Comments on: New Polls Show Majority of Voters Support Employee Free Choice http://firedoglake.com/2008/11/07/new-polls-show-majority-of-voters-support-employee-free-choice/ Firedoglake weblog Sun, 22 Nov 2009 05:11:57 -0600 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.6 hourly 1 By: Blub http://firedoglake.com/2008/11/07/new-polls-show-majority-of-voters-support-employee-free-choice/#comment-1717244 Blub Sat, 08 Nov 2008 02:22:41 +0000 http://firedoglake.com/2008/11/07/new-polls-show-majority-of-voters-support-employee-free-choice/#comment-1717244 <p>I think therein lies the problem. Worker productivity increases have largely stagnated in recent decades ’cause a venal and cynical CEO class pays out profits to themselves and blows their balance sheets with absurd financial Potemkin Villages rather than reinvesting them in their enterprises to sustain real growth and emplyee development. Workers have little in terms of productivity rises to share in even if they’re not actuallly working for thieves (which in many cases they are).</p> I think therein lies the problem. Worker productivity increases have largely stagnated in recent decades ’cause a venal and cynical CEO class pays out profits to themselves and blows their balance sheets with absurd financial Potemkin Villages rather than reinvesting them in their enterprises to sustain real growth and emplyee development. Workers have little in terms of productivity rises to share in even if they’re not actuallly working for thieves (which in many cases they are).

]]> By: masaccio http://firedoglake.com/2008/11/07/new-polls-show-majority-of-voters-support-employee-free-choice/#comment-1717223 masaccio Sat, 08 Nov 2008 02:05:25 +0000 http://firedoglake.com/2008/11/07/new-polls-show-majority-of-voters-support-employee-free-choice/#comment-1717223 <p>The ability to organize is the key to redistribution of wealth, and to the return of the old deal that workers shared in the rise in their own productivity.</p> The ability to organize is the key to redistribution of wealth, and to the return of the old deal that workers shared in the rise in their own productivity.

]]> By: Blub http://firedoglake.com/2008/11/07/new-polls-show-majority-of-voters-support-employee-free-choice/#comment-1717221 Blub Sat, 08 Nov 2008 02:04:38 +0000 http://firedoglake.com/2008/11/07/new-polls-show-majority-of-voters-support-employee-free-choice/#comment-1717221 <p>can give me.. not hiv me… darn iPhones</p> can give me.. not hiv me… darn iPhones

]]> By: Blub http://firedoglake.com/2008/11/07/new-polls-show-majority-of-voters-support-employee-free-choice/#comment-1717218 Blub Sat, 08 Nov 2008 02:03:40 +0000 http://firedoglake.com/2008/11/07/new-polls-show-majority-of-voters-support-employee-free-choice/#comment-1717218 <p>ok… I must admit that I’m kinda naive on this issue. isn’t the right to join or form a union a fundamental right in any advanced industrial democracy? isn’t it a protected right under the UN’s Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, to which the US is a ratification party? didn’t people fight and die for this right early in the last century? I had always assumed workers in CA had that right and couldn’t be fired or punished for exercising it. Clearly I’m wrong but if somebody can HIV me the 30 sec history of unionization and the act it’ll be helpful.</p> ok… I must admit that I’m kinda naive on this issue. isn’t the right to join or form a union a fundamental right in any advanced industrial democracy? isn’t it a protected right under the UN’s Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, to which the US is a ratification party? didn’t people fight and die for this right early in the last century? I had always assumed workers in CA had that right and couldn’t be fired or punished for exercising it. Clearly I’m wrong but if somebody can HIV me the 30 sec history of unionization and the act it’ll be helpful.

]]> By: Michael Whitney http://firedoglake.com/2008/11/07/new-polls-show-majority-of-voters-support-employee-free-choice/#comment-1717217 Michael Whitney Sat, 08 Nov 2008 02:01:26 +0000 http://firedoglake.com/2008/11/07/new-polls-show-majority-of-voters-support-employee-free-choice/#comment-1717217 <p>Couldn’t say it better myself. Thank you.</p> Couldn’t say it better myself. Thank you.

