Culture of Union Corruption
Most readers know that we have detailed numerous incidences of Union thuggary and corruption (I just don't have time this morning to draw you to those links. Find them starting in May 2006 archives if you wish.)
However it looks like I am not the only one who has picked up on the corrupt Unions in the PacNW. Check out www.unionfacts.com and especially this link to the Washington Teachers Union scandal.
Note to readers: Remember it is the unions who have spent twice as much money in Oregon already from out of state to fight against Oregon citizens. Unfortunately the press seems to overlook the scandalous out of state influence of the Unions... but not for long?
I am thinking not for long. Because there is a new series of television ads that are going to be run, I think probably starting today if my media buyer sources are correct that might say something like this. (that url paste looked odd so if the link does not work simply cut and paste this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZrrkyGfcabk&mode=related&search=)
Or you can go to the unionfacts.com website and view the television ads there.
Finally a little help on outing the corrupt Union Thug environment. Remember folks these are the people who set up thug lines to prevent honest citizens from signing petitions.
Thugs revealed. Stay tuned.
Yip Yip
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20 comments:
These are great ads, I love them. And the left in Oregon doesn't know what to do. Over at "Preemptive Karma", they are trying SO HARD to try to link the unionfacts.com campaign with the Rainy Day Amendment campaign. They are making wild assumptions that not even Howard Dean would make.
The funny thing is how hypocritical the left is. Their buddies funded by George Soros have been spreading lies, virtually unchallenged, for years. Now that the right is fghting back, trying to correct the record if you will, the left is just going ballistic.
I love it. Notice on the other lefto blogs none of them claim the ads are incorrect, none of them challenge the ads with facts of their own.
Bravo!
Well Coyote, Maybe you should go to a union meeting, picnic or rally and speak your mind. I bet someone there would get a real yip, yip out of you. That I would like to see on YouTube.com - Chicken Coyote getting his ass beat.
Abe Johnson
What is your real name Coyote?
How about we quit complaining about the problem and get to the solution. The solution is a prohibition against deducting money from paychecks for political activity against the will of the employee.
Yeah, and I'm tired of Gordon Smith using my tax dollars in ways I don't approve of. Plus, the worst part is I don't have a choice, if I want to live in Oregon, I have to be represented by that jerk. It's not fair!!!
But wait, there's those pesky elections - wherein I can try and convince my fellow Oregonians to dump Gordo. Except, that I have to wait for 6 years, unlike those lucky union bastards that can try and de-certify or force a change in leadership any time they want. Plus, fair share members can always assert their Beck vs. CWA rights and get a portion of their dues back.
I think I'm going to start demanding back a portion of my federal income taxes. Maybe the part that Gordon Smith has voted to spend on agriculture subsidies for Christmas Tree "farmers", Halliburton no-bid contracts, and bridges for 50 people in Alaska.
And don't even get me started on how my homeowners' association is using my contributions in ways I don't want. Promoting that Halloween paganism and tooth decay stuff...
Just admit it - you don't like unions, particularly public employee unions. Fine, but claiming that public school teachers, nurses, and firefighters are all thugs (or most, or even 1%) is just silly.
Yes, the anti-petition people are assholes (aren't they being paid to be?) and I agree that they shouldn't hinder citizens from collecting signatures.
But, I think that if Coyote were honest, he'd acknowledge that Arno has a recent history of some pretty shady stuff, shredding Demo voter reg. cards and all. Just for instance.
Further, if a few jerks at Voter Integrity (or whatever they're called) are an indictment on all public employee union members, than that child molester Lou Beres is an indictment on every member of the Oregon Christian Coaltion, Mult. Co. GOP, and the Oregon Family Council.
But, that guilt by association crap doesn't fly w/ me, despite being used and abused by almost all politicos these days, on both sides. (And kudos to the Libertarians, because they do it by far the least).
George Soros is no different than Coors, Koch, Mellon Scaife, that Rev. Moon clown and a thousand other rich assholes who have way too much power in our political process.
Can we move on????
Apologies for the rant.
One last thing, its August 19th, and time to call a spade a spade. None of of OR's congressional races are going to be seriously contested, including the fifth. If Hooley were in any kind of trouble, we'd already be bombarded w/ ads. The NRCC has enough on their plate (watch how much they dump defending DeLay's seat or Reichert up in WA), they're not going after a five term incumbent in a district where Bush is radioactive. Erickson might be a lovely individual, but there ain't gonna be a few million coming his way (what it takes to beat incumbents these days - see earlier statement about rich assholes). Not this cycle....
