When Big Labor Bullies and Volunteers Collide

Interesting story from Malkin. She can be hit or miss but, I think that she is shining a rather bright light on an increasing problem.

Last week at a city council meeting in Allentown, Pa., a top official of the local Service Employees International Union chapter ranted about 17-year-old Scout Kevin Anderson's park cleanup work. Anderson devoted some 200 hours to the job in order to earn an Eagle Scout badge. He picked up trash and helped clear a 1,000-foot walking path with fellow members of Boy Scouts Troop 301 of Center Valley.

But SEIU's Nick Balzano gave them hell instead of thanks.

Balzano disparaged altruistic efforts in city parks and asserted that "there is (sic) to be no volunteers" since his union members were laid off. He then issued a witch hunt threat: "We'll also be looking into the Cub Scout or Boy Scout who did the trails. We may file another grievance on that." Citing union rules, he gave the Allentown city council, the Boy Scouts and all potential volunteers an iron-fisted ultimatum: "None of them can pick up a hoe. They can't pick up a shovel. They can't plant a flower. They can't clear a bicycle path. They can't do anything. Our people do that."

Last June, union officials in Baraboo, Wis., filed a complaint against volunteer firefighters who built sandbag barricades to protect the city from record flooding. They whined that city Department of Public Works employees should have been called first and demanded overtime pay (for work they didn't do)

So, where does this all lead? The Obama administration of course. I find this treatment of volunteers to be rather amusing considering Obama's big push to get everyone to "volunteer" and to give back to their country. The only catch is that you can only volunteer through White House approved organizations or you will get stomped by SEIU, a long term partner of Obama.

SEIU President Andy Stern in Washington speaks for all of Big Labor when he describes his organizing philosophy: "We prefer to use the power of persuasion, but if that doesn't work, we use the persuasion of power." President Obama, who has made national service an administration priority, has been and will continue to be silent about the Big Labor bullies who make public enemies of Scouts with trash bags and hoes.

You see, kids, Obama owes Stern (his most frequent White House visitor) and his union brethren. SEIU alone poured more than $60 million in compulsory membership dues into Obama's campaign and leaned on its workers to "volunteer" to knock on doors, place phone calls and send out mailers for the Democratic Party. No good deed goes unpunished by union bosses -- unless it benefits their political empire.

townhall.com...


I wonder what impact this will have on my local adopt a highway project??

What a douchebag that guy is. I am a Cub Scout leader and my oldest Son helped put in 6 wheel chair acessible picnic tables in local City parks. Perhaps people will see these groups(SEIU) for who they are: they are in it for the "ME" not the "WE".

reply to post by pavil


Cheers to you and to all of those in scouting and similar youth leadership organizations! A local group of scouts was out raking leaves of the homes of what few local WWII veterans we have left this past Veteran's Day. It was a refreshing sight to see.

Keep up the good work and watch your six for those SEIU thugs.

BTW. I did buy my share of popcorn this year Enough to take us through most of the Winter. I hope.

Now this just ticks me off. I'm a Teamster and we would never at least in my Local behave in this manner. Quite the opposite our local contributes to members' volunteer activities. For example, I asked them to contribute to my daughter's 4-H group when we were sending Christmas packages to the troops; they were more then happy to do so. The attitude being if a cause near and dear to members it's near and dear to the Union, and that is exactly how a union should be.

The behavior of this group is shameful and in no way indicative of all unions everywhere. They ought to be ashamed.

Kudo to all volunteer groups everywhere.