NBCNEWS.COM reports that “Twinkies are coming back—but under a new management that vows to use nonunion workers.”

A third of Hostess’ production was union labor, but after union members struck, the manufacturer had no choice but to close and reorganize.

Business experts like Alan James of Pace University say, “Unions have been very good in the past making sure we have benefits like maternity leave, but their leadership continues to think only of themselves and not their members.”

Doubting the value of unions, James continued saying “Why should I pay dues when I don’t see any positive results?’

History professor Daniel Opler feels that the Hostess showdown showed the weakness of unions.

“There’s no question the bakers union that rejected a settlement made a tactical error here,” he said.

Unions have pushed several showdowns in recent years. Often asking for concessions that would leave companies unable to compete.

States are empowering workers to ditch expensive union dues by enacting right-to-work laws and workers are supporting them in ever increasing numbers.

Business analyst James Alan said feels that low membership rates could indicate that unions are weakening.

It’s not your dad’s union anymore. The strength of the unions during the 50′s or 80′s is long gone.

The nation’s labor unions suffered sharp declines in membership last year, led by losses among public sector workers in financially struggling states and municipalities. According to the Bureau of Labor union rates are at the lowest level since the 1930′s. Union membership fell in 34 states.

Total union membership decreased by about 400,000 workers with teachers’ unions hardest hit. Public sector union worker numbers dropped though due in large part to cash strapped cities and localities reducing staff.

Detroit News: Michigan accounted for about 10 percent of the nation’s loss of unionized workers as the Wolverine State fell to the seventh most-unionized state, from fifth in 2011.

In Michigan, union membership fell more sharply than the national average; It was down to 16.6 percent in 2012, compared with 17.5 percent in 2011. Michigan lost 42,000 union workers, falling to 629,000 in 2012.

Get the word out!

Watch interview with Clint Tarver:

For full story go to “Ironic Surrealism”

Check out this video about how beloved Clint is to the Community:

Also this week there is a union protest in Philadelphia by electricians who did not get an apartment renovation job. But again, not a quiet march with pickets, these protesters are blaring a loud recorded message that includes an annoyingly long crying jag by a fussy baby. The electricians are protesting the use of a non-union contractor to do electrical work on renovations at the apartment building. Residents say they have nothing against organized labor making a point, but this?

“I know everybody says they’ve got their rights,” says longtime apartment resident Jean Smith, “and that’s fine. But don’t we have rights too, that we have to hear this constantly- every day?”
“The crying of the baby- it doesn’t give them no sympathy,” says apartment dweller David Dickson. “It’s not helping them.”

At a time when unions seem to be losing their strength one would think, no expect, that they would promote themselves in a positive light, explaining to the public why they can be helpful to the average worker. Instead incidents like these examples beg the question, do union organizers really want us to dislike them?
Philadelphia News, Weather and Sports from WTXF FOX 29

Ellison shared the following photo on his Facebook page courtesy of We Are Michigan, a coalition of unions and progressive groups.

Surely Rep. Ellison was aware of the violence and turmoil that took place today that included vandalism, mob behavior and a comedian being punched in the face. Certainly he had heard about the Michigan State Rep. Doug Geiss made calling for “blood” over the pending legislation. Does the congressman “stand” behind these atrocities?

Rep. Ellison did not return attempts for comment.
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Who is Rep Keith Ellison? Here’s a start: The Company You Keep
Ellison’s Town Hall #Fail
Ellison’s 2009 Arrest

Crowder suffered bruises to his face and a chipped tooth in the assault. Additional footage can be seen on the Sean Hannity show on Fox News Channel.

Public workers in Michigan are now free to work without being forced to pay legalized extortion to unions as a precondition of their employment.

As union labor gathered by the thousands, Michigan’s legislature voted approval Tuesday to “right-to-work” legislation.  The House and the Senate both approved the measure, making membership and payment of union dues optional.  Governor Rick Snyder has promised to sign it into law.

More than 12,000 protestors from around the Midwest gathered for the vote.  Union thugs dissatisfied with the vote attacked the Americans for Prosperity tent, tore it down and slashed it apart with knives while members of AFP were still inside.

Union promised there will be more to come.

From the floor of the Michigan House of Representatives, Democratic State Representative State Representative Douglas Geiss threatened “There will be blood.”

Barack Obama described the legislation thusly:  “These so called right-to-work laws, they don’t have anything to do with economics, they have to do with politics.”

This is coming from someone whose entire position on the so-called fiscal cliff negotiations in Washington DC has nothing to do with economics.  It is all about politics.  It is all about destroying the Republican Party and promoting a patently un-American fringe Marxist ideology.

Michigan’s right-to-work law makes it illegal to require financial support of a union as a condition of employment.  When it comes to recruiting businesses to Michigan it will make the state more competitive.  Critics claim it will cripple the ability of unions to fund their political policy objectives.

Unions are forgetting some fundamental principles.  No one should be forced against their will to join a union or to have their paycheck skimmed by unions.  If someone disagrees with their politics, no one should be forced to fund union politics.