]]> By: lokywoky http://firedoglake.com/2008/11/07/new-polls-show-majority-of-voters-support-employee-free-choice/#comment-1717216 lokywoky Sat, 08 Nov 2008 01:48:06 +0000 http://firedoglake.com/2008/11/07/new-polls-show-majority-of-voters-support-employee-free-choice/#comment-1717216 <p>Yes, it does matter. Most workers in this country today fail to understand and/or appreciate that the 40-hour work-week, child-labor laws, workplace safety rules, health care and pension plans, overtime pay and many other things are due to the activities of unions. In the beginning union members were targetted with beatings, dogs, fire-hoses, and in several cases, were killed for trying to organize workers and strike for workplace safety and other things. (Shades of the civil rights movement, only decades prior)</p> <p>Thanks to Ronald Reagan and his union-busting of PATCO (the air traffic controllers union) and the passage of the so-called ‘right-to-work’ laws, unions have decreased in number and power. And with that decrease has come a decrease in workers rights and safety.</p> <p>It’s really good to see that the people of this country are starting to wake up and realize that unions work for the WORKING people - and no one else does. When our country has strong unions, we have a strong workforce, and our economy does better.</p> Yes, it does matter. Most workers in this country today fail to understand and/or appreciate that the 40-hour work-week, child-labor laws, workplace safety rules, health care and pension plans, overtime pay and many other things are due to the activities of unions. In the beginning union members were targetted with beatings, dogs, fire-hoses, and in several cases, were killed for trying to organize workers and strike for workplace safety and other things. (Shades of the civil rights movement, only decades prior)

Thanks to Ronald Reagan and his union-busting of PATCO (the air traffic controllers union) and the passage of the so-called ‘right-to-work’ laws, unions have decreased in number and power. And with that decrease has come a decrease in workers rights and safety.

It’s really good to see that the people of this country are starting to wake up and realize that unions work for the WORKING people – and no one else does. When our country has strong unions, we have a strong workforce, and our economy does better.

]]> By: Loo Hoo. http://firedoglake.com/2008/11/07/new-polls-show-majority-of-voters-support-employee-free-choice/#comment-1717215 Loo Hoo. Sat, 08 Nov 2008 01:44:07 +0000 http://firedoglake.com/2008/11/07/new-polls-show-majority-of-voters-support-employee-free-choice/#comment-1717215 <p>People are just done giving their wages to the wealthiest Americans. It’s <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E06SoECIp1U" rel="nofollow">All Over Now, Baby Blue</a>.</p> People are just done giving their wages to the wealthiest Americans. It’s All Over Now, Baby Blue.

]]> By: SunnyNobility http://firedoglake.com/2008/11/07/new-polls-show-majority-of-voters-support-employee-free-choice/#comment-1717214 SunnyNobility Sat, 08 Nov 2008 01:40:34 +0000 http://firedoglake.com/2008/11/07/new-polls-show-majority-of-voters-support-employee-free-choice/#comment-1717214 <p>This is important information. Collective bargaining (with teeth) matters. Thanks for posting.</p> This is important information. Collective bargaining (with teeth) matters. Thanks for posting.

]]> By: Beerfart Liberal http://firedoglake.com/2008/11/07/new-polls-show-majority-of-voters-support-employee-free-choice/#comment-1717213 Beerfart Liberal Sat, 08 Nov 2008 01:09:48 +0000 http://firedoglake.com/2008/11/07/new-polls-show-majority-of-voters-support-employee-free-choice/#comment-1717213 <p>this is great news but………….. i’m kinda goin’ through poll withdrawal right now.</p> this is great news but………….. i’m kinda goin’ through poll withdrawal right now.

]]> By: beguiner http://firedoglake.com/2008/11/07/new-polls-show-majority-of-voters-support-employee-free-choice/#comment-1717212 beguiner Sat, 08 Nov 2008 01:08:08 +0000 http://firedoglake.com/2008/11/07/new-polls-show-majority-of-voters-support-employee-free-choice/#comment-1717212 <p>I posted in an earlier thread that Obama marched on the picket line with the Congress Hotel strikers in Chicago (UNITE HERE local 1).</p> I posted in an earlier thread that Obama marched on the picket line with the Congress Hotel strikers in Chicago (UNITE HERE local 1).

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