Labor Council Holding Rally

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The Humboldt-Del Norte Central Labor Council

The Humboldt-Del Norte Central Labor Council invited union members, allies, friends and community partners to join them in showing support of working people standing together. The rally will be on the County Courthouse steps this Tuesday July 3rd at 5pm. “We will not stand idly by and allow attacks on workers and their families. Experience shows us that you don’t get you deserve in life. You get what you fight for!” said President Mike Hetticher. “And we’re ready to fight.”

The Supreme Court voted 5-4 last week to overturn over 40 years of precedent and a previous 9-0 decision–effectively making the public sector right-to-work(for less) across the entire nation. This has been a long-sought goal of powerful corporate money interests to try to break labor and continue their attacks on working people. Speakers will underline the importance of having a voice in the workplace, livable wages, dignity in retirement, and everything that having a collective voice brings.

We look forward to seeing you there!

Humboldt-Del Norte Central Labor Counci

l

https://www.facebook.com/humdnclc/

840 E St.

Eureka CA 95501

 

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Guest
Guest
Guest
5 years ago

I was a labor rep for a number of years. When I hired on, the second question I asked is how do I sign up to join the union. I’ve been on strike.

However the second year my union took money from dues to form a PAC, ran ads opposing people I supported, took spots on TV not endorsing a candidate or policy but attacking his opponent, I resigned.

It is a tempting thing to play kingmaker but, when you represent an unhomogeneous group, inevitably you’re going to have members who object to spending their dollars on things they oppose.

Connie Dobbs
Guest
Connie Dobbs
5 years ago
Reply to  Guest

I knew the fix was in when the UAW turned out for sweaty Al Gore.

TQM
Guest
TQM
5 years ago
Reply to  Guest

Here is an analogy prevalent in our everyday lives that illustrates what being a member of a closed or open shop is akin to: take the political candidates you vote for – you see how their political position and stance can benefit you in many ways and align with your priorities. yet there always seems to be at least one or two major issues or priorities you disagree on. Whether you are a voluntary voter or not, one must take the bad with the good of that particular political representative (bad being closed shop and forced to pay dues and not fully agreeing with everything on the agenda. good being the power of numbers having similar end goals).

Guest
Guest
Guest
5 years ago
Reply to  TQM

Differences on make or break issues are just that. The ignoring some differences is not the point. The point is taking my own money to work against me. Why should anyone have to accept their dues going to support someone they don’t want ever? Politics is only tangentially related to the primary duty of the union to act in the best interest of their members in relation to employment. Members can bloody well do their own deciding, donating or form groups to have more power. But forcing someone to pay? For someone you are convinced will screw the country over? Just because the union leaders like to play big shots in politics? Never again. Two words- Bill Clinton.

When the goals of the union seperate from the desires of the member, someone has to go. Either the member goes or the union gives up its political aspirations.

TQM
Guest
TQM
5 years ago
Reply to  Guest

Was it a local politician ? I doubt the accuracy of what you are saying about using dues money to form a PAC and running ads is factually correct – given the laws that unions must abide by when supporting local politicians in non-partisan races.
It sounds like you are saying something you heard from someone who heard it from someone else who heard it from someone else. The problem with unions is lack of transparency which results in speculation by the public.

TQM
Guest
TQM
5 years ago
Reply to  Guest

I can guarantee you that not one penny of your dues went to support a presidential candidate. The unions are forbidden by law to do that. If the law was broken, it would have been known by now.

Guest
Guest
Guest
5 years ago
Reply to  TQM

https://www.opensecrets.org/orgs/list.php among whom you’ll see many union lobbyists. The records go back to 1990.
http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2017/01/17/by-numbers-teachers-union-political-contributions-in-2016.html especially noted to teacher’s union contributions
https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2016/us/elections/top-presidential-donors-campaign-money.html 2 million from pipe fitters union PAC
https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2016/us/elections/top-presidential-donors-campaign-money.html
https://www.nationalreview.com/corner/fourteen-americas-25-biggest-campaign-donors-are-unions-veronique-de-rugy/ ditto AFL CIO
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Campaign_finance_in_the_United_States an elaboration on lobbying money and PACs and how people do an end run around statutory limits.

“At the NJEA convention, when asked about where that money came from, NJEA President Marie Blistan said it was in part from membership dues.”

https://www.njtvonline.org/news/video/njea-spent-5-7m-union-dues-recent-election/
“We absolutely use some of our money to promote those causes, because as you know in public education, everything is either legislative, it’s regulated or it’s by statute.” said Blistan. “So our involvement in politics, it’s not by choice, it is absolutely a necessity.”

