Spring time for Hitler and Germany

E.T.I. 2009

The title of the post is out of an old comedy, but the subject matter is not a comedy.

This year is the 74th anniversary of the Enabling Act by the German Reichstag which granted Adolf Hitler dictatorial legislative powers in the name of “protecting the nation”.

The United States Congress enacted the Patriot Act nearly six years ago.

Since the passage of the Patriot Act, George Bush has changed the office of the Presidency to attempt to gain an imperial presidency, more similar to a dictatorship than a co-equal branch of government.

At the same time, this year, Dick Cheney claims the Vice Presidency is not part of the legislative branch, but can give orders to anyone in that branch.

The German government, in the 1930's became a puppet serving the "leader", a "decider." The United States Congress in the years since the "War on Terror" until the last election had become a tool to our decider.

What can we say? They say if you boil a frog in water very slowly it will die, never feeling the heat. Whether that is true or not we are slowly giving up our sacred freedoms and losing control of our branches of government.

The Executive Branch is becoming overwhelmingly powerful with unaccountable power. The same mistake that many fearful Germans fell for in 1933 can happen in this country in 2007. If you only give up your freedoms, you will be safe. If you have nothing to hide, why do you argue?

President Bush is no Hitler. But his blatant disregard for the other branches of government is without doubt.

Let's not make the Patriot Act become an Enabling Act. The law also gave Hitler complete control of all Unions in Germany. Do you remember G. Bush destroying the right for homeland security workers to be in a Union? Do you remember loveable old Ronnie Regan firing air safety controllers regardless of the danger to the public?

What does a right winger hate more than Unions?

Law to Remedy the Distress of the People and the Empire

The Reichstag has enacted the following law, which is hereby proclaimed with the assent of the Reichsrat, it having been established that the requirements for a constitutional amendment have been fulfilled:

Article 1 In addition to the procedure prescribed by the constitution, laws of the Reich may also be enacted by the government of the Reich. This includes the laws referred to by Articles 85 Paragraph 2 and Article 87 of the constitution.

Article 2 Laws enacted by the government of the Reich may deviate from the constitution as long as they do not affect the institutions of the Reichstag and the Reichsrat. The rights of the President remain undisturbed.

Let me see, Gonzalez said it was O.K. to torture, we don’t need to prove guilt as long as we say they are guilty, and if his imperial Highness Dick Cheney shoots people and refuses to let the police on the property, that is just ducky too.

Article 3 Laws enacted by the Reich government shall be issued by the Chancellor and announced in the Reich Gazette. They shall take effect on the day following the announcement, unless they prescribe a different date. Articles 68 to 77 of the Constitution do not apply to laws enacted by the Reich government.

Article 4 Treaties of the Reich with foreign states which affect matters of Reich legislation shall not require the approval of the bodies of the legislature. The government of the Reich shall issue the regulations required for the execution of such treaties.

Thank the Democrats, they just refused to give G.B. a renewal on Fast Track treaties.

Article 5 This law takes effect with the day of its proclamation. It loses force on 1 April 1937 or if the present Reich government is replaced by another.

Right now the Republicans are trying to pass a law that would let the Secretary of the treasury declare you a terrorist with no proof or trial, confiscate all of your property down to your underwear and then deny you any legal way to defend yourself because you are a terrorist because why? Because the Secretary of the treasury said so. Wouldn’t this be a great tool for winning elections and quieting those pesky unions?

E.T.I. 2009
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As Maine Goes

E.T.I. 2009

I have posted repeatedly in the "As Maine Goes" forum and every time I apply logic and intelligence to the discussion the posters there say O&(&$$$ )*&)&$$ and then they say that the Union is P*)(*%%$$ etc. When I ask a series of logical questions and invite them to discuss the issues they run away, calling names, and run out of intelligence and the ability to speak English.

There was recently a hearing on Fair Share and I don't hear any crows of victory from Mr. Turek. I understand that even the arbitrator was becoming somewhat tired of hearing the same old arguments with no real proof. Mr. Turek seems to base all of his venom on the fact that the SEIU has someone in their employ that many years ago was convicted of a crime.

The real issue seems to be that Mr. Turek is not allowed to be the judge. He wants to punish the person forever, a punishment I reserve for child molesters. Well, there I go condemning child molesters. Yes, the SEIU has someone that was many years ago a different person, but they have proved with hard work and time that they have changed.

