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Expatriate 
Group: Members
Posts: 16663
Joined: Oct. 2004
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Posted on: Feb. 03 2012,9:23 am |
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http://www.startribune.com/politics/statelocal/138616959.html
The Republican attack on working class shows just who runs these boys the Corporate Masters have gave the order “BUST the UNIONS”
The downward spiral in wages and worker’s rights will effect every worker, union or not unionized.
Capitalism runs on consumerism when you take the money form the worker for short term Corporate profitability & bonuses the economy
suffers..
The shortsighted policy of the Republican’s isn’t really good for anyone in the long-run...
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History is no more than the lies agreed upon by the victors.
~NAPOLEON BONAPARTE
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| Post Number: 2
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Self-Banished
Group: Members
Posts: 22519
Joined: Feb. 2006
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Posted on: Feb. 03 2012,10:21 am |
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The unions are nothing more than another political organization picking money out of the pockets of working people
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 Remember boys and girls,
Don’t be a Dick …
Or a “Wayne” 
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| Post Number: 3
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grassman
Group: Members
Posts: 3858
Joined: Mar. 2006
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Posted on: Feb. 03 2012,10:22 am |
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Do not fret, Mitts got our back. He wears blue jeans and everything!
Attached Image
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git er done!
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| Post Number: 4
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Self-Banished
Group: Members
Posts: 22519
Joined: Feb. 2006
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Posted on: Feb. 03 2012,11:02 am |
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^why do I find no comfort in that?
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Remember boys and girls,
Don’t be a Dick …
Or a “Wayne”
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| Post Number: 5
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MADDOG
Group: Moderator
Posts: 7821
Joined: Aug. 2003
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Posted on: Feb. 03 2012,12:39 pm |
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I fail to see the benefit of being coerced into joining a union. The number of Right to Work states are growing to nearly half the states. (23)
Since when has the American public decided that free choice is not what made this country great?
Minnesota Right to Work
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Actually my wife is especially happy when my google check arrives each month. Thanks to douchbags like you, I get paid just for getting you worked up. -Liberal
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| Post Number: 6
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Expatriate
Group: Members
Posts: 16663
Joined: Oct. 2004
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Posted on: Feb. 03 2012,12:50 pm |
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"Right to Work" Laws: Get the Facts
What is a “right to work” law?
Despite its misleading name, this type of law does not guarantee anyone a job and it does not protect against unfair firing. By undermining unions, so-called “Right to Work” laws would weaken the best job security protections workers have - the union contract.
A “right to work” law is a state law that stops employers and employees from negotiating an agreement – also known as a union security clause – that requires all workers who receive the benefits of a collective bargaining agreement to pay their share of the costs of representing them. Right to Work laws say that unions must represent every eligible employee, whether he or she pays dues or not. In other words, “Right to Work” laws allow workers to pay nothing and still get all the benefits of union membership.
“Right to Work” laws aren’t fair to dues-paying members. If a worker who is represented by a union and doesn’t pay dues is fired illegally, the union must use its time and money to defend him or her, even if that requires going through a costly, time-consuming legal process. Since the union represents everyone, everyone benefits, so everyone should share in the costs of providing these services. Amazingly, nonmembers who are represented by a union can even sue the union is they think it has not represented them well enough!
Will a “right to work” law benefit workers in Minnesota?
No. Workers in states with so-called Right-to-Work (RTW) laws have a consistently lower quality of life than in other states - lower wages, higher poverty, less access to health care, poorer education for children - according to data from the U.S. Department of Labor and the U.S. Census Bureau. Why should Minnesota adopt a losing RTW strategy that lowers the standard of living for workers and their families?
Working Families in States with “Right to Work” Laws Earn Lower Wages
On average, workers in states with “Right to Work” law earn $5,538 a year less than workers in states without these laws.
“Right to Work” States Spend Less on Education
Right-to-Work states spend $2,671 less per pupil on elementary and secondary education than free-bargaining states.
“Right to Work” States Have Higher Workplace Fatality Rates
According to data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the rate of workplace deaths is 52.9% higher in states with Right-to-Work laws.
“Right to Work” Laws Don’t Improve Living Standards – Unions Improve Living Standards
Overall, union members earn 28 percent ($198) more per week than nonunion workers. Hispanic union members earn 50 percent ($258) more each week than nonunion Hispanics and African Americans earn 29 percent ($168) more each week if they are union members.
78 percent of private sector union workers have access to medical insurance through their jobs, compared with 51 percent of nonunion workers. And 77 percent of private sector union workers have access to a guaranteed (defined benefit) retirement plan through their jobs, compared with just 20 percent of nonunion workers.
Only 2.9 percent of union workers are uninsured, compared with 14.2 percent of nonunion workers.
How will a “right to work” law affect Minnesota's economy?
We need to strengthen our economy, and a so-called “Right to Work” Law would take us in the wrong direction. Minnesota has a better economic record than states with so-called “right to work” laws. For employers, a union contract with lower turnover and higher employee morale equals higher productivity. By undermining contracts and depressing wages, a “right to work” law will reduce expendable consumer income and hurt productivity.
Do we need a “right to work” law to attract new jobs to Minnesota?
No. Industries locate in a state for many reasons, but a right to work law is not one of them. Factors like workforce productivity, availability of skilled workers, transportation, closeness to markets and materials, quality of life and proximity to research universities are the keys to economic growth. We need to create good jobs throughout the state, but a “right to work law” will not persuade companies to move here.
Who benefits from “Right to Work” Laws?
