Occupy Labor Unions

The OWS has spoken out against the top 1% and corporate greed and lobbying for political purposes. It is time for the OWS to take a new direction, why should the OWS leave anybody out?

Labor Unions

With the unemployment problems we face here in America there is one small minority that profits on others misfortunes, they are the 1%. The numbers are in.

www.bls.gov...

Take a look at some more stats about Union Membership in this country.
www.bls.gov...

In 2010, the union membership rate--the percent of wage and salary workers who were
members of a union--was 11.9 percent, down from 12.3 percent a year earlier, the U.S.
Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. The number of wage and salary workers be-
longing to unions declined by 612,000 to 14.7 million. In 1983, the first year for
which comparable union data are available, the union membership rate was 20.1 per-
cent, and there were 17.7 million union workers.
...

Highlights from the 2010 data:

--The union membership rate for public sector workers (36.2 percent) was
substantially higher than the rate for private sector workers (6.9 percent).
(See table 3.)

--Workers in education, training, and library occupations had the highest
unionization rate at 37.1 percent. (See table 3.)

Would you look at that, New York has the highest percentage of Unionized Workers, imagine that.

Now let's take a look at the top 1%, labor Union Leaders.

www.jsonline.com...

The Center for Public Integrity found compensation for leaders of the 10 largest unions ranged from $173,000 at the United Auto Workers to $618,000 at the Laborers' International Union of North America, and almost $480,000 for the president of the American Federation of State, County & Municipal Employees. The latter is the target of GOP governors in Wisconsin, Indiana, Ohio, Tennessee and Kansas.

The union reports, filed with the Department of Labor, list compensation for all union employees and officers. Salaries make up the biggest portion, but other benefits can include tens of thousands of dollars for meal allowances, mileage allowances and entertainment. Health care and pension contributions are not specifically addressed.

The reports show that assets of the various labor unions run into the hundreds of millions of dollars, and payrolls rival midsize companies. Among the Top 10 unions, dozens of top officials have salary-and-benefit packages that rank them among the top percentage of income-earners in the country.

Now take a look at these political contributions.

In the 2010 elections in Wisconsin, AFSCME gave almost $83,888 to Democratic candidates. Half that amount went to the campaign of Tom Barrett, whose top 10 donors were unions. Barrett lost to Walker, who promised during the campaign to take on organized labor if elected.

"This is political payback, which does nothing to promote job growth or help the middle class," McEntee said on The Huffington Post. "This is nothing less than union busting at its most transparent, designed to deny workers a voice in the workplace."

The membership of AFSCME, which evolved from a state employees union organized in Wisconsin in 1932, has grown by 25% over the last decade. McEntee, who has been president since 1981, says more than 145,000 government employees have joined AFSCME since 2006.

Well here are some more numbers, this sums it up quite nicely.

...continued....

• National Education Association. Membership: 3.2 million; assets: $216 million. The NEA, representing most of the nation's teachers, has 31 headquarters officers and employees who earn more than $200,000 in pay and benefits. The president, Dennis Van Roekel, received $397,721 in salary and benefits. Of the $3.7 million NEA spent on political activities in the last election cycle, 98% went to Democratic candidates. The NEA has 98,000 members in Wisconsin.

• Service Employees International Union. Membership: 1.8 million; assets: $187 million. .....

So it's time for OWS to stand up against real corruption. March on the Labor Unions.
Here is some real wealth redistribution the American people can get behind.
The 99% has spoken, power to the people!!!

I have been saying this since....forever.

The Union leadership is the very epitome of greed and corruption.

If OWS wants to get money out of politics then, in order to remain logically consistent, they would agree to a major de-powering of all the major labor unions, AARP, trial lawyers, and environmantal groups.

reply to post by thehoneycomb


Excellent thread!

There appears to be a selective focus with OWS.

Since SEIU leaders were in on the inception of the OWS movement, I'm sure they'd be accomidating.

Originally posted by beezzer
reply to post by thehoneycomb

 

Excellent thread!

There appears to be a selective focus with OWS.