One last thing, Ben Westlund isn't going to become the Demo Sec. of State candidate. Even the most cursory look at his voting record over the years will show that he's unnaceptable to the interest groups that dominate Demo primaries in Oregon. That's why he only got that one endorsement from corrections officers (at least, I think that's who it was).
Time for sleep.
Hope all have a good weekend.
Disgruntled Oregonian
The supporters of this ad campaign (read: out of state money) have also supported attacks on
American Medical Association
Center for Food Safety
Centers for Disease Control
Mothers Against Drunk Driving
National Association of High School Principals
Tighter anti-drunk driving legislation
Public reports on the dangers of obesity
Limits on the sale of junk foods in public schools
Surgeon General of the United States
Now I understand how they might be against the CDC for choosing to mention condoms, but the Nat'l Assoc of HS Principals???? And the Surgeon General of the US of A? And MADD?
This is a bogus campaign. It will be outed as such. It will be a delight to read the C & E reports in October.
A little transparency please, Coyote. Republcians hate unions because they don't like the notion of having to pay people a living wage. Working families built this nation, keep it running and can put it to a halt at any time.
There must be a helplessness that anti-working family Republicans feel knowing that they would starve if America's labor force decides to stay home. The laborers of our great nation keep this place running. You mess with that and you stop this nation cold.
Republicans, like some Democrats have been pissing on working people and taking them for granted for a long time. Can you blame them for reacting when you clowns attempt to hurt their livelyhood. You would do the same if you were in their position.
The fact is, Coyote, you and others in your party are treading on thin ice--a powder keg, if you will. You claim that unions get out of state money, but every stunt Oregon Republicans engage in such as TABOR is primarily funded by Citizen's for a Sound Economy and FreedomWorks. You bitch and moan claiming unions are using "thuggishness" all the while ORGOP backed signature gathering outfits (Trickey and Democracy Resources) break Oregon law.
Be honest with yourself and all of us Coyote, you are nothing but a hater of working men and women of this nation. You would love nothing more than to have their collective bargaining abilities halted so cheap employers can pay them "what they think they are worth".
When you attempt to post your oh so noble trash, at least have the guts to tell your true feelings. At least be honest about you disdain for those that keep our nation running.
Since I seem to be unable to post a comment to the George Allen item, I'll try to post it here:
Mount Laurel lost only because there was a long-existing (back to the Civil War era, or at least to the late 19th century) black community which was vulnerable. If the only poor there had been white, they would have lost in court. Just make sure your discrimination is economic and not racial, and you've got it made. Is this a great country or what?
I'm up early today ... but I hope the thugs who posted late last night are sleeping in and resolving some of that anger.
I was hoping to see some criticism of the facts. Like the ads - is it true that unions are trying to replace confidential voting in democratic elections with "card signing" rules like in that ad about the school class election? Or is that false?
If it's true, then what is the substance of the argument in favor of that? Does democratic representation suffer without an element of intimidation built into the rules?
No, I think the union bosses are really just politicians concerned with gaining and keeping power. They are anti-democratic not based on principle, but because it is the most effective way to satisfy their self-interest.
In a system of self-governance like democracy, this addiction to power where any and all means justify the ends, amounts to perversion of duty and abuse of authority. It is an example of corruption.
Wake up, union thug-boss apologists, and address that.
Abe,
My point exactly.
The real big problem (for me that is) is the Public Employee Unions (PEUs).
C'mon you electricians, plumbers, pipefitters etc... really cannot believe that the poor 'ol PEU is part of the downtrodden "hard-working-man."
The PEUs are primarily a haven for the social engineering leftist set. And they would be summarily dismissed by the rest of society if they had not figured out how to conveniently claim "brotherhood," with the private sector unions.
Then once they did that they were able to use taxpayer dollars to lobby politicians to increase their pay to ask for more taxpayer dollars.
What a gig!
Now are there any PEU Thugs that actually want to debate the issues contained on the website? Or just deflect the issue to non-issues?
Anon115,
Now Becky you are up a little late obsessing over this site aren't you? Guess what Becky, those ads won't show up on C&E's because they are not part of any campaigns.
Despite your little conspiracy theories.
Oh, have there been any stories of late regarding the now more than $2 MILLION dollars that have come from OUT OF STATE unions to fight against Oregonians?
That is twice as much as the measures they hope to fight.
