Pro-Union ... but Anti-Union Logic I want to preface my comments by saying I am pro-union and a 42-year member of the UMWA - once the most powerful labor union in the United States. I believe in collective bargaining and believe unions, for decades, have done some wonderful things to help working class people. I have walked picket lines, once endured a 120-day national coal strike and served as a local union official. My dad was a 60-year member of the UMWA so together we have more than a century of membership. With that said, the remainder of this post is a great example why union numbers are decreasing -- along with respect and credibility. I read yesterday that AFSCME - the nations largest public employees union -- endorsed Gov. Pat Quinn in his bid for re-election in Illinois. I was totally shocked and infuriated when I saw this. Consider this. During the past 18 months I had representatives from AFSCME (including executive director Henry Bayer) on my Wednesday night show on WQRL as they fought with Quinn who (in AFSCMEs own words) was waging a war on pubic service workers. Thinking ahead that this day could come, I saved a link to the AFSCME website from 18 months ago that detailed what Quinn was trying to do to union employees. Keep in mind, this is not a news story, its directly from the AFSCME Council 31 website and it spells out in cold hard facts what Quinn thinks of AFSCME. But yet, they endorse him! In short, AFSCME endorsed a man who tried to take away collective bargaining rights to its members and deny a contractual pay raise to 30,000 AFSCME members. WOW! With this endorsement AFSCME betrayed their members, along with media hacks like me who tried to help them promote their cause. And please save the speeches about Quinns opponent (Bruce Rauner) and the hype that is being pedaled that he is anti-union. Whats being spewed about Rauner and his view of public service employees is speculation but what we know about Quinn is fact (documented on AFCMEs own website.) My question to AFSCME is this: If you dont trust Rauner ... why endorse anybody! It defies logic, period. I have a call into AFSCME Council 31 in Chicago to invite a representative on my show this Wednesday to explain the endorsement. Im betting I dont get a return call. Heres the link to the AFSCME website detailing Gov. Pat Quinns attack on public service employees. afscme.org/blog/illinois-governor-quinn-continues-his-war-on-public-service-workers#.U0V6QA3bObY.email
Posted on: Tue, 16 Sep 2014 15:28:08 +0000
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