All posts by George

Political

True?


One day a florist went to a barber for a haircut. After the cut, he asked about his bill, and the barber replied, 'I cannot accept money from you, I'm doing community service this week.' The florist was pleased and left the shop. When the barber went to open his shop the next morning, there was a 'thank you' card and a dozen roses waiting for him at his door. Later, a cop comes in for a haircut, and when he tries to pay his bill, the barber again replied, 'I cannot accept money from you, I'm doing community service this week.' The cop was happy and left the shop. The next morning when the barber went to open up, there was a 'thank you' card and a dozen doughnuts waiting for him at his door. Then a Member of Congress came in for a haircut, and when he went to pay his bill, the barber again replied, 'I cannot accept money from you. I'm doing community service this week.' The Member of Congress was very happy and left the shop. The next morning, when the barber went to open up, there were a dozen Members of Congress lined up waiting for a free haircut. And that, my friends, illustrates the fundamental difference between the citizens of our country and the politicians who run it. Please share this.


One day a florist went to a barber for a haircut. After the cut, he asked about his bill, and the barber replied, ‘I cannot accept money from you, I’m doing com…munity service this week.’ The florist was pleased and left the shop. When the barber went to open his shop the next morning, there was a ‘thank you’ card and a dozen roses waiting for him at his door. Later, a cop comes in for a haircut, and when he tries to pay his bill, the barber again replied, ‘I cannot accept money from you, I’m doing community service this week.’ The cop was happy and left the shop. The next morning when the barber went to open up, there was a ‘thank you’ card and a dozen doughnuts waiting for him at his door. Then a Member of Congress came in for a haircut, and when he went to pay his bill, the barber again replied, ‘I cannot accept money from you. I’m doing community service this week.’ The Member of Congress was very happy and left the shop. The next morning, when the barber went to open up, there were a dozen Members of Congress lined up waiting for a free haircut. And that, my friends, illustrates the fundamental difference between the citizens of our country and the politicians who run it. Please share this.

Union

Central Passes…….Others Don’t

UPS: $600 per Vote?
 
The Round Two vote count in the Central Region is coming to the end, and the supplement has narrowly passed by 53.6%: 11,599 to 10,009.
 
The Yes Votes from Teamsters in Minnesota and Wisconsin put the Yes side over the top. UPS full-timers in those states do not face healthcare cuts they are covered by separate union plans.
 
Click here for complete local-by-local results. 
 
Hoffa and Hall launched a million-dollar PR campaign with glossy mailers, DVDs and IBT outreach at the gates to swing some 1,800 votes into the Yes column and pass the Supplement. That’s about $600 in members’ dues for every yes vote they turned.
 
The narrow defeat in the Central Supplement is disappointing. But the Vote No movement has a lot to be proud of—and the fight is far from over.
 
By rejecting a record number of supplements, the Vote No movement forced Hoffa and Hall to reverse many healthcare cuts and improve TeamCare benefits. The new benefits are not what members wanted, but they are a whole lot better than what Hoffa, Hall and UPS tried to make members accept. 
 
The Vote No movement can be proud of our solidarity—and members are better off for it. 
 
And, it’s not over yet. Yesterday, the Philadelphia Supplement was shot down by 71%. The Louisville Air Rider has not been negotiated yet, because the company is stonewalling Local 89. The Ohio Rider was rejected today. The Indiana Rider is not negotiated yet.
 
The Western Supplement and big Southwest Rider and the New Jersey Local 177 Supplements all need to be voted. The details of the renegotiated supplements and new health plan are still under wraps, nearly four months after the first contract vote.

The fight against healthcare cuts and contract concessions has awakened a sleeping giant: the nearly 250,000 Teamsters at UPS and 13,000 at UPS Freight.
 
Vote No activists are running for local office and organizing for change in the union. 
 
The UPS contract was supposed to be Ken’s Halls coming-out party as he prepares to run for Teamster General President. UPS and UPS Freight Teamsters are not about to jump on that bandwagon.
 
Teamster members deserve IBT leadership that will mobilize to win good contracts. Hoffa and Hall only kicked it into gear to sell contract concessions.
 
That’s why they have to go. Teamsters at UPS and UPS Freight can be the backbone of a powerful movement for change. Don’t whine, organize!

TDU

Political

Hip Hip Hypocrite



If you deprive hundreds of thousands of people of something they need, without giving them any say in the matter, then announce that you yourself are keeping that thing because you need it, you just might be an asshole. Of the congressional Republican variety, specifically. Some Republicans who voted to shut down the government, furloughing 800,000 federal workers, delaying paychecks even for the essential employees who are at work every day (like, say, Capitol police), and closing many needed government programs are now coming forward to explain why they won’t be donating their paychecks to charity as others are doing. Take Rep. Renee Ellmers, Republican of North Carolina:


“I need my paycheck. That’s the bottom line. I understand that there may be some other members who are deferring their paychecks, and I think that’s admirable. I’m not in that position.”
Oh, well, as long as you neeeed it, I’m sure that makes you very different from all the janitors and secretaries and accountants and Head Start teachers and workplace safety inspectors you voted to furlough without pay. Ellmers is, in fact, close to the bottom of the House wealth rankings. It probably would be uncomfortable for her to go without her paycheck! Which is where maybe she should think about all the people who make a fraction of what she’s paid as a member of Congress, people who didn’t get to vote, as she did, on taking their damn paychecks away.

Similarly, Rep. Kevin Cramer, Republican of North Dakota:


“I’m staying here, and I’m working,” said Cramer in an interview with Valley News Live on Wednesday. “My office is open, we’re taking phone calls, I’m voting every day, I’m debating every day, I’m going to countless meetings. I’m working to earn the salary that the people pay me to do the job. I don’t get into those sort of stunt-y things, and I’m not going to do it.”

“I will continue to earn it, and I will continue to collect what I earn, yes,” he added.

Again, let’s refer to the Capitol police and other essential government workers who are showing up every day and will not get paid until Cramer and his party end this damn shutdown. Cramer makes a fair point about members of Congress donating their salaries when he says “If you want a Congress that’s full of millionaires and doctors’ spouses, this is a great little trick.” But if you’re delaying or denying paychecks for people making a fraction of what you make, all of whom are either working now or wishing they were allowed to come back to work, you need to share the damn pain. Maybe it would provide a glimmer of insight into what you’re doing to the country.

If, as a person who actually does need your paycheck, you can’t bring yourself to care about all the people who also need their paychecks and don’t get the choice, people over whom you have power, then you may suffer from a deficit of empathy that is in a way even worse than that of people like Sen. Ted Cruz, who don’t really need their piddly little $174,000 congressional pay.

Daily Kos Labor by Laura Clawson