I refuse to give in to the Republican tricks. They want to make us afraid of everyone all the time.

We are proving ourselves better than the opposition every day and while I know I am not without flaws, the Union is not perfect, the Union is better than the "Only what I want counts!" crowd is looking for.

E.T.I. 2009
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Dudley said........

E.T.I. 2009

I placed this comment as a post because it it discusses issues, does not engage in personal attacks and shows what a real discussion is about.

Narsbars.

dudley said...
Hello, Narsbars:Consider me a longtime MSEA, SEIU Local 1989 friend. You may know me.Or not.I admire your site, and your support for the union. Also, your willingness to open the forum to other points of view. That said, I have observed the "fair share" debate in Maine for a while, and offer some comments.First, those who oppose fair share are a small minority - some are dues-paying union members, some are not. MSEA nevertheless represents them, and will continue to do so. They have different reasons for not supporting the union - some political, some personal. But unions like MSEA are not only democratic and speak for the individual, they are political, and seek out the best interests of their membership. They take political positions and endorse political candidates. Where they find support and shared interest, they offer the same. If you as a member don't like the choices, have your say, but just like in an election, majority rules. Doesn't mean you can't vote.MSEA's collective bargaining contracts, never perfect, sometimes lacking that which people may want, have nevertheless significantly improved the wages, benefits (especially health and retirement benefits), and working conditions of people who work in Maine, over thirty years. That in turn has benefited Maine. To say differently is pure ignorance. For those who believe they can individually bargain for themselves, look to why MSEA was formed; see what the history of individual bargaining really was.Last comment, Narsbars. You give credence to those who wish to attack the union. Fair enough. They should have their say, but by no means does that make them right. Judging by another website on the Public Forum, dominated by three posters, they have little of value to contribute, no real understanding of the true purposes of a union or how bargaining works, and occasionally add ugly personal comments. I have a special grievance against the contemptible individual who has attacked an MSEA employee for something done many years in the past, has long since paid a price and resolved the matter,and is a fine person today. You, sir, have no shame. You should.Thanks for the time and space. I think you will find that MSEA wins every issue related to fair share, especially on the issue of accountability. Let MSEA, Local 1989 be what it is and should be, and prosper!

E.T.I. 2009

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Secretary of Labor says "You stink"

E.T.I. 2009

You stink, you are an American worker.

The U.S. secretary of labor told Parade magazine the nation’s workers need a bath if they want to keep their jobs.

Secretary Chao told Parade it’s not just the low-cost of foreign labor that is enticing many U.S. employers to ship jobs overseas. The foreign workers dress and bathe better.

It is more than just cheap labor; employers say that foreign workers have a better attitude toward work. “American employees must be punctual, dress appropriately and have good personal hygiene,” says Chao.

Secretary Chaos’s Labor Department changed the rules to deny overtime to millions of workers. This year the Secretary tried to send 250 Department of Labor jobs to foreign workers but failed, this time.

Elaine Chao, a former corporate Banker comes from a rich family . Her father, who is Chinese, made his money in the shipping business, exporting Chinese goods.

This is just like Bush. Appoint a Secretary of Labor that wants to see more things made in China.

The Secretary’s experience in meetings with senior executives has shown her how badly an American that works for a living must smell. Maybe the rich don’t sweat.

The issue is American labor, especially Union labor, challenges corporate authority and attempts to help the workers, not just the CEO.

Tell it to the accountants. No one cares about the quality of work Americans do, it’s about cheap labor period.

On a positive note, some companies are beginning to pull manufacturing back to the USA from China. Some Chinese companies manufacture in the US. The quality in China is bad to worse. Ask the thousands of dead pets.

American workers are more productive and American made products carry a mark of high quality throughout the world.

Her husband, Senator Mitch McConnell is the same senator that led the battle against the Employee Free Choice Act (the bill that would have revolutionized the union movement in this country and helped raise a middle class again without having to spend any tax dollars.

This is the republican creed. Republicans try to divide people by saying that it is the other guys fault, not yours. The Union stole your jobs. If you work, they want you to think that the unemployed did it to themselves and the unemployed want what you have. If your employer decreased or eliminated your benefits or increased your workload, it’s because of greedy Unions and lazy workers. We can thank Ronald with Voodoo economics, and the two Bushes for the following attitudes that they have pushed.