For “progressives”, who lay claim to sole possession of concern for working people, forcing Americans who object to their political policy objectives to fund then as a precondition of employment is hypocrisy in the most classic sense.

Hypocrisy, when it comes to speaking about “progressives”, is par for the course.

It is morally right for workers to have the power of decision where it comes to supporting labor unions financially.  People should have the right to work without being forced to pay union dues.  Americans who want to work should not be enslaved by unions.

http://mjfellright.wordpress.com/2012/12/11/free-michigan/

If this is what unions promote no civilized American should want any part.

The bill would allow workers at union-represented employers to not pay dues even though the union would be bargaining on their behalf. Advocates of the bill say it will help attract business to the state which has unemployment over 9%;  while unions, who represent over 17% of the workers, believe this bill will weaken their bargaining position by cutting financial resources.

Governor Rick Snyder is expected to sign the bill into law Tuesday.

Listen below or right-click on the link and “save as” so you can put it on your mp3 player/ipod for listening later.

One Decision From Disaster

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From: Wikipedia

What is Right-to-work?

Right-to-work laws have been enacted in 22 states stretching from Nevada and Colorado to North Dakota and across the Southeast. Right-to-work laws, as well as the “union shop” and “agency shop” rules came from statutes of the Taft-Hartley Act.

A “Union Shop” is one where in order to hold a job at such a facility, one must join the union and/or pay dues/fees. In other words, you must be putting money in the union’s treasury or you cannot work in a union shop. An “agency shop” simply requires the payment of dues/fees to keep the position, no membership is required.

Right-to-work statutes simply say that no employee can be forced to join a union or pay dues/fees as a condition of employment. This “open shop” rule does not prevent an employee from joining a union – it simply leaves that choice to them and prevents an employer from terminating them based on their union membership status.

Progressive View

Labor-rights activists and the progressive movement believe that if a member can choose to not pay dues into the union, he/she may benefit on the back of the union-negotiated contract without having paid into the organization. Before long, no worker would want to pay into an organization if there were no perceived benefits.

The progressive-left is heavily in-support for forced union membership.  But freedom must also be considered. The owner of the business must be able to choose who is hired or fired without impediment from a labor organization. The employee must also be able to choose to or not to enlist in the union as it is his/her money that will be used to fund union’s political efforts.

If the union is negotiating and acting in the best interest of the workers, it is logical to foresee that many workers would desire to join such an organization. The antithesis is also true and may be why unions are fighting against re-certification rules such as that put forward in Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker’s budget repair bill.

Libertarian View

Libertarians have taken two different stances based on the perspective of whose freedom is being protected. From one perspective, the employer’s freedom to hire and negotiate a contract as he/she wants is should not be challenged by any interference from the government – both from a union shop or right-to-work view.  The other perspective would focus on the employee’s right to freely assemble (or not) – join a union or don’t.

Section 2.7 of the Libertarian platform states:

We support repeal of all laws which impede the ability of any person to find employment. We oppose government-fostered forced retirement. We support the right of free persons to associate or not associate in labor unions, and an employer should have the right to recognize or refuse to recognize a union. We oppose government interference in bargaining, such as compulsory arbitration or imposing an obligation to bargain.

While all free-market Capitalists should be able to support this plank, the rub is in the implied outcome  - what if an employer wanted only union members in his shop? Then there is contention between the freedom of the employee to pursue gainful employment and the freedom of the employer to do as he wishes with his business – his property.

This could present a situation where all business-owners in the all-to-critical blender repair sector choose to only hire union workers. The non-union blender repairman is then forced to join a union and give a portion of his check, his property, unwillingly – or face unemployment.

Free-Market Conservative View

From a free-market Conservative standpoint,  the impact these statutes on worker’s freedom are discussed in F.A. Hayek’s book The Consitution of Liberty :

If legislation, jurisdiction, and the tolerance of executive agencies had not created privileges for the unions, the need for special legislation concerning them would probably not have arisen in common-law countries. But, once special privileges have become part of the law of the land, they can be removed only by special legislation. Though there ought to be no need for special ‘right-to-work laws,’ it is difficult to deny that the situation created in the United States by legislation and by the decisions of the Supreme Court may make special legislation the only practicable way of restoring the principles of freedom.

Right-to-work is only necessary because laws exist to protect the unions. If we could abolish the National Labor Rights Act – so could be gone the Right-to-work laws. If one remains, so shall the other. Unfortunately, it is not reasonable to think that will happen any time soon.

Summary

Personally, I like the idea of the Libertarian plank even though I do not belong to the Libertarian party. We should get rid of NLRA, union shops, agency shops, right-to-work .. all of it. The reality is that there is no appetite for it in the current political climate. We have to move towards it as a strategy, using well-defined tactics or we will be stuck with all of it for the foreseeable future – or worse.

First we have to give workers the freedom to vote their unions in or out on regular basis (recertification). Then as unions are forced to become more customer-focused or die, NLRA becomes less relevant and easily dismantled. Once NLRA goes, right-to-work can be burnt in the ashes of government interference.