Specter says pro-union bill is in jeopardy

[NikDiesel]

Tuesday, February 02, 2010

Specter says pro-union bill is in jeopardy

By James O'Toole and Daniel Malloy

As he welcomed the support of a group of union officials Monday, Sen. Arlen Specter had bad news for them on the legislative prospects for one of labor's key national priorities.

Mr. Specter acknowledged that the results of the Massachusetts Senate race had dealt a blow not just to the administration's health care initiative, but to the Employee Free Choice Act, a measure that national labor leaders had called their top priority in the new administration.

The proposal, also known as "card check," is designed to make it easier for unions to organize new workplaces. In its original version, one key provision -- a lightning rod for its critics -- would have recognized a union's right to negotiate a contract if a majority of workers signed cards affirming their desire to be represented. That could have supplanted the current requirement for a secret ballot election.

Among other labor law reforms, the bill would have created an arbitration system for contracts when management and newly recognized bargaining units fail to reach timely agreement on a new contract.

continued

[egambino]

So far, we're 0 for 2...EFCA & Healthcare reform.

[snortin nortin]

They had a clear majority for a year and couldn't do crap, what a bunch of woosies.

[johnkyblue]

When the NLRA was originally passed, the labor movement had it's own party. We should do it again if so many Democrats are not going to listen.

[222lifer]

Originally Posted by NikDiesel

Tuesday, February 02, 2010

Specter says pro-union bill is in jeopardy

By James O'Toole and Daniel Malloy

As he welcomed the support of a group of union officials Monday, Sen. Arlen Specter had bad news for them on the legislative prospects for one of labor's key national priorities.

Mr. Specter acknowledged that the results of the Massachusetts Senate race had dealt a blow not just to the administration's health care initiative, but to the Employee Free Choice Act, a measure that national labor leaders had called their top priority in the new administration.

The proposal, also known as "card check," is designed to make it easier for unions to organize new workplaces. In its original version, one key provision -- a lightning rod for its critics -- would have recognized a union's right to negotiate a contract if a majority of workers signed cards affirming their desire to be represented. That could have supplanted the current requirement for a secret ballot election.
Among other labor law reforms, the bill would have created an arbitration system for contracts when management and newly recognized bargaining units fail to reach timely agreement on a new contract.

continued

You wonder why this bill is in the tank? Take a look at the highlighted portions of Nik's post. This BS has been pushed by the right to the point that no one knows the truth about the bill. "Card Check?" The "rights" name for the bill. No secret ballot? What a load of BS...The writers don't know the difference between the present language and the proposed? Do the writers realize that a secret ballot isn't required now unless the company refuses to accept the results of the petition? 100% of the employees want a union and the company can refuse to recognize them under current law. Those wishing to organize should not be held hostage awaiting the onslaught! The barrage of anti union BS and threats from the company reach an all time high during the weeks prior to the election. But shhhhhh. The right wing media won't say a word about it. They won't tell the truth.....And sadly for the American public they won't ever know the truth.....The right wing media has made sure of it.

[mudflap560]

Does anyone believe as I do, that the decline in Union membership and the publics opinion of many US citizens regarding Unions has something to do with what is being taught in our educational system.

I know I growing up in the 1950's and 1960's was told that Unions were responsible for the rise in economic conditions for the middle class. However it was also taught that through the Unions growth and rise to power that violance and corruption was prevelant and very common. I was also taught that violance and corruption were illegal and bad.

Possibly others have differing views?

The Teamster Union and the squabbles between James R. Hoffa and Robert Kennedy come to the top of my mind. I can think of a few more can you?

[222lifer]

I will agree with you on the teachings. It would also depend on the political views of the teacher or professor providing the lesson.

I had many a good chuckle when my youngest son and I discussed some of the crap his economics teacher expounded. My boy did give him some fits. This man was a debater....He didn't retaliate....He expressed his appreciation for my sons tenacity, views, and opinions with an "A" on his report card.

Now if you will think back on how many "educated" posters have denounced unions and their role in the labor movement of this country....It does make me wonder what they are teaching the kids nowadays.

What if the anti union/anti labor establishment infiltrates our school systems and pounds our children with their beliefs? Maybe they already have, given some of the responses from the "educated" non union posters I have received.

[slavenomore]

Originally Posted by 222lifer

I will agree with you on the teachings. It would also depend on the political views of the teacher or professor providing the lesson.

I had many a good chuckle when my youngest son and I discussed some of the crap his economics teacher expounded. My boy did give him some fits. This man was a debater....He didn't retaliate....He expressed his appreciation for my sons tenacity, views, and opinions with an "A" on his report card.

Now if you will think back on how many "educated" posters have denounced unions and their role in the labor movement of this country....It does make me wonder what they are teaching the kids nowadays.

What if the anti union/anti labor establishment infiltrates our school systems and pounds our children with their beliefs? Maybe they already have, given some of the responses from the "educated" non union posters I have received.

i finished school in under reagan. And it was already decided back then that we were giving up on manufacturing and the idea of going to get a union job was looked at as the wronmg move...college was it. Then came the service oriented society idea...BS...the beliefs seem to be preached by somebody who would want us to get taken over. You can't have a good defense when everybody is not making anything but BS paperwork BS..That's college,paperwork jobs. If nobody puts there hands to the machinery and makes anything we, as a nation are on our way out...the ides that we are getting out of manufacturing are ideas who want us to fall and not survive....but they started at least in the schools in the late seventies and early eighties. I bet labor unions are barely mentioned in the schools anymore. When ya produced something ya had tangilble proof of something of economic value....People actually produced something ya could touch. And the unions made sure they got paid for it...now it's credit instead of actual money in the bank..an imaginary system where a country who lost all it's union jobs who actually had greenbacks to pay for stuff with cash was created and pushed. Pay cut? no problem,here's a credit card...you can afford everything ya could before with your union job...Maybe this crash is the result of thirty years or more of replacing the system of actually paying cash for stuff to the system of paying with credit. And maybe that credit was only created to make it seem as though we were doing good as a nation without our manufacturing union jobs....and maybe the bubble finallly burst.....or maybe I'm way off.

[mudflap560]

You ever heard of the Council on Foreign Relations, The Trilateral Commission, and the NAFTA Super highway that is going to link all of North America?

[222lifer]

Originally Posted by mudflap560

You ever heard of the Council on Foreign Relations, The Trilateral Commission, and the NAFTA Super highway that is going to link all of North America?

Hey brother, I have been preaching the NWO for years and no one wanted to hear it....They might be re-thinking it now.

I remember many years ago, long before direct deposit, I was at the bank cashing my check from old yellar....I barely knew the young man behind the counter. Nice guy, college graduate and all. He took one look at the check and asked me what I did for a living? I told him I drove a truck for a Union outfit. He did the math in his head and came back with "I went to college and you make 20 grand a year more than me?" It pissed him off that I made the money I did. He never treated me the same when I came in after that.

Just like Slaven said. I believe it is that generation who really started the decline of our industrial strength. I believe it has always been a burr in their side (Those with a higher education) that we (Organized labor) bring home the money we do. These upity pukes think that we are lesser citizens because we get our hands dirty. I got news for them. One of these days in the very near future the workers of this country are going to send a message. Then they will realize just how valuable and important we all are.