, HOLD PRESS CONFERENCE...
• HUNDREDS RALLY AGAINST SEIU TAKEOVER ATTEMPTS...
• NEW DISSIDENT GROUP EMERGES TO FIGHT SEIU BUREAUCRACY...
• THE STRANGE CASE OF THE SEIU...
• SEIU gets raided by CNA in Vegas...
• STERN'S THREAT TO UNION DEMOCRACY...
• SEIU'S STERN MOVES TO OUST DISSIDENT LEADER...
  

On a Customer Service Conspiracy Note: It's 'Them'...

If you're anything like we are, part of your job entails some (or a lot) of travel. And, if that's the case, you know how much "fun" it is sitting airports awaiting flights that are scheduled to depart at a certain time but, due to some unforeseen reason (weather, ATC* delays, sleepy or missing crews, etc.), you wind up sitting for hours longer than anticipated...

Well, here I sit...in one of those really busy Northeast airports...with a delayed flight...again.

Now, that, by itself, isn't news, as it happens almost every time I fly. It is also arguable whether or not this particular customer service issue is any different than any other routinely delayed flight. However, since several of our readers are in the airline industry (whose airlines shall remain nameless), I thought you (as I did) would find on this particular incident rather amusing.

Only moments ago, our flight was boarding (literally down-the-jet-way-boarding) when one of the gate agents coming from the aircraft, stopped us, turned us around mid-jetway and told us that our flight has been delayed for an hour and one-half.

Now, as previously mentioned, having a delayed flight is nothing new but, for many of us road warriors, the closer you get to a departure without any delay announcements--well, it's sort of like getting an extra birthday or something. You get a little flitter in your stomach as you think to yourself: "Wow! we might actually depart on time!...Oh JOYOUS DAY!"

So, you can only imagine what it feels like to get mid-way down the jetway only then to be told that you're delayed. Yeah...it was like the day your parents told you that Santa Claus isn't real...the tooth fairy is really your uncle Bob...and...well...you get the point. Shock, depression, anger...

Ordinarily, a 1 1/2 hour delay is a piece of cake. However, what made this day interesting is that, when I and a few other passengers arrived at the top of the jetway, one gate agent whispered to the other agent (in a rather conspiratorial fashion) that, instead of the 8:00 pm delayed departure, "it's really 9:30 pm...but don't tell the passengers."

Now, keeping in mind that our original departure was supposed to be 6:30 pm, perhaps I've become just too jaded of a traveler. Instead of getting angry, I found myself laughing.

In this day and age, not only does it seem to be okay to inconvenience your customer, but, more importantly, it's now apparently okay to lie to your customer. Not only that but, instead of merely lying to the customers, these employees didn't bother to take notice of the customers within earshot.

Now, to me, that's a completely new twist on customer service--lying to your customers so they can hear your lie.

However, that said, it occurred to me as I walked away from the boarding area that when workers wonder why customers become irate, stop coming to their particular store, purchasing their particular product, or eating at their particular establishment, perhaps they should look in the mirror before blaming their employer for their layoff, or "corporate greed" for their unemployment.

I dunno...It's just a thought as I sit here for waiting for another delayed flight to board in an hour and a half (which is really three hours).

So, dear readers, until tomorrow...When I have to board another flight from another airport with, presumably, another delay.

Best wishes for a delay-free week.

For more union-related news, go to EmployerReport.com

EOW: End-of-the-Week Union Wrap Up

Dear Readers:

Here's the EmployerReport.com End of the Week (EOW) Wrap-Up for your digestion.
[Following your digestion of this wrap-up, please feel free to regurgitate the news by forwarding this along...]

• In a new poll showing how much Big Labor bosses and their political puppets are out of touch with Americans, American Solutions has released a new poll indicating that 79% of Americans support workers' right to decide on unionization through a federally-supervised, secret-ballot election. One surprising aspect of the poll's findings is that 82% of Democrats (5% more than Republicans) support workers' right to decide on unionization through a secret-ballot election. To view the poll results, click here.
• Despite the aforementioned poll (and as we've been saying for many months to clients and colleagues), Labor Union Bosses will be spending about $1 BILLION to buy the 2008 election in order to advance their agenda.
• This weekend, if you watch the weekend talk shows, you'll be hearing a lot about the Department of Labor's release of the March unemployment rate, which climbed to 5.1%. Given the political climate, we're sure that pandering politicians are going to be all over this, offering much blame with very little by way of meaningful solutions. One note that we've found interesting is that, for years, it was considered common knowledge that a 5% unemployment rate is considered "full employment," which makes one wonder: How much of this campaign-season driven angst is mere hyperbole?
• In Virginia, the UAW and Volvo Trucks recently concluded a rather lengthy strike. Now that the strike is over, there is a video out from those good people at the National Right-to-Work Foundation that discusses the brutal intimidation workers suffered at the hands of strikers for choosing to cross the picket line.
• In California, SEIU's internal battle for control of the West Coast is heating up as hundreds of SEIU members rallied to oppose a SEIU-imposed take over of United Health-Care Workers-West (their union local).
• In Kansas City, proving once again that unions are more interested in dues than workers, unions have succeeded in killing hundreds of potential jobs. Yesterday, after intense union lobbying, the Unified Government Board of Commissioners "once and for all" rejected the latest Sands casino proposal for Kansas City, KS. The problem for the unions is the Sands alleged "anti-union" attitude. The problem for Kansas City residents is that Sands has vowed to take their casino project (and its jobs) to another county.
• In New York, teachers at 10 Catholic schools in the Archdiocese of New York have decided to strike over allegations of "unfair labor practices".

