Posts tagged politicians
Politicians attend Labor Day breakfast outside Boston hotel join striking workers
September 3, 2024 // Almost 900 went on strike Sunday at Hilton Logan Airport, Hilton-Hampton Inn Boston Seaport, Fairmont Copley Plaza and Hilton Park Plaza. The picket line outside the Park Plaza forced organizers to relocate the Greater Boston Labor Council's Labor Day breakfast, an annual gathering of Democrats and union leaders. The breakfast was moved outdoors to Statler Park.
Texas sees surge in union membership, defying state’s anti-union history
August 14, 2024 // In total, there are about 586,000 union workers in Texas, a fraction of the millions who work here. And yet, the increase is somewhat remarkable given the state's long history of hostility toward unions. And nationwide, union membership dipped during the same time. Texas is one of 26 so-called right-to-work states. Texas lawmakers first passed that law in 1993. The law allows for workers the option to not pay unions due and the right to work in a unionized workplace without being a part of the union itself. And more recently, the Republican-controlled Legislature passed a law aimed at stopping local governments from enacting progressive-leaning worker protections and other policies.
How the Mafia Infiltrated American Labor Unions
August 12, 2024 // While law enforcement agencies continue to monitor Mafia infiltration of labor unions, labor racketeering has become less prevalent than it was decades ago. In part, that’s because union membership plummeted after the McClellan Committee exposed the extent of labor racketeering. At its zenith in the mid-1950s, union membership comprised one-third of the labor force, but now union members only represent approximately 10 percent of American workers.
California legislators seek corruption law exemptions for unions, developers
May 7, 2024 // In California, the three largest donor types by sector are organized labor, including public sector unions representing state and local government employees, real estate, including developers seeking permits or regulatory changes, and healthcare, which includes healthcare providers and healthcare worker unions with lucrative government contracts. By exempting unions and most real estate, the new bill would allow unions representing government employees or workers with government contracts to donate to candidates who will support paying them more, and developers to more transparently donate to politicians who will approve their projects; while businesses and unions typically oppose each other on legislation, their shared interest in maintaining political access have created an unusual alliance.
Commentary: When Unions Play Politics
December 22, 2023 // Nearly 96 percent of union PAC spending went to support Democratic candidates and organizations for use in federal and state campaigns. Meanwhile, membership dues support a thriving ecosystem of progressive-oriented organizations, which is hardly reflective of the range of viewpoints represented within membership. However, even workers ideologically aligned with union executives may resent their money going to political projects in other states. Nearly 60 percent of all state-level PAC spending went to five states: Illinois ($27.9 million), California ($24.9 million), Minnesota ($13.2 million), Pennsylvania ($12.1 million), and Washington ($7.5 million).
Opinion: Biden says he’s most pro-union president ever. But his policies hurt striking UAW workers
October 2, 2023 // Unfortunately, UAW leadership continues to advocate for their own best interests. Those who have worked in the auto industry know that negotiations must walk a fine line. If the Big Three have to file for bankruptcy protection, as General Motors and Chrysler did in 2009, all autoworkers are in a much more precarious position. UAW leadership has a responsibility to preserve their members’ jobs − securing raises that will improve their members’ standards of living, but that are not so excessive they threaten workers’ long-term job security. Moving forward, UAW leadership should target the real problem: Bidenomics. The UAW supported Biden in 2020 and enthusiastically endorsed his Inflation Reduction Act, despite the fact that it included electric vehicle subsidies that are accelerating the elimination of union jobs.
UAW strike 2023 against Detroit automakers: Live updates, news from the picket sites
September 15, 2023 //
Labor leader Shuler touts union support as possible auto strikes loom
September 1, 2023 // Unions would support President Joe Biden in his reelection campaign next year, Shuler said, praising the president’s work to deliver federal infrastructure spending. Biden campaigned on infrastructure improvements and supported the $1.2 trillion bipartisan infrastructure law Congress passed in 2021. The law supports millions of jobs, she said, not only in construction and transportation but in the service industry as well. Every job created by the federal spending should be a union position, Shuler said.
OPINION: WHEN TEACHERS’ UNIONS BECOME MORE IMPORTANT THAN THE TEACHERS THEY REPRESENT
April 6, 2023 // Union leaders often use their influence to protect the interests of veteran teachers who’ve been reliably paying dues to the union for many years, while newer, less experienced teachers — whose loyalty can’t simply be assumed — are left to fend for themselves. This is particularly evident when it comes to issues such as salary negotiations, promotions and even job security. Union leaders are notoriously more focused on protecting the interests of their most senior members, even if it means throwing young teachers under the school bus. Moreover, organized labor pioneered the use of propaganda, and modern unions have raised the use of deceitful rhetoric to a high art form. Union leaders often use propaganda to rally their members around certain issues or to promote their own interests. They use persuasive language to create a sense of solidarity among union members, even if when it’s built on a foundation of lies and intimidation. One of the most insidious forms of union propaganda is the notion that teachers are always under attack from external forces, such as politicians or school administrators.
Labor Relations Radio, Ep 13—Guest: Michael Layman of the International Franchise Association
April 1, 2022 // Michael Layman of the International Franchise Association From the ‘ABC Test’ to ‘Joint Employer,’ the franchise business model is under assault on multiple fronts, with millions of jobs at stake.