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Monday, December 10, 2012

December 10, 2012 - Morning Headlines

- Union bosses and members alike prepare to begin protesting Michigan's potential move to become a right-to-work state. Peaceful protest trainings and other assemblies have many unions ready march on Lansing on Tuesday (Fox News): http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2012/12/09/unions-prepare-for-protests-legal-challenges-over-right-to-work-push/%20?test=latestnews

- President Obama and Speaker Boehner met Sunday for this first time in weeks. Though no deal was reached, the meeting was productive and communication lines are open (ABC News): http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/fiscal-cliff-talks-boehner-obama-meet-face-face/story?id=17920305#.UMXRfeT7Jqw

- To to self-cited technical problems, the reclusive country of North Korea has extended the window for its rocket test launch (CBS News): http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-202_162-57558155/n-korea-extends-rocket-launch-window-a-week/

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2 comments:

  1. Private sector unions are simply obsolete and no matter HOW much they try to blame the e-e-vil rich company owners, UNION thuggery is the MAIN reason American manufacturing has LEFT the country.

    The PUBLIC sector should never have been allowed to unionize in the first place. Even huge government guru, FDR foresaw the problem we're now facing with them.

    Their current benefits and pensions are pretty much double what their harder working private sector counterparts earn - those who are FORCED through TAXATION to PAY their bloated salaries and bennies.

    "We pay taxes, too," they cry. True - but THEY alone, reap the benefit. Q: Does your state's DMV run ANY more efficiently AFTER their union gets a 'mandatory' raise? A: Nope! Your taxes went up and the service still sucks.

    Unions have bankrupted much of the private sector (See: Hostess) They are bankrupting cities, counties and states and they STILL want more. It's way past time for them to go.

    Disclaimer: I've been a member of both a private sector and a public sector union... not by choice, but through coercion - even though NV IS a right to work state.

    Private: I voted AGAINST a strike for the LV Strip & Downtown. The contract offer was good with a 6% increase over three years - it was 2.5% to start and compounded yearly it would have been more like 8% by the end of it.

    The ignorant masses were upset that they weren't getting the WHOLE thing NOW - and we walked, while fully half the hotels signed 'sweetheart' deals and continued to work.

    Six weeks, much unrest and many arrests later, we ended up with the EXACT same contract *they* voted to strike over.

    The MGM Grand (now Bally's) and Four Queens employees refused to sign, never did and continued to picket.

    After the fire, lawsuits and subsequent rebuilding, the Grand was sold to another company, but the UNION kept picket lines at the Queens for YEARS!

    In the case of the public sector union (support staff/NEA - go figure), dues were automatically deducted whether you joined or not.

    I could 'opt out' but was threatened with loss of my 'union procured bennies' - which 'I' paid into with matching funds coming from my employer - NOT the union.

    And...now that I'm shut of those thugs, I make as much - or better money - as a free agent, based on MY OWN skills and what I bring to the company : )

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