Screw the middle class

Blame the Unions because they show what a good job should be.

Trickle down economics, and you know what trickles down.

Outsourcing

Downsizing

Free trade, although Clinton gets some blame for this one too.

Junkie talk show hosts

Republicans call names like anti-American, Union thug, moon bat and all of these names are used to avoid real debate and to divert attention from the real evil going on.

Now I worked myself up and I probably will lose my job because I might have worked up a sweat. Good night, brush your teeth; don’t use the anti-freeze laden Chinese toothpaste. Say good night to Fluffy and Fido if their Chinese pet food didn’t kill them.

Give your kids their medicine and hope it is not a Chinese fake, but at least you can be assured that the fakes and poisons probably don’t smell bad.

What do they put in Chinese deodorant?

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Seven Lies

E.T.I. 2009

There is a hearing Monday July 16 about calculating the Fair Share Fee.

Stay tuned for more or see the comments in the previous post for comments from both sides.

Seven Lies, taken from emails sent to me.
The Seven Lies you must know is a sold to employers trying to prevent or bust a Union. I am printing excerpts of emails sent to me. These Union busting lies are being sold to keep workers in their place. The Italics are my comments.

In this first installment the Union Busters say that the Union will lose pay and benefits for the employees to get a contract.
At the end of this I will make ONE comment that shows the lie for what it is.

Here is today's installment of "SEIU: The 7 Lies You Must Know"
==================================================
SEIU: The 7 Lies You Must Know
The First Lie - You Can't Lose
==================================================

This one comes out in every campaign: The SEIU is a "no lose" proposition. Weaker organizers just promise employees will get a big raise or improved benefits if they vote in a union. Smarter organizers (and the weaker ones when it becomes clear they are dealing with an employee who knows how bargaining actually works) will say something like the union would never agree to cuts in current wages and benefits, so employees can only win.

The facts? Bargaining is a two-way street and the Service Employees regularly agree to lesser pay, benefits or work conditions in a first contract.
Unions need a contract once they are voted in - no contract, no dues and the enormous investment in the organizing effort is lost. Of course this always depends on the relative bargaining power of the parties, but most of the time - especially in today's tough market - unions have to agree to concessions to get that first contract. If you want to call better pay, working conditions, and representation a concession then you must be an employer.

The SEIU has institutional goals in contract negotiations (like dues check off and union security) that smart companies will only agree to in exchange for something else. (Note the subtle lie here, implying that the employer is always 100% in control of whether there will be a union or not) That something else is normally something employees either currently enjoy or something the union promised they'd get during the organizing campaign.

Any former organizer (and even current organizers if they are "off the record") will tell you that as soon as an election is won the job becomes lowering expectations of the new members. (Since this is written by Union Busters, how do have such great conversations with Union organizers?) Why would that be true? Because nobody would vote in the Service Employees if they thought they would pay dues for less pay and benefits. Unions are also great at "spinning" concessions at the bargaining table.

The bottom line is that there is no such thing as a free lunch. (unless you are management with no union, then your employees buy your lunch) Negotiations are full of trade-offs from the two sides to the contract. Some will benefit the SEIU (notice I did not say the employees - the employees are not a party to the contract). ( NO? I remember this employee sitting at a bargaining table for months and no SEIU spooks whispered in my ear telling me what to do.) And some will benefit the company. If that doesn't happen there won't be an agreement.

That's not to say that employees won't benefit at all under the new agreement. The SEIU has to get an agreement that benefits them and politically won't get them voted out of office. But the company has to get a contract they can live with.
If that happens there will be a contract - even if that agreement cuts some of the current pay, benefits or work conditions of employees. If not, no deal.

O.K. Time for a wake up call. The SEIU will lose money for employees. So what company in their right mind wouldn’t help employees get a Union that will cut pay and benefits? So much for lie number one, only the SEIU isn’t the one lying.

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Mark Turek Speaks out. Click on comments to read All.

E.T.I. 2009

Mark,

You are invited to present any of your issues on my Blog http://www.unionmaine.blogspot.com/

While you may think I am a Union Lackey, I feel that my viewpoint is simply 180 degrees opposed from yours. What matters to me like the X files is that the truth is out there. The greater danger is that if we do not have a forum or if anyone is denied a forum then the truth is endangered specie. I suggest you have a “guest post”, rather than answering any of the current topics. Your points will be presented fairly. If you take advantage of this offer, be aware that a post could be edited according to the rules of my blog. I will submit my edits you for approval. If you wish to be a guest poster please include a picture, if you wish. You may also post anonymously or using a handle.

