Look for the union label

[SSG Snuggle Bunny]

Not just the PEUs anymore:

Union whistleblowers: We were beaten and harassed after they accused bosses of looting

Unionized phone company employees say they were beaten or threatened after they accused their labor bosses of looting their coffers through various scams.

One member of Communications Workers of America Local 1101 said that after he reported a time-sheet padding scheme, a thug beat him so badly his spine was injured.

Another says he found a dead rat in his locker, while a third said a union officer warned that suspected informants should be brought off company property and "taken care of."

The threats come to light as the U.S. Labor Department is probing charges that union bosses lined their pockets at the rank-and-file's expense.

Read more: http://www.nydailynews.com/ny_local/2011/05/15/2011-05-15_clam_up_or_else_union_whistleblowers_we_were_beaten_and_harassed.html#ixzz1MTD72Ijn

[Gratiot]

The people involved in that, should be prosecuted to the furthest extent of the law.  It saddens me though that people allowed it to happen.

[SSG Snuggle Bunny]

The people involved in that, should be prosecuted to the furthest extent of the law.  It saddens me though that people allowed it to happen.

I keep hearing about Madoff, Enron, BP etc etc etc yet the one thing we keep hearing consistently about unions is their subversiveness against duly elected governments and violence against opponents.

[Gratiot]

I keep hearing about Madoff, Enron, BP etc etc etc yet the one thing we keep hearing consistently about unions is their subversiveness against duly elected governments and violence against opponents.

That's what happens when we selectively listen.  I've heard others state that all they hear about Republican's, is how often they're caught having well... foot tapping bathroom stall tendencies...  But it's absurd to categorically define that too all, or have random issues of people - define a group as a whole, no?  To each their own though.

[SSG Snuggle Bunny]

That's what happens when we selectively listen.  I've heard others state that all they hear about Republican's, is how often they're caught having well... foot tapping bathroom stall tendencies...  But it's absurd to categorically define that too all, or have random issues of people - define a group as a whole, no?  To each their own though.

'scuse me?

You can't tell the difference between between foot-tapping for a blow job vs. heel-stomping a man into the sidewalk while screaming "N***er!"?

You can't tell the difference between negligently causing a massive oil spill vs. swarming a state capitol and causing millions of dollars in damage while harassing and intimidating lawmakers?

They've gotten violent because they have the lawmakers making them untouchable.

We got an earful for the last 2 years about how supposedly racist and violent the TEA Party was supposed to be without confirmation but we get story after story after story of union thuggery but we're told, "Yes, but once upon a time they did some good."  **** once upon a a time. Now they're little more than money laundering machines and strong-arm thugs for corrupt pols who drive up prices for consumers, drive businesses overseas and demand people join their ranks or remain unemployed.

At a minimum closed shops should be illegal and unions should be held to the same laws as all other businesses: anti-trust, price-fixing etc.

[Gratiot]

That's neither what I said or implied.  Although it perhaps reinforces my concern about selective listening/reading.

Cheers though, I have appreciated hearing your thoughts.

[dandi]

That's what happens when we selectively listen.  I've heard others state that all they hear about Republican's, is how often they're caught having well... foot tapping bathroom stall tendencies...  But it's absurd to categorically define that too all, or have random issues of people - define a group as a whole, no?  To each their own though.

Since 1975, the National Institute for Labor Relations Research has collected more than 9,000 reports of union violence. These incidents are recorded and electronically maintained in the Institute’s Violent Event Data File.

The Violent Event Data File is a record of violent events that involved labor union members and/or labor union officials. The file is organized into a list of individual records, with each record summarizing a separate violent event. The information about each of these events is found in articles in magazines, newspapers, television news program transcripts and trade association journals.

http://www.nilrr.org/node/54

Here are some more for you to read:  West Virginia miner shot dead for working during a strike, Virginia women targeted for working during a strike, UPS driver beaten and stabbed by fellow union "brothers", worker who opposed unionization has his house "put on the map", union thug hitman.


I look at the unionists a lot like I look at the 9/11 hijackers:  Not all muslims are terrorists, but all of the terrorists were muslim.

[SSG Snuggle Bunny]

That's neither what I said or implied.  Although it perhaps reinforces my concern about selective listening/reading.

You drew a false analogy.

There's a big difference between a public bathroom blowjob and heel-stomping someone for disagreeing with a political policy.

Perhaps selective listening isn't so much the problem as the fact you're beholden to an institution that monopolizes a commodity, restricts the rights of others and has become so insular and corrupt it feels it can harass, intimidate and use violence.

Maybe you should try working in a field where you actually have to perform in order to survive. It might opens your eyes a bit. Instead all we get is half-assed moral equivalence and equivocations.

[Gratiot]

Wasp, thank you for bringing that lobbyist group to my attention.  That is pretty sobering statement, by its self.  Quickly glancing at it though, their compilation while certainly interesting has some... ahem, interesting methods of inclusion.  More misleading though is the lack of perspective.  Numbers are meaningless without it, just with what's readily apparent though, you're roughly looking at 250 'alleged' incidents per year... Amongst how many people?  Hell the US Military was recently reported to have nearly 3000 'alleged' sexual assault cases, during the year before last!  Now we could delve into that being a fair comparison or not, but my emphasis is only on the perspective of the previous figure.

I fully believe that violent public disorder should be prosecuted, and have never said otherwise.

[dandi]

Wasp, thank you for bringing that lobbyist group to my attention.

Lobbyist group?  Hmmmm....

NILRR's primary function is to act as a research facility for the general public, scholars and students. It provides the supplementary analysis and research necessary to expose the inequities of compulsory unionism.

It publishes monographs, brochures and briefing papers designed to stimulate research and discussion with easy-to-read summaries of current events. NILRR also conducts nonpartisan analysis and study for the benefit of the general public.

It will render aid gratuitously to individuals suffering from government over-regulation of labor relations and will provide educational assistance to those individuals who have proved themselves worthy thereof.

How does that make them a "lobbyist group"?

Quickly glancing at it though, their compilation while certainly interesting has some... ahem, interesting methods of inclusion.

Such as?

More misleading though is the lack of perspective.

A lack of perspective?  Please, enlighten me.

Numbers are meaningless without it, just with what's readily apparent though, you're roughly looking at 250 'alleged' incidents per year... Amongst how many people?

I would say that one beat-down or one bullet to the head or one case of intimidation are one too many, especially coming from groups that are "for the little man".  Anyone who would claim to be my "champion" in a "struggle" to make my life better should be able to do it without boots, bullets, or threats to those who simply disagree. 

Do you agree?

Hell the US Military was recently reported to have nearly 3000 'alleged' sexual assault cases, during the year before last!  Now we could delve into that being a fair comparison or not, but my emphasis is only on the perspective of the previous figure.

Since these actions would have been done without the consent (nor upon the orders) of their superiors, it is not a good comparison; your attempt at adding "perspective" notwithstanding.

I fully believe that violent public disorder should be prosecuted, and have never said otherwise.

That is very commendable.  What is your union doing to make sure that doesn't happen?