Pot to kettle... take that log out of your eye....
Republicans, like some Democrats have been pissing on working people and taking them for granted for a long time. Can you blame them for reacting when you clowns attempt to hurt their livelyhood. You would do the same if you were in their position.
I always love it when people like Robert and associated gutless wonders who post as "anonymous" try to tackle issues they know nothing about.
Let's look at a couple of specific examples, shall we?
METRO is run by Liberals who believe that high density and mass transit - the more expensive, the better - will solve all of Portland's problems.
METRO recently signed off on a contract with AFSME that includes cost-of living pay increases and other benefits, while negotiations with their other union LIU483 have been stalled for months. Why? Because METRO's appropriately-neamed Kevin Dull doesn't want the latter to enjoy the same benefits he cheerfully signed off on in the case of the former.
Why? Well, Oregon may love dreamers, but METRO loves planners. And many of their high-paid planners are represented by AFSME, and you want to keep them happy.
By contrast, the 483 folks are mostly tradespeople - they do facility maintenance, park ranger jobs, and stuff like that. In other words, they do actual work, rather than planning.
For non-represented staff, the situation was even more amusing:
METRO implemented a PEP last year - that's a Performance Evaluation Program. They cut some 60% of the accounting staff, and dumped the full workload onto the remaining two. They busted their tails, even working at home. Their evaluation? "Needs improvement".
Who got the "Meets or exeeds" awards? All planners or senior managers. Every damn one.
What is your real name "I Am Coyote"? I might know you.
The Union Thugs aren't the rank and file members. The rank and file members are just simple working men and women.
The Thugs are the leadership. The ivory towered people at the top who make high 5 figure and 6 figure salaries, while the rank and file struggle along to make it from one check to the next.
Unions, tho at one time a good thing, have long since outlived their usefulness.
In any union based job, the wages are set on scaled. Starting Salary is X. Your next step up in job is X+ a certain percentage, your third step is Second Step + a certain percentage, and so on and so and so on.
If your first step, by contract is $8 an hour, and your second step is $8+10% an hour ($8.80) and your third step is $8.80 plus 15% ($10.12), a hike in the base salary to $8.75 results in increases across the board. Step two becomes $9.625, step three becomes $11.068.
Now, people like Terry will point out that any one who can complain about some making $11.068 an hour must be a heartless jackass.
However, the percentages don't stop there. They continue all the way up.
A union mandated raise in starting salaries, ends up giving everyone up the line, all the way to highest union position, a raise.
When unions first came along, they were needed. Workers had no rights. Unbelievably harsh working conditions, near slave wages, company stores, "St. Peter don't you come a calling, I owe my soul to the company store."
That's been corrected. 40 hour work weeks, 8 hour work days, living wages, safe working conditions, being paid in cash not script.
Now unions have nothing to fight for other than greed.
The Union Bosses (the Thugs) have become exactly what it was they were fighting 60-70-80 years ago.
They have realized that they can spew the rhetoric about helping the poor guy on the bottom while making millions. They don't care about the guy on the bottom. They care about keeping the power they have found and the money they are getting. The guy on the bottom is a means to an end.
I have worked for others for 17 years. My first job, I made $3.35 a hour in a movie theatre. I have been management making $30,000 a year, and I have been just a grunt for $10.00 an hour.
Now it's my turn. My taget date for opening my first business is Sept 4, 2006. I never thought I was getting paid what I am worth. I am a truly god like Chef. Instead of whining to someone else about how I should get a raise, I looked at everyone gave them the middle finger and decided I would do it on my own.
non_oblitis
Good for you! Everyone who has the courage deserves the chance to step up to the plate and swing away. The opportunities for small business start-ups decrease daily in this Country, in part because the high cost of getting started created by Public Employee Unions.
For those of you who do not understand the difference between someone taking money out of your paycheck for political activity and Government Services, I feel sorry for you.
It really is the difference between Liberty we mostly experience in this Country and what they had in Russia for decades. You might as well be a potted plant.
Your point is well taken about the 6 figure salaries of union heads. That is just plain wrong and shouldn't be happening.
However, the right attacks the rank and file on a daily basis. What do you expect union members to do but close ranks?
If, and this is asking for a lot I know, but if ya'll would allow PEU members enough breathing room to democratize their own unions that issue would go away. There are always proposals brought up at every general assembly to reduce top level salaries, but the very valid argument is that as long as the attacks continue there is a need to recruit the best qualified (and therefore high paid) managers.