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Knox_v._Service_Employees_International_Union,_Local_1000 the end to one end run- until Super PACs arrived. https://www.opensecrets.org/pacs/superpacs.php , https://www.publicintegrity.org/2013/09/04/13274/unions-dramatically-increase-super-pac-donations

It is known now. Although using union dues for political lobbying and campaigns was supposedly ended in1988, in actuality it was done anyway, usually with a signed release upon employment that was unclear and never expired or using the dues and afterwards offering a refund at a later date- a much later date and good luck getting it- of dues so spent. Later unions then paid “their employees” to work in campaigns, or ran Super PACs.

stuber
Guest
stuber
5 years ago
Reply to  Guest

No one should have to give money to a political organization against their will. I did not like that some of my money went to the oppressive regime of Obama, and other failed democrats. Also, the unions are having people work doing union business , and not their jobs, yet they get paid from both. Do your extracurricular work at home, and do your job for the company like you were hired to do. Unions are fine to deal with labor issues, stay out of my pocket when it comes time to be political. If a person wants to give money to politicians, which is such a waste, they can. But now, I will not be forced to help support corrupt politicians. And I will still have to pay a small potion to cover representation costs, should there be any.
Isn’t it great though? 3.7 million new jobs since Trump, Black, Hispanic, and women all have lower unemployment, NOKO is settled down, deporting so many illegals who hurt us, free trade is becoming just that, join us and win!

TQM
Guest
TQM
5 years ago
Reply to  stuber

Actually, union work done on the job is supposed to be off the clock and this is usually addressed in an MOU. If workers are doing union work on the clock, the union itself isn’t at fault for that.

stuber
Guest
stuber
5 years ago
Reply to  Guest

Unions have done some good, the 40 hour work week, better working conditions, but they get corrupt and people suffer. Also, Ceaser Chaves, who organized the farmers labor union, was very opposed to illegal aliens here taking jobs from legal migrants. Enough blame to go around, illegals work for less, greedy farmers hire them. So, we in the Humboldt Citizens Council work with ICE, by using the 3 clicks to turn them in, works great, so many illegals have been rounded up in Humboldt and Trinity county. Many times the local sheriffs don’t even know, because we are not law enforcement, and we use different radios to communicate to them where the illegals are. All you people who are running around with your sanctuary signs should know, while you are milling around protesting, we are turning them in.

rollin21
Guest
rollin21
5 years ago

“Don’t get what you deserve in life”? Paleeease! Public “servants” make MUCH, MUCH more than their private sector counterparts on the whole, far and away. And it’s the private sector that is forced to pay those public sector bloated salaries/pensions. Who’s representing the real working man? You know, the one that is forced to pay those bloated salaries/pensions.
Public sector unions should be outlawed altogether, fuck em all. Even FDR, as crooked as he was, and liberal as they come understood why public sector unions were wrong. Unfortunately, today’s liberals are completely unhinged and haven’t the slightest idea why public sector unions are immoral, nor, like anything else, do they genuinely care. Try and explain it to them and they’ll get triggered and shout you down. Because what really matters to them is not the morality that they constantly espouse, it’s power.
Hey, central America has a large voting block of Democrats. Let’s open the borders and tell everyone it’s because of a humanity crises, we’re doing it for the children. If you disagree you’re a racist who hates kids.

TQM
Guest
TQM
5 years ago
Reply to  rollin21

Where do you get your information from to form that opinion? I hope its a credible source that is unbiased and not affiliated with any political stance and that is only reporting facts of unspun numbers and compariosons with similar positions and skill levels. I doubt this is the case with your opinion. Armchair labor economists abound just like assholes abound.

TRUMPTASTROPHE for the GOP in November
Guest
TRUMPTASTROPHE for the GOP in November
5 years ago
Reply to  rollin21

No kidding! You do of course know that employees of Humboldt County pay 100% of the costs of their paltry pensions, don’t you? 100% not enough?

Alt Right For Life
Guest
Alt Right For Life
5 years ago

Government workers have no business forming unions, it’s unacceptable and Un-American.

Most unions are run by gangs and we don’t want that in our country.

Union gangs and their pyramid scheme of retirement plans are the cause of deficit budgets.

Until the unions are broken, their rulers jailed or exiled, we need to use pot grower money taken to balance the budget.

Busting unions is the first step towards a free society.

