The Washington Post Needs to Stop Its Anti-Union Bias

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ardwolfswa of IL 4:09AM August 20, 2009

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soundtracks of AL 6:57AM July 17, 2009

The next thing to arise out this all is that it will become illegal for a company to move to say another country. Instead of the USSR we may have the USSA. I should be careful since the Socialist party claims to have had Obama as a member in their brochures they distributed in the Chicago area. He already has "Peoples Party" mentality in his thinking.

Jeff of WI 7:34PM February 09, 2009

To Carolyn: Bravo to you for running a company right so it does not need a union. You won't need to fear getting one, with or without EFCA.
To Mr. Schaefer: Ronald Reagan was president of the Screen Actors Guild. He needed a union until he was rich and decided he didn't.

Muser of NM 11:50AM February 07, 2009

Kevin is dead on with his assessment of the Card Check rule. This is a boon for the trial lawyers -again. Like the Lilly Ledbetter law. Adding workers to the union roles helps those running the unions more than it does the workers. And it will guarantee more businesses move out of the country not because they don't want to pay fair wages, but because they need the flexibility to run their businesses in a way that makes sense to compete globally.
Most of us who own a small business would LOVE to pay our employees more, not less. Most of us would love to offer great benefits. And many of us do. It's how you keep good employees. I run a small manufacturing company. If I do my job right, we shouldn't need unions. My employees have told me they don't want unions. Most of them have worked in textile businesses that had unions and those companies are gone. For the most part, unions protect the least productive workers, not the best. They create huge inefficiencies in the workplace because of the rules they typically place on the employer (who can do what job etc). They also place rules on the worker than are onerous. We can be flexible with our workers. Family comes first here. If they need to leave early or come in late, they can. Has the media considered that maybe today's workers don't want to be in a union? Often disgruntled workers are disgruntled because they don't want to work.
I am grateful and humbled every day by the fact that people walk through our front door to work for me and my company. I try to take care of them with a decent wage, a safe environment, supportative management, decent benefits, 401K, bonus program and profit sharing. Most private companies do this as well.
What bothers me with all of this so called "change" is that those in Washington think they know better than those of us who are actually in the trenches. The stimulus package is RIDICULOUS. And when all of us out here are cutting expenses, taking wage cuts trying to stay afloat, I am offended that they are putting forth a package that is stuffed with non-essential stimulus spending. I am offended that they (many of whom on BOTH sides of the aisle have been around long enough to have had their hand in creating this mess) have not offered to cut their salaries or benefits. They all make way more money than most of us.
I'm glad to see Daschle go. Now I hope Obama seeks real change and tells Congress to cut out the pork in this bill. That is what will really help the middle class in the long run.

