Comments on: Conventional Wisdom Brewing: Screw the Janitors

By: gmoke

gmoke — Fri, 07 Nov 2008 23:12:29 +0000

My understanding is that you just need signatures on cards in order to de-certify a union so why not to certify one. Only fair, right?

I didn’t see any Union representation in Obama’s economic meeting today. Did anyone else?

A smart employer does not screw the janitors just as a smart diner does not piss off the waitstaff. You never know what goes into your soup or out with the garbage. If you’re doing any kind of environmental work, the first people you talk to are the janitors. They know exactly what’s going on.

By: Tula Connell

Tula Connell — Fri, 07 Nov 2008 21:25:54 +0000

Thanks so much for covering this issue, Jane!

By: Tula Connell

Tula Connell — Fri, 07 Nov 2008 21:24:01 +0000

Yes, that’s the gist of it. The BIG LIE that corporations are telling is that the Employee Free Choice Act would take away the secret ballot. It would not. It would give workers another option: They could vote for a union via ballot (which is what management prefers, because it takes a long time to get through the process and therefore enables management to harass and intimidate workers who might want to vote for a union). Or, workers also could chose the “majority verification” or “card-check” process, in which workers sign cards of support for a union, and if 51 percent do so, they have a union. Much faster and much less chance of management interference.

Lots of info on Employee Free Choice Act here:
http://www.aflcio.org/joinaunion/voiceatwork/efca/

By: MrWhy

MrWhy — Fri, 07 Nov 2008 19:44:17 +0000

Frank Zappa - Trouble Every Day

Every version I found of this on YouTube with live video of Zappa cut the lyrics short.

OT - Here’s Frank Zappa on Crossfire in 1986 with John Lofton, Robert Novak and Tom Braden, making a whole lot more sense than Novak and Lofton.

By: osage

osage — Fri, 07 Nov 2008 18:49:38 +0000

Republican “thinking” is why our country is in such a big mess after eight years of Bush Republican idealogues and lockstep enablers. Millions of Americans are out of work and have lost their homes and are literally living on the streets because of Republican “thinking”. Republican “values” and “opinions” obviously DO NOT represent those of the substantial majority of American citizens. Republicans had their opportunity to provide competent and compassionate government to ALL Americans and FAILED disastrously, yet they still “pretend” that they know what they’re talking about. Their ability to deny their failures and the damage they’ve inflicted on the lives of millions of American families is testimony to the irresponsible arrogance and ignorance of people whose irrational sense of superiorty and entitlement continues to fuel a self-created delusion that their failed political thinking, values and opinions are still valid. In short, they are not. Bush Republican “thinking” has been rejected by the American people and the Republican talking heads should stop trying to sell what the American people have so resoundingly rejected.

By: justbetty

justbetty — Fri, 07 Nov 2008 18:49:33 +0000

As I understand it, you can collect the cards without the employer knowing that the organizing is going on. You present the required number of cards as a fait accompli. The election takes time to set up and gives the employer time to intimidate and use whatever else he can come up with to dissuade workers from approving a union. I stand to be corrected by someone more knowledgeable.

By: beguiner

beguiner — Fri, 07 Nov 2008 18:17:58 +0000

Obama walked the picket line at the Congress Hotel with UNITE HERE Local 1.

At the time he said, “I will be back on that picket line as President of the United States.”

By: Bluetoe2

Bluetoe2 — Fri, 07 Nov 2008 18:08:59 +0000

Yeah, the “liberal” media really likes to provide a platform to every right wing nut including DeLay, Buchanon, et al. The population turned on the corrupt Republicon party on Nov. 4th. It’s now time for a the public to turn on a corrupt and complicit corporate media.

By: RQS4

RQS4 — Fri, 07 Nov 2008 18:04:05 +0000

It was Tom Delay on Hardball (Nov. 4) preaching hate.

By: Beerfart Liberal

Beerfart Liberal — Fri, 07 Nov 2008 18:01:37 +0000

true. and if the election was 2 weeks later McCain woulda won ’cause he had the mo’ in PA, IN,OH, FL and, like, places.