Mark, you are wrong, you have not provided any proof, and you have claimed that if you lose it will be due to a crooked court. I will not participate allowing you to claim the game is rigged. I offer you a podium for your point of view.

In total disagreement but with support for free speech

Narsbars

Trust me, I work for the government

Please read Mark Turek's response. If Mr. Turek chooses to post as a guest poster he will have a featured post.

The Same invitation goes to anyone interested. I have said that the people opposed to our Union have one strength and that stength is persistance and dedication. I hope to hear from all view points as the real danger is lack of involvement. I have told Mr. Turek that I do not agree with him on any point. I think he is totally wrong, and his facts are questionable, BUT free speech will not be denied. To mangle Chandler, "This if Liberty hall, you may spit on the mat and call the cat a bastard".

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Pennsylvania Furloughs 24,000

E.T.I. 2009

Pennsylvania Republicans are holding State employees hostage while at the same time denying alternative energy. Talk about multi tasking!

Governor Rendell ordered a shutdown today for all non-essential employees. Of course the casinos and liquor stores were considered essential. Getting your license doesn't count.
Budget negotiations broke down over republican refusal to allow about six dollars a year to be added to electric bills to fund alternative energy sources. The State ran out of money and the governor was forced to furlough 24,000 State employees.

The governor told State employees that they had worked very hard but had started the process of budget "too late". Now on to Maine. We need to start becoming involved in our own budget process before it is too late. The legislature is already planning on how to spend money two years from now and if you think that a fair raise for State employees is high on the list, you are sadly mistaken.

It is Summer, we will be getting a bonus check, everyone thinks that "the union" will just do it for me, again, next time. Follow the headlines. You are a convenient target and unless we organize far more efficiently and learn to anticipate the next shot.
We will be next.

E.T.I. 2009


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New Hampshire and Maine

E.T.I. 2009

First, I don't know the whole story.

I don't know what kind of fight our brothers and sisters had to fight. This article is not about what they did but about what our government will try to do to us very soon.

The average pay of a State worker is $35,000.00.

Many State employees could make more in private industry and raises have not kept pace with inflation.

Why work for less? State employees have always taken less money for the same jobs because of the trade off. State employees have a pension system and health insurance, along with benefits paid from their dues such as income protection unmatched by any employer funded plan.

We did not get huge raises, but we negotiated at the same time that Union members and SEIU staff were fighting a battle to protect State employee health care.

Compare N.H. and Maine. SEIU 1984 is voting on a contract that beats the raises in Maine hands down, or does it? SEIU 1984 members get 10-percent over two years, but SEIU 1984 members will now pay toward their health insurance premiums, rising to $30 a pay period (two weeks) in 2009.

State employees have traded lower pay and raises as a trade off to keep health care and a solid pension plan. This year the N.H. Union said the trade off wasn’t worth it anymore.

"It's wonderful that everybody can go to the doctor when you're sick, but if you can't afford a house to live in, what good is it going to do you?" said Diana Lacey, chair of the State
Employees Association bargaining team.

As a member of the SEIU negotiating team for the last two contracts, I have told members that maybe some aspect of the contracts were not great but “it opened the door”. The legislators in Maine would love to have that door open, and it would be a trap door, with a noose around the neck of our health care.

The Union said "In order to make the wages more competitive, you've got to adjust the health care plan as well," said the head of the N.H. team. We don't know what kind of attacks they faced or how hard these decisions were to make, but we can be sure that they made the decisions that they felt were best for the membership. The trouble is that our legislators will see this as weakness and they will come after us. "Do you want some candy, Union member? "

In Maine we have given up raises or in some cases lost ground to protect our health and pensions. One two year contract is not worth it to sell away years of losses and promises.

To quote a N.H. State Worker "We don't make that much money, it was always the benefits. And now that door's open," "They're chipping away, chipping away."

E.T.I. 2009

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Susan the Bruce: Deal or No Deal

This is about living in the sticks. If you find yourself hitch-hiking on the internet highway please read Susan the Bruce. A lot of humor, a lot of laughs.