Carolyn Brodsky of ME 2:28PM February 05, 2009

I AM SO ANGRY!
Tom Daschle, and Nancy Killefer are two of the finest, and most competent public servants you could possibly hope for in these appointments. They have been assassinated by the Washington healthcare lobby through their paid Bush Republican henchmen in congress. These Bush republicans are the same people blocking the economic recovery plan put forth by the Obama administration.
I am BURNING MAD America. And you should be too. Tome Daschle and Nancy Killefer were exactly what we needed to help turn this country around and fix our economy, and catastrophic healthcare crisis.
If I were their boss I would tell them to get right back to Washington. And dare congress to not approve them. How ridiculous is it to reject highly qualified people that this country needs just because they made a mistake on their taxes. Don't stand for that anymore America. They apologized, and paid their taxes, and that should be it. Their country needs them. But President Obama has to do what he thinks is best. I understand that. I'M JUST SO MAD at the anti American Bush Republicans.
Like many of you I have been trying to enjoy the after glow of this Beautiful historic election. But I see that the republicans in congress and their cohorts aren't going to be good sports, and LOSER'S!
SO BE IT!
In spite of President Obama's repeated offers, and gestures of collegiality to Republicans. Bush Republicans have seized upon every opportunity to stab President Obama in the back. And by doing so they are stabbing you, and the rest of the American people in the back. Well, you don't have to put up with that. And you shouldn't put up with that. President Obama has only been on the job two weeks. And he inherited two wars, and the worst economy since the great depression.
We had an election. And president Obama, and the democrats won BIG. And Bush Republicans lost miserably!
The Bush Republicans are the ones responsible for the worst economic crisis since the great depression. And the Bush Republicans are responsible for the worst healthcare crisis in American history. A healthcare crisis that is killing hundreds of thousands of you every year. Rich, middle class, and poor a like. Insured, and uninsured. Men, women, children, and babies.
President Obama, and the Democrats should take back all the concessions they granted the Bush Republicans, and tell them to put up! or shut up!
Everyone, start calling and contacting these Bush Republicans and tell them to stop blocking President Obama, and the Democrats recovery plan. And stop trying to block, and corrupt healthcare reform. Tell them to get on board with President Obama and the Democrats, or GET OUT!!
If these Bush Republicans refuse to cooperate I want all of you to immediately begin the process of removing them from office by every legal means possible. Including impeachment, and recall. I want you to bring the full weight and power of the movement down on their heads that swept President Obama, and the Democrats into control of the whitehouse, and congress. Take no prisoners. Use all the techniques you learned over this past historic election. Be flexible, creative, adaptable, and relentless like you were in the past.
To my cyber warriors I call on you again. You are among the best and the brightest. I call on you to move this fight from the cyber world to the living rooms, dens, and work places of the voters these Bush Republicans misrepresent. I know I can count on you. This is a fight worth fighting.
To my fellow World citizens. As an American I invite, and welcome you and your advise, input, and help. By delaying Americas recovery, and healthcare reform, these Bush Republicans are delaying our commitment to your recovery, and to being the better America for you that we aspire too.
I had hoped it would not come to this after our historic election. I had hoped that the Bush Republicans would respect the overpowering will of the people, and the World. But I guess not. All the Bush Republicans really care about is them-selves. Well, SO BE IT! Lets finish the job.
Sincerely
jacksmith --- Working Class :-)

jacksmith of TX 9:15PM February 04, 2009

We "need more unions". Well maybe, if you want to reduce American productivity even further. I was a member of a couple of unions and I paid my dues - had no "choice". thought you libs wqere big on "choice"? Maybe just certain kinds of "choice"...
You want to watch a union at work? Stop by a shooting location or a sound stage and watch a half a dozen unions try and do as little as possible with twice as many people as they need - The teamsters were the most fun - they drive to the location, set up card tables and play bridge and poker all day, and I mean 6-10 hours at a crack.They break for free snacks and meals. You ought check out the retirement bennies. Think about it next time you plunk down $12 bucks for a ticket to a lousy movie.
But hey, if you want full employment I guess they're right - hire 3 to do the job of 1 and pay 'em twice what they're worth.
Though I gotta say, executives are too numerous and "crazy" overpaid as well.

R.L. Schaefer of CA 6:39PM February 04, 2009

The Orwellian-named “Employee Free Choice Act”. Also known as “Card Check”, this legislation would take away the secret ballot elections used to decide whether or not a company organizes for a union and replaces it with an election where union organizers (think Tony Sopranos “friends”) personally administer cards to employees. One doesn’t need to think very hard to come up with 2 or 3 really good reasons on why this would be a bad thing.
But the proposed legislation does not stop there. Once employees have been coerced or bribed into agreeing to let the unions in, the EFCA’s second dastardly provision kicks in. Instead of being able to take the time needed to come to agreeable terms for the labor contract, a 90 day limit would be put on the proceedings at which point an outside “arbitrator” would impose the terms of a contract. Labor contract negotiations are a complicated and messy affair. The very health of a company hangs on the results of these negotiations. An outside arbitrator, because of lack of perspective, would likely impose a contract that was lopsided towards one side or the other. You guess which side would benefit!

Kevin D. Korenthal of CA 3:55PM February 04, 2009

I agree we need more unions to protect the middle class. It is amazing how journalists buy into media bias. One lousy talk show or conservative spews inaccuracies and they follow along like lap dogs. I venture to say it is probably because they cannot remember what newspapers were like before they were all owned by corporations. (Journalists and the rest of the newspapers staff used to have jobs that paid a fair wage because they were unionized.)

F. Mann of RI 2:28PM February 04, 2009