If this is really about graft and corruption in the PEUs then work toward a solution - which means empowering them to take corrective action. Union members will most certainly do it.
Opting out and joining associations like Evergreen is foolish because members get almost no services for their money. And this argument that unions are not needed is completely bogus when you examine that the Bush Administration has attempted to eliminate overtime pay, approved waivers for employers who want to skip out on workers comp, and kept the minimum wage stagnant for close to ten years.
Unions are not perfect and if you allow the membership enough space to work on themselves it will change for the better.
Its hard to worry about draining the swamp when you are up to your a$$ in alligators.
Anon907,
We are not attacking the rank and file. Especially not the rank and file in the private trade unions.
Heck I know many government union employees and have relatives that are PEU members. (I also know most of them HATE the Union but have no recourse.)
However I have to disagree with your assesment that somehow public employees are on the verge of veritable sweatshop conditions.
They are not. Those are some of the best and most reliable jobs on the face of the planet (working for the government that is) and for thug leadership to make it sound like they are always on the verge of starving to death during the next snow, is just plain deceitful.
Quite frankly the very existence of PEUs should be illegal. There is no way that a group of thugs should be able to use MY tax dollars to buy-off politicians in order to take more of MY tax dollars.
Ted, I am not "anonymous 115." I'm not anonymous anything. Other people have figured out this scam, too. I'm not part of the union campaign, but every time I bring up a problem, your response is to throw charges at the unions rather than respond to the charges. You are doing exactly what you accuse them of doing. So let's see whether you can answer some questions or get your friends who know the answers to respond.
I have for some time been asking questions that no one has ever answered. Who wrote the "Rainy Day Amendment"? Was it based on model legislation? Where did that legislation originate? Whose idea was it? Did TAO come up with a great idea for a popuflation measure and approach ALG and ATR for money, or was the measure and money package offered to TAO? Where is the documentation to support that answer? And is it pure coincidence that popuflation and term limits measures are on the ballot in several states this year, and that anti-union ads are being run in those states - and only those states - emphasizing taxes, and that ATR and ALG are funding the measures in all those states? How did all those people come up with the same ideas at the same time?
Heather Wilhelm says local groups have emailed requests for help with their local efforts, and ALG is just so happy to help them all out. Where is the emailed request for help from TAO?
If the source of the funding for these measures doesn't matter, then why the massive effort to hide the source of the funding? Why the complex network of front groups? Why didn't Howard Rich just cut a check to TAO instead of funneling the money through multiple groups? How much of a cut did Norquist keep before passing Rich's money through to all the local groups? What's wrong with people asking who gave the money to ALG and ATR?
If the source of the money in support of these campaigns doesn't matter, then why does it matter what is the source of the money fighting them?
And could you tell me please specifically what work you have done for Howard Rich in the past and how much did he pay you to do it?
Becky,
First of all this is the first time you have actually asked any real questions. Usually you make wild eyed accusations that come up just shy of blaming alien abductions for Democratic losses and successful signature gathering.
So, in short, Don has had that measure written for years. Since at least before 1999. Or at least some variation of it.
It was written by someone within the Executive Club.
The rest of your inquiry is akin to the late great Sen. Joe McCarthy's inquisition of proposed Communist operatives.
As if just because someone could not come up with a two year old email to show YOU implicates some deep dark conspiracy is just looney.... but then again...
I don't see any MASSIVE effort to hide any funding. Well unless you count the Unions hiding their funding over the last decade in order to block Oregon signature gatherers. Already in this cycle the unions have, behind the scenes, spent twice, TWICE as much money as conservatives have in the state of Oregon (and that is just the out of state sources)... but that is of no issue to liberals such as yourself.
What about in 2004? Any query from liberals such as yourself about how much money the PEUs spent blocking and tackling conservative debate?... nothing to see here... move along....
And in 2002? Remember the red shirted thugs scaring people away from petitioners? Or is the the third monkey in the "hear, see, speak, no evil trio?"
Did it ever occur to you that the reason the source of the massive amounts of money being spent to interfere with the people of Oregon is of concern is because the liberals have tried to cloud the issue? After all, I would much rather just have a debate about the merits of the measures. Yet the liberals could not do that... no... they had to try to make an issue of funding.
Ooops.... found out they get more funding from out of state and corrupt sources than anyone on our side... better find a new strategy.
And why would I tell you what work I would have and would not have done? What difference would that have made? Oh well except it would allow you to continue to obfuscate and ignore the merits of the measures before the voters.