Since SEIU leaders were in on the inception of the OWS movement, I'm sure they'd be accomidating.

I wonder how accommodating they’ll be with blankets, heaters and what not as winter sets in.

I’m thinking they would let them freeze to death as that will further their goals.

Useful idiots...'nuff said.

reply to post by thehoneycomb


Hey Hey, Easy does it before you blow the lid off of Big Labor that will literally do anything and spend any amount of money (via forced dues) to keep themselves relevant. Big Labor Spent $2.2 billion in political contributions between the 2008 and 2010 election cycles. More than all big interests combined, including Wall Street.

Shhh. What the Occupiers don't know won't hurt them.

What a pile of sheet.
Do some real research instead of posting some neocon right wing propaganda .
In the 50's and 60's represented 35 - 37 % of the american population now it's around 11%.
You neocons take every opprtunity to beat a dead horse.
Unions are as good as dead but you need a scape goat to keep the people divided.
You think you are a good worker, your loyal to your company and it's gonna pay off with no guarantee's ?
You are in for a rude awakening . Anyone can be replaced, at a cheaper price.

reply to post by thehoneycomb


If OWS keep on being reasonable , people will find a worthy leader , I hope.

I hope the people you trust are worthy to be trusted.

OWS needs a leader .

Originally posted by OLD HIPPY DUDE
What a pile of sheet.
Do some real research instead of posting some neocon right wing propaganda .
In the 50's and 60's represented 35 - 37 % of the american population now it's around 11%.
You neocons take every opprtunity to beat a dead horse.
Unions are as good as dead but you need a scape goat to keep the people divided.
You think you are a good worker, your loyal to your company and it's gonna pay off with no guarantee's ?
You are in for a rude awakening . Anyone can be replaced, at a cheaper price.

As long as the Dems are in the Back Pockets of Big Labor, they will never die. Their membership numbers may dwindle but Big Labor still has an advantage.

Big Labor has the power to force workers to pay union dues and fees as a condition of employment. Without the power to compel the unwilling, Big Labor and the Democrat party would be forced to fight on the battlefield of ideas rather than choking the airwaves with its propaganda.

The amount of money spent by them between 2008 and 2010 election cycles beat their 20 year spending total by 4 times the amount. The union bosses are in panic mode and will do WHATEVER it takes to stay in power and to stay wealthy.

www.antolin-davies.com...
biggovernment.com...

Unions are playing both sides of the same coin at OWS they are the Police unionized and the unions are behind OWS protesters.

Let's see how far that rabbit hole really goes.

Click here for more information.

reply to post by neo96


You're aware that police unions are police unions, SEIU is SEIU, teamsters are...

You know what, # it. I really don't have time to explain basic reality to people who are gleefully ignorant.

reply to post by TheWalkingFox


OWS does not stand for left or right. It is against government corruption and the the greedy 1% who influence elections with political contributions.

OWS do not let anyone hijack your movement.

March on the labor unions at once!

Originally posted by TheWalkingFox
reply to post by neo96

 

You're aware that police unions are police unions, SEIU is SEIU, teamsters are...

You know what, # it. I really don't have time to explain basic reality to people who are gleefully ignorant.

Not all.
A little research would show this.
AZ is a right to work state, where many departments do not allow Unions. The police can form a group, with NO pressure to be a part of, to offer some basic things like legal council and such.

Um, just a wee question.

What left-wing, liberal institutions has OWS protested at?

Anyone?

I mean, they are apolitical, right?

reply to post by beezzer


Let me get back to you on that one

Got one

Protesters Occupy the Liberal Media

LOL, what a load of tripe. Government propaganda, media want everyone to hate Unions because they're a Democratising force that give voice and rights to workers.

Yes people, hate Unions and embrace mass immigration Be good slaves. Don't join a commie union, instead go work for 12 hours a day for $2 an hour with your Mexican friend Carlos

Would these Unions you claim to be the 1% be the same Unions that spear headed the civil rights movement and are responsible for everything that's good about the countries we live in. Go look at countries with decent Labor Unions and those without and rethink your silly thread. People who attack Unions have NFI what they're talking about.