We owe you an apology. It's been a couple of weeks since our End-of-Week (EOW) Wrap-Up and we're sorry. We've been somewhat swamped with fighting collectivism on the frontlines and keeping the dragons at bay. And while EmployerReport.com is updated daily (M-F), we are occasionally forced to neglect our duties in posting our weekly updates on the news of what's happening around the country. In this regard, we hope you'll forgive us.
This week, we have two brief announcements about EmployerReport.com for you:
- First, we've begun "cross-posting" the EmployerReport.com blog to our main site. Now, you can view out blog postings and other rants by going here as well.
- Second, as part of our ongoing effort to awaken Americans to the hallucinogenically-named Employee Free Choice Act, we have updated our EFCA Page by posting numerous EFCA-exposing videos by such freedom fighters as:
The Coalition for a Democratic Workplace
The Heritage Foundation
National Right to Work Foundation
UnionFacts.com
We will be continually be adding videos and other coverage to this page, so we encourage you to visit EmployerReport.com's EFCA Page, and pass it along to your friends. If you see a video (or news story, op-ed, etcetera) that you think should be posted, let us know. It is not an overstatement to say that America's system of free enterprise and the future of millions of jobs are at stake, should this Orwellian law pass next year.
Now, on to what's happening:
While there are far too many stories on EmployerReport.com to post here, there are several this week that have captured our attention and one of which may come to serve employers whose employees are under attack by union organizers.
SEIU sues CNA over home mailers. The ongoing dispute between the California Nurses Association (CNA) and the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) took an interesting turn this week when the SEIU filed a lawsuit against the CNA for allegedly violating the Iowa Trade Secrets Act over the CNA's mailing of literature to SEIU member's homes. In its press release, the SEIU states:
"It's frankly scary that an out-of-state union like the CNA would have gotten their hands on our confidential, internal list," said Cathy Glasson, a registered nurse and President of SEIU Local 199. "No one in America should ever have to worry that their private information will be taken and used without their consent." [Emphasis added]
Now, as many of our clients, from construction companies to health care organizations, as well as grocers, often have employees complain of unsolicited mailings from different unions (even in the absence of a union petition and the submission of the requisite Excelsior List), our interest was piqued by this hypocritical action taken by the SEIU. Naturally, we began to ponder: If a union can sue another union for obtaining member/employee information, why couldn't an employer (or an employee) do the same?
Although we suspect there may be an NLRA preemption issue or some other exemption, we submit to you, it may be worth exploring. Additionally, as many of our readers are some of the top labor attorneys in America, should you wish to weigh in on this, please feel free to comment here and we will post your opinion on the EmployerReport.com blog.
A UFCW exploitive attempt to obstruct justice? The second story that has captured our attention is another ICE raid on another slaughterhouse, replete with allegations of ID fraud on the part of the captured illegal immigrants.
While that, in itself, is news, what came as a bigger point of disgust is the revelation that the United Food & Commercial Workers had asked ICE to refrain from raiding the slaughterhouse as it was attempting to unionize the workers(!).
Clearly, if the UFCW was in the process of unionizing this workplace and knew that at some point many of these workers would likely be deported, the union also knew that, if successful, the union would represent whomever the deported workers' replacements were. Talk about a cruel joke!
That said, it's not the first time UFCW bosses got caught in an illegal scheme. Last week, a former UFCW representative who helped illegal workers get jobs at a Swift & Co. meatpacking plant in Marshalltown was found guilty of federal immigration charges. We believe the slang word for this type of individual is "coyote."
For more background on this story, we found an excellent 2007 video of CNN anchor Lou Dobbs slamming a UFCW VP over the union's position on illegal immigration. You can view it here.
The highest-paid people on the unemployment line. The ongoing United Auto Workers' (UAW) strike at American Axle seems to have backfired on the union known today for its ability to kill of American jobs.
As the strike entered its 12th (or is it the 13th?) week, the company has announced that it will be closing a third UAW-struck plant. Upon hearing the news, the incompetent UAW bosses who have severely miscalculated the effects of this strike on the members and had already agreed to close two other plants(!), had very little to say other than: "It just blows me away..."
We're sure that provides some solace to the members who, instead of taking pay cuts that may have saved their jobs, were instead called out on strike and will now be unemployed.
The GOP can't seem to stop the hemorrhaging. Following another Democratic special election victory in a district that has been traditionally a GOP stronghold, the Republican Party is in a panic.
In fact, party insiders are worried that the GOP may lose another 20 House seats and five or more Senate seats. This of course, does not bode well for America's employers. In fact, with the announcement of former-GOP-turned-Libertarian Bob Barr announcement on Monday that he will be seeking the White House, it may be that, with 173 days to go before the general election, Senator John McCain is all but McFinished.
As Barr will surely serve as McCain's Ross Perot (1992) or Ralph Nader (2000), siphoning votes away from McCain, coupled with unions predicted to spend up to $1 billion on this election, the probability of holding back labor's disastrous legislation may come down to a Republican minority in this Senate, IF they can hold onto 41 seats (which is questionable).
On a Lighter Note, Sex Workers of the World are Uniting! While posting YouTube videos on our EFCA Page, we came across an "interesting" video from the Erotic Service Providers Union. Don't ask how we found it (we won't tell you)...No, really...It was truly an innocent search of union videos!
In any case, the PG-rated video (no nudity) is the mission statement of the Erotic Service Providers Union, which is, according to its website(!) affiliated with the Industrial Workers of the World--those Wascally Wobblies of the early 1900's fame.
As stated above, there are many, many more labor-related stories from around the nation than could be posted here Therefore, please go to EmployerReport.com for all the latest and relevant news.
Last but not least, we offer you two Public Service Announcements:
EmployerReport.com PSA (part one): The Ayn Rand Institute will be giving a lecture on the Morality of Capitalism in Costa Mesa, CA on May 22, 2008. This is something that is sorely needed in today's socio-economic climate. To get more information, go here.
EmployerReport.com PSA (part two): As springtime is finally upon us, motorcyclists all across the US of A have dusted off their two wheels and have joined you on America's highways and byways. According to a USC study, 3/4 of all motorcycle accidents involved a collision with another vehicle and 2/3 of those involved the vehicle invading the motorcycle's right-of-way and causing the accident. Please keep a watchful eye for us, when making those left turns, lane changes, and pulling out of driveways.
With that said, dear readers, we hope you have a truly enjoyable week's end!
Best wishes!
EmployerReport.com
"I bring reason to your ears, and, in language as plain as ABC, hold up truth to your eyes." -- Thomas Paine, December 23, 1776
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