One thing I can tell you is that I have never broken the law. When I had petition sheets (back in the day) without circulator signatures I MAILED THE SHEETS BACK! Perhaps some folks just can't fathom the fact that most on our side abide by the law.
Unlike the Unions who have 200 CONVICTIONS of racketeering in the last year alone.
Move along folks... nothing to see here.
yip yip
Don has had that measure written for years. Since at least before 1999.
Interesting. Yet it passed in Colorado in 1992. Someone else obviously wrote it first. I believe you that Don worked on it back then, and I know Sizemore also worked on it. There was considerable difficulty with trying to get it to hold up under the single subject rule, and there was also trouble finding anyone to put in the money for it. In any case, it suddenly is funded now, coincidentally at the same time and by the same people funding TABOR-offshoots everywhere else. It seems to me to be a tad more looney to believe this is a coincidence than to believe it is part of a clearly documented coordinated effort.
just because someone could not come up with a two year old email to show YOU implicates some deep dark conspiracy is just looney
Reputable organizations tend to keep files of important documents such as funding requests. And reputable organizations don't tend to hand out hundreds of thousands of dollars without someone having written a grant and gone through some sort of approval process. Something is wrong when an email sent to some front organization that hasn't been around very long can generate a contribution for hundreds of thousands of dollars. One would expect documentation of some sort to exist. It would certainly put a lot of minds at ease to see that documentation, and I don't see what is wrong with asking for it.
I don't see any MASSIVE effort to hide any funding.
You're either blind as a bat, hopelessly naive, or a liar. I'll let you decide which one it is. Several persistent individuals have spent countless hours of research trying to unravel the myriad of front groups that have been created to obfuscate the source of the funding. One can only ask why people would go to such lengths to hide it. You can deny it all day long, but the fact is a MASSIVE effort has been undertaken to hide the source of the money. Perhaps you ought to take up reading.
unless you count the Unions hiding their funding over the last decade in order to block Oregon signature gatherers.
Ooh, there's a news flash for you.
the liberals have tried to cloud the issue
If you don't like issue clouding, then stop pointing at those horrible union people and talk about the concerns people have brought up about the measure.
I would much rather just have a debate about the merits of the measures.
Then why don't you. There are many websites with very clear, factual information out there that are raising serious concerns. Go ahead and address them. I'd like to hear it.
why would I tell you what work I would have and would not have done?
You are the one who disclosed that you had done so. I think it speaks to your motives. Prove me wrong.
One thing I can tell you is that I have never broken the law.
Oh, but that is a lie. Don't you remember back in 1998 when you walked in the door of OTU with a big check from a donor who didn't want it known they were supporting one of your campaigns and told me Sizemore had said OTU could launder the money for you? You gave me the check and I wrote an equal sized check back to your campaign and you took it. Don't you remember my telling you at the time to pipe down because you had said what was going on out loud in front of another employee? You can deny it and probably will, but you know the truth and I know the truth.
Sleep well tonight, Mr. Perfect.
I'll sleep well as you continue to make stuff up.
As for the merits... we have talked about them here. Yet it is you who tried to cloud the merits by claiming that there is some deep dark Norquist scheme. I am just waiting for you and others to say that Rove told Norquist who told Rich who told ... well you get the picture.
I don't know how officially the funding came about for this round of the Rainy Day Amendment. I assume it was probably a series of phone calls and one on one meetings. I highly doubt there was the one pivotal email that seems to allude you.
As far as motives? What do motives have to do with anything? What if my motive was to keep TLs before voters? So... What if my motive was to feed my capitalist beast? So?...
What if my motive was to keep the TLs issue before Oregon voters AND feed my capitalist beast?
So, deride my motives. Whoop da freakin do da day.
Do I care what motivates the thug Patty Wentz? No... motives only matter to liberals. After all that is where hate crime legislation came from.
As far as your "MASSIVE" effort to hide funding by utilizing different organizations... well I might point you to oh....
- Voter Integrity Project
said
- Our Oregon
said
- Defend Oregon
said
- AFSCME
said
- Nevadans for Nevada
etc...
I would have thought that you were not as naive not to have known that in politics you often have cross pollinazation.
Both sides do it and you will usually see that each organization has a slightly different mission with different yet intersecting personalities.
Did you know that TAO and OIA and Freedomworks are all different groups? Did you know that the folks involved in those organizations all know EACH OTHER!? Stop the presses!
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