Susan the Bruce: Deal or No Deal

Susan the Bruce: NH State Employees

E.T.I. 2009



Susan the Bruce: NH State Employees

Humor, laughs, Union, and all with a highly skilled writer. Go take a look. If you don't know what is going on next door, you won't know it when it knocks on your door. Click Susan the Bruce, the title is the link.

E.T.I. 2009

There is a pattern, or here it comes again.

E.T.I. 2009
Texas 2005

In Texas they don’t think promises need to be kept to State employees. The idea is to eliminate the state contribution for retirees' dependent health insurance premium, reduce appropriations to the state retirement system, implement a tiered coinsurance plan for state employees and require persons who spend more on health care to pay a larger portion of the expense; reduce the state's contribution to state employee health insurance costs from 100 percent to 90 percent for active employees, and require state retirees under age 65 to pay part of their health insurance costs.

December 2006 San Diego

The county will stop paying $30 million annually for health care for thousands of current and future retirees.

New Federal rules will require public pension systems to list among their debts all future health care benefit payments to retirees. Listing retiree debt will make pension plans a prime target for “debt reduction”.

This is not a pleasant thing to do, one politician said after voting to kill benefits that had been promised. They keep saying that very few private companies offer guaranteed retirement benefits, and almost none promise retirement health care, as if that makes it OK to break a promise.

2006

GM and the UAW last year agreed to a court settlement requiring union retirees to pay part of their health-care costs for the first time. The accord included a $3 billion fund set up by GM that requires union contributions to help defray retirees' expenses.

February 13, 2007

WASHINGTON – The Bush administration wants cuts to funding for veterans' health care, even as badly wounded troops return from Iraq.

The plan is for consecutive cutbacks in 2009 and 2010 and then a freeze.

The administration is willingly proposing massive cuts in VA health care with no care for the vets he has maimed in this illegal war.

February 2007, New York SEIU

MSEA-SEIU Members Successfully Protect Health Care

I have a hard time finding success stories anywhere but Maine. Here, we won. Next time?

Keep your eyes open, the legislature will be working on the next set of attacks on our wages and benefits in a year, not 18 months, not two years. The next budget is started at least a year ahead of July 2009. The more success they see with other States cutting benefits and the less they hear from you only encourages the greedy &()*%$$#S.

Late on May 24, legislative leaders reached agreement on a two-year state budget that protects the health care of current and retired state workers.

Legislative leaders rejected demands by some legislators to shift over $20 million in health care costs onto current and retired state workers.

June 15, 2007: After being hit with healthcare cuts for the third time in a year, Local 814 members went to the June general membership meeting and demanded answers.

June 2007

N.H. SEIU gets 10% raise-----or not. VOTES TO BE COUNTED JULY 9.

The agreement between New Hampshire officials and the State Employees Association bargaining team gives about 51 cents an hour raise right away.

And it offers them a 3.5 percent pay hike in 2008. A 5.5 percent hike in 2009, but to get that raise, state employees are going to have to begin paying part of their health care premiums at 25 dollars per pay period going up to $30.00 a pay period. Let’s see, the raise this year is $20.00 a week, they get to keep $7.50 a week, which is about a 1% raise. I don’t know but if the average wage is $35,000.00 then $30.00 a pay period is about 2 ¼ percent of the raise. 3.5 minus 2 ¼ equals a 1 and a quarter percent raise. The third raise 5.5% is now is about 3.5%.

Let’s sum up, in the first year there is a 1% raise, second year a 1 ¼ percent raise and at the end of the contract a 3 ½ percent raise. Total 5 ¾ percent over two years and that doesn’t factor in the health care going to $30.00 bi-weekly during the contract. Do you think they will ever close that barn door? How much more will the legislature want next time? I read what the employees say, not the Union and they are screaming. The door is open!

Steve Norton of the New Hampshire Center for Public Policy Studies says for years, the SEA kept health benefits off the table during labor negotiations.

Steve says, the Union’s (My words) folding up and caving in, looks good for future labor negotiations.

“This opens the door to a broader conversation about the mix of wages and benefits” “that’s historic, it obviously hasn’t happened in the past”. Looks like they have developed a big appetite for State employee take aways.

SEIU 1984 officials are recommending it pass.

If my Union ever recommends that something that takes away the best benefit we have should pass, I won’t be calling Ghost Busters.

If you want to know how SEA Union members really feel and how some of them have been fed bull for breakfast read

This Article

E.T.I. 2009

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