On our blog (below), we explore Barak Obama's flirting during a campaign stop in Pennsylvania with the unionized workers at garment-manufacturer Tama Manufacturing Company. While the candidate's flirtatious behavior seemed to catch the attention of Huffington Post bloggers, to us, the real story is how these workers' union (UNITE-HERE) took them out on a 15-week strike last year, costing them more money than if they had accepted management's pre-strike offer.

Additionally, we share with the blogosphere Why Unions Are No Longer Necessary...Or Good for America by drawing attention to James Sherk's superb article on how Labor Unions add to costs and discourage productivity. This article is great brain-food to feast on.

For these and many, many more labor-related news stories, be sure to go to EmployerReport.com.

Please have a great week's end.

WHY UNIONS ARE NO LONGER NECESSARY...OR GOOD FOR AMERICA

As everyone knows, there is an abundance of information, news and views in the world today--particularly since the advent of the internet.

As editor & chief blogger of EmployerReport.com, I sift through literally dozens of news stories and blogs on a daily basis to determine what labor and political news is worthy of posting.

At last, an article that really gets to the heart of the issue of today's unions in today's society has been written.

James Sherk, a Bradley Fellow in Labor Policy in the Center for Data Analysis at The Heritage Foundation wrote a piece entitled Labor unions add to costs and discourage productivity.

The article begins with the following question:

Would you want to work for a company that treats all workers exactly the same, no matter how hard they work? What about one that promotes only on the basis of seniority and not merit?

This is a fundamental question that few dare to ask, let alone answer. Sherk's article asks and answers that question and a whole lot more. To read the article, click here and enjoy.
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For more union-related news, go to EmployerReport.com

Barak Obama Flirts with Union Workers Earning Poverty Wages

Flirting and sweet-talking women who make less than poverty wages (but pay their fair share of union dues) doesn't seem to be below Barak Obama's standards of campaign mores.

According to a Huffington Post, Hillary Clinton's uber-nemesis was visiting a company called Tama Manufacturing near Allentown, Pennsylvania yesterday when he decided to shed his decorum to 'chat up the ladies'...

Obama lavished compliments on dancewear manufacturer Marisa Cerveris, who gave him a black and pink leotard for [Obama's daughters] Malia and Sasha, explaining she was once in the New York City ballet. "You look like you might be a dancer," Obama told her, later adding: "You're big time."

"You're gorgeous," he told Cerveris after glancing at one of her old ballet photos.

"I was," she replied.

"You still are," he countered, asking the crowd, "Isn't she beautiful?" and answering
his own question: "Absolutely."

While this seems to be news to the Huffington Post, the real story is the fact that Tama Manufacturing Company is a garment manufacturer whose employees are represented by UNITE-HERE.

Unlike most garment manufacturers that have left the United States, Tama is still trying to survive in the good old US of A. However, like the majority of U.S. companies in an ever-increasingly unfriendly climate, Tama is facing ever-rising health care costs.

Last year, when it went to negotiate a new contract with the union, the Company asked the unionized workers to pick up a portion of their health care costs.

That did not sit well with the union or the workers so they struck....For 15 weeks.

Since, according to press reports, the average unionized worker at Tama makes about $18,000 a year, for a worker trying to support a family these union wages are lower than poverty level wages, according to the US Dept of Health & Human Services. For the Tama workers making $10.50 an hour, by striking, each worker gave up around $6,300 (not counting overtime).

Since the union ultimately settled the strike with the workers contributing $50 a month toward their health care--the Company had been asking for $170 a month in employee contributions--the union's strike still cost each striker around $2,000 more over the life of the contract than if they had accepted the Company's original offer. In addition to continuing to pay hundreds of dollars per year in union dues, the unionized workers lost a wage increase as part of the settlement.

For his part, though, Obama praised Tama Manufacturing as a success story saying, "I'm glad to see we still have a good company here with a good owner looking after his workers."

It's too bad their union wasn't doing the same.