No one. Some low-wage employers might think that they would benefit from weak unions and low wages, but union members are also consumers. “Right to work” laws undermine the purchasing power of unionized workers. Employees covered by union contracts receive 28 percent more in wages and benefits than workers without unions. For women workers, the union advantage is 34 percent. For African American workers, the union advantage is 29 percent. And for Hispanic workers, the union advantage is a whopping 50 percent. When “right to work” laws weaken unions and drive down wages and benefits, workers have less to spend and the entire economy – particularly small business--suffers.
“Right to Work” and Individual Freedoms
Without a “right to work” law, can a worker be forced to join a union?
No. The U.S. Supreme Court has ruled that no collective bargaining agreement can require anyone to join a union. Unions and employers may only negotiate contract provisions requiring nonmembers to pay their fair share of the union’s costs in representing them.
Is a union required to represent all employees covered by a contract (nonmembers as well as members)?
Yes. Under federal labor law, unions have the duty to fairly represent all workers covered by a contract. That means nonmembers as well as members get the same wages, hours and working conditions established by the contract. Unions must bargain for everyone and enforce the contract terms for everyone in a fair, honest, nondiscriminatory manner. Unions cannot refuse to pay the costs of arbitrating a grievance simply because it involves a nonmember. A union that violates this duty of fair representation can be sued. This duty of fair representation applies whether or not the state has a right to work law.
If Minnesota enacts a “right to work” law, who will pay the costs of representing non-members?
Union members will be forced to pay not only their own share of representation costs, but also the full costs of those who do not pay their fair share of dues but still receive all of the benefits of union representation.
Does a union security clause require nonmembers to pay full union dues?
No. Nonmembers are required to pay only the proportion of union dues related to collective bargaining expenses, so these costs are fairly shared by all represented employees.
Can a union unilaterally impose a union security agreement?
No. The employer and the union must negotiate a union security agreement. If management refuses, there is no union security agreement.
Why would an employer agree to a union security clause?
Many employers want to avoid the divisions and animosity that occur when some workers have to pay the costs of representing other employees.
Will a “right to work” law protect a worker’s right to a job?
No. These laws guarantee no one a job, nor do they provide any due process or just cause protections against unfair firing. By undermining unions, so-called “Right to Work” laws would weaken the best job security protections workers have - a grievance procedure that requires employers to have legitimate, job-related reasons for disciplining or discharging an employee.
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History is no more than the lies agreed upon by the victors.
~NAPOLEON BONAPARTE
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nphilbro
Group: Members
Posts: 1586
Joined: Jul. 2005
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Posted on: Feb. 03 2012,1:34 pm |
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Henry Ford believed that it was important to pay workers wages that would afford them the ability to buy his cars. Other industries followed suit for the same reason and still others followed to compete for workers.
Companies are now in a race to the bottom in terms of wages. Nafta gave them access to the Mexican labor market which they in turn squeezed to compete with the Indonesian labor markets. Many US companies take the myopic view that wages are nothing but a liability to corporate financial returns and fail to see their role in premium market reduction.
It's more imperative than ever that companies become even more transient and continue to open more global employment markets that don't participate in global consumerism to manufacture goods for a US consumer market. While the number of consumers in the US continues to grow the purchasing power of the average American is greatly reduced due to decreasing access to employment opportunities that pay sustainable wages.
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Merely to try is to prepare for failure.
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| Post Number: 8
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grassman
Group: Members
Posts: 3858
Joined: Mar. 2006
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Posted on: Feb. 03 2012,2:49 pm |
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Expat and nphil hit it on the head. What really, really blows me away is people who think that they are in a class that they are not. How can a working class person say bad things about somebody who is trying to help them. So what if you pay dues to belong, you pay dues to the country club or whatever other club you belong to don't you. This is the problem that started back in the 80's, bad press by certain players about unions. Mindless people were lead by the nose to slaughter. I never thought it would get to the point it has. This is why the top have reaped such wealth while the laborers have stayed stagnant or gone backward. Divide and conquer are more than just words. They have done it with OUR govt and done it with OUR livelihood. This is why, for the life of me, I can not see why a working class person would ever vote Republican. This latest batch have so many times proved what they are REALLY about. Some call it gaffs, I call it the truth slipping out. These people have no idea who, what, or where you are. Wake up America.
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git er done!
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Botto 82
Group: Members
Posts: 6293
Joined: Jan. 2005
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Posted on: Feb. 03 2012,3:14 pm |
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It was under Clintoon that NAFTA and the repeal of Glass-Steagall occurred. Save the tired old "republicans are bad for labor" meme. 
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Dear future generations: Please accept our apologies. We were rolling drunk on petroleum.
- Kurt Vonnegut
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| Post Number: 10
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Common Citizen
Group: Members
Posts: 4818
Joined: Jul. 2006
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Posted on: Feb. 03 2012,3:27 pm |
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(grassman @ Feb. 03 2012,2:49 pm)
QUOTE Expat and nphil hit it on the head. What really, really blows me away is people who think that they are in a class that they are not. How can a working class person say bad things about somebody who is trying to help them. So what if you pay dues to belong, you pay dues to the country club or whatever other club you belong to don't you. This is the problem that started back in the 80's, bad press by certain players about unions. Mindless people were lead by the nose to slaughter. I never thought it would get to the point it has. This is why the top have reaped such wealth while the laborers have stayed stagnant or gone backward. Divide and conquer are more than just words. They have done it with OUR govt and done it with OUR livelihood. This is why, for the life of me, I can not see why a working class person would ever vote Republican. This latest batch have so many times proved what they are REALLY about. Some call it gaffs, I call it the truth slipping out. These people have no idea who, what, or where you are. Wake up America.
You can blame Obummer for creating the hostile environment that has your blood pressure up. And if class warfare isn't enough for you...you could always up the ante and make it about race and join African Americans for Obama.
Did I read it right? Is Expat concerned that somebody is going to get something for nothing? Say it isn't so. 
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