Posts tagged Republicans
Jesse Ventura: I’m Not Surprised Hulk Hogan Supports Donald Trump, Hogan Blocked My Attempt For Wrestling Union
August 12, 2024 // The legendary wrestler made a name for himself as a wrestler before becoming an announcer for WWE, leading to his Hall of Fame induction in 2004. Ventura tried to get WWE wrestlers to unionize in 1986, before WrestleMania 2. However, before he could convince the wrestlers to get on board, Hulk Hogan went behind his back to Vince McMahon to tell him what Ventura was planning.
The Cases Against Sectoral Bargaining: The Practical Case
August 11, 2024 // The effect of sectoral bargaining on union corruption would be unclear. Scholars of union corruption have blamed enterprise bargaining combined with union monopoly representation for America’s unusually high levels of labor racketeering. There is truth to this, but it is also not the case that American unions involved in industries with more-sectoral-style approaches are “cleaner.” The New York City garment industry, which was exempted from various Taft-Hartley regulations on union conduct, was believed by the federal government to have been Mob influenced as recently as the 1990s. More recently, the United Auto Workers, which conducts a sort of pseudo-sectoral bargaining with the unionized Detroit Three automakers by “patterning” its contracts, was forced into a regime change after the largest union corruption scandal of the 21st century. Putting more power in the hands of America’s long-standing class of union officials, who are known for having their hands in the cookie jar, certainly is not an obvious approach to reducing or surveilling corruption in organized labor.
Commentary: Beware the Vanilla Slugger
August 8, 2024 // Study after study shows that the vast majority of independent contractors wish to remain as we are. Any government policy that limits our freedom to choose self-employment is a weaponization of regulatory language. It’s trying to force us to become something we do not want to be. It’s plain and simple freelance busting. Unionized employees and independent contractors are equals as Americans. We have the right to choose how we earn a living. Everyone should respect us and our rights, because that’s how we roll here in the land of the free. We’re all about liberty and the pursuit of happiness.
Republicans Should Beware the Big Labor Snake
July 31, 2024 // If presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris wins in November, organized labor will tighten its grip on American workers. In 2020, Ms. Harris ran on banning right-to-work provisions, codifying “card check” union election theft and sectoral bargaining. If Ms. Harris imposes her radical agenda, organized labor will likely expand its tentacles into new frontiers, such as pharmacists and ride-hailing companies. Republicans should understand that the best way to win over union workers is by doubling down on Mr. Trump’s worker freedom agenda. Tax cuts and deregulation spur economic growth and job creation, a rising tide that lifts all boats. Right-to-work laws ensure that American workers are not forced to pay dues to a union boss to put food on the table. Strong protections for independent contracting allow Americans to make a living by being their own boss.
WMKT Special Edition Interviews Vinnie Vernuccio: RNC Labor Speech
July 30, 2024 // Vinnie Vernuccio, President and Co-founder of the Institute for the American Worker joins the show to discuss the fallout from Teamsters Union President Sean O'Brien's speech at the RNC convention.
COMMENTARY: The Teamsters Boss Paid a Price for His GOP Speech
July 26, 2024 // Mr. O’Brien hoped to buy political insurance with his speech—which would have fit in better at the Democratic convention—but others around him think even speaking to Republicans was too far. The Teamsters’ vice president announced that he’ll challenge Mr. O’Brien for the leadership because he went to “kiss the ring” of former President Donald Trump. The head of the AFL-CIO has criticized him for speaking to a party whose leaders “are on the bosses’ side.”
‘Betrayed’: Unions, White House irate over Teamsters president’s RNC speech
July 18, 2024 // President Biden secured a pension bailout that restored retirement accounts for about 350,000 Teamsters members, appointed staunchly pro-labor allies to the National Labor Relations Board and instituted labor requirements for federal contracts. The backlash against O’Brien’s speech reflects the high stakes of the 2024 presidential election for the nation’s labor movement, which fears Trump will undo these policies.
Teamsters President Speaks to Republican Convention, but Union Gives Almost Exclusively to Liberal Politicians and Causes
July 17, 2024 // On June 20, the Center for Union Facts released a report detailing how the Teamsters use their members’ dues. Their study found that “the Teamsters union and its locals send a significant portion of its members’ dues to left-leaning political advocacy, typically without the consent of its membership.” Between 2019 and 2022, the union spent over 99% of member dues on left-of-center causes, initiatives, and entities. Over this time frame, “the Teamsters sent over $9 million to left-leaning advocacy, while only directing $57,050 toward bipartisan efforts and $7,877 toward GOP-led initiatives and campaigns.”
Union workers at downsizing tractor factory weigh Biden vs. Trump
July 16, 2024 // Trump and his populist strain of protectionist policies such as tariffs on Chinese goods accelerated a drift toward Republicans by unionized workers. A question in this year’s race is whether unions such as the UAW can reverse this migration. “Joe Biden is the most pro-union president in American history, the first president to walk a picket line, the defender of more than 1 million pensions, and a champion for working people over greedy corporations," a Biden campaign spokesperson said. A campaign spokesperson meanwhile said Trump has made "historic gains with longtime Democrat constituencies including African Americans, young people and union workers."
OPINION: Would Harris Be Better than Biden for Independent Contractors?
July 11, 2024 // It’s imperative for the tens of millions of Americans who earn some or all of their income as independent contractors to understand where she stands when it comes to money that is earned through self-employment. The record shows that Harris poses a real threat to independent contractors’ income, and for many of us, to our entire careers.