THC
Guest
THC
5 years ago

And on top of all that they can’t even provide what they promise. Unless the state drastically raises taxes or forces union members to pay a heck of a lot more dues they won’t be able to meet the pension funding deficits.

https://www.google.com/amp/s/calmatters.org/articles/commentary/commentary-the-dimensions-of-californias-pension-crisis/amp/

https://www.google.com/amp/s/sanfrancisco.cbslocal.com/2017/09/25/california-pension-reform-calpers/amp/

TQM
Guest
TQM
5 years ago
Reply to  THC

THC: what the hell does CalPers have to do with public sector unions and employee union dues payments? Two totally different issues you clearly do not understand.

Guest
Guest
Guest
5 years ago
Reply to  TQM

Really? Pensions are not a condition of employment that the unions should care about?

TQM
Guest
TQM
5 years ago
Reply to  Guest

The unions do not dictate the way calpers operates. What is contained in an MOU is a product of negotiations but does not dictate how calpers manages the investments.

TQM
Guest
TQM
5 years ago
Reply to  Guest

4Also, THC is commenting on union dues not pension payments. Two different issues.

Guest
Guest
Guest
5 years ago

https://www.opensecrets.org/orgs/list.php among whom you’ll see many union lobbyists. The records go back to 1990.
http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2017/01/17/by-numbers-teachers-union-political-contributions-in-2016.html especially noted to teacher’s union contributions
https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2016/us/elections/top-presidential-donors-campaign-money.html 2 million from pipe fitters union PAC
https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2016/us/elections/top-presidential-donors-campaign-money.html
https://www.nationalreview.com/corner/fourteen-americas-25-biggest-campaign-donors-are-unions-veronique-de-rugy/ ditto AFL CIO
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Campaign_finance_in_the_United_States an elaboration on lobbying money and PACs and how people do an end run around statutory limits.

“At the NJEA convention, when asked about where that money came from, NJEA President Marie Blistan said it was in part from membership dues.”

https://www.njtvonline.org/news/video/njea-spent-5-7m-union-dues-recent-election/
“We absolutely use some of our money to promote those causes, because as you know in public education, everything is either legislative, it’s regulated or it’s by statute.” said Blistan. “So our involvement in politics, it’s not by choice, it is absolutely a necessity.”

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Knox_v._Service_Employees_International_Union,_Local_1000 the end to one end run- until Super PACs arrived. https://www.opensecrets.org/pacs/superpacs.php , https://www.publicintegrity.org/2013/09/04/13274/unions-dramatically-increase-super-pac-donations

It is known now. Although using union dues for political lobbying and campaigns was supposedly ended in1988, in actuality it was done anyway, usually with a signed release upon employment that was unclear and never expired for ‘voluntary contributions’ that was a requirement of hiring or using the dues and afterwards offering a refund at a later date- a much later date and good luck getting it- of dues so spent if the employee knew to request it in writing. Later unions then paid “their employees” to work in campaigns, or ran Super PACs all with the same funding.

It was my union’s support of Bill “I never met a worker who was important” Clinton that was the final straw for me. Few members, if any, supported Clinton but somehow the Union found the money to contribute. Without donations.

Taurusballzhoff
Guest
Taurusballzhoff
5 years ago

Unions do not do shit for laborers. Unions mostly lie, and take your money. The union does not care about you.

Don’t join the union, and, don’t work where a union represents the employees!

I refuse to work for an employer that treats it’s employees so poorly that the employees bring in a union.

Simple. If they have a union, don’t work there.

Unions are for idiots who can’t negotiate.

haywood jablowme
Guest
haywood jablowme
5 years ago

reply to [edit] ,As A carpenter I got sick of chasing my $ , shitty or no health ins and no pension. So I gave myself a birthday gift for my 30th . I join the Carpenters union . Anyone who has worked in the field knows unions the only way to go. Even contractors, well reputable ones prefer union as it provides a trained , reliable work force.

I like stars too!
Guest
I like stars too!
5 years ago

Gee, the last house I bought, in Vacaville, was built by Mexicans.

I don’t think they were in a Union.

Contractors prefer cheap labor. Period. And cheap materials. The cheapest.

Unions are for idiots who can’t negotiate, like carpenters and healthcare workers.

Unions don’t do anything. Just waste time, and take your money.

Guest
Guest
Guest
5 years ago

Unions have always been a mixed bag. Sometimes they run a closed shop for relatives and friends. But they are the only option to represent worker’s interests. Buying politicians who never stay bought was a bad choice.

Divide by Zero
Guest
Divide by Zero
5 years ago

Nonsense, other than police and fire, every time they cash a paycheck they commit grand larceny.

TRUMPTASTROPHE for the GOP in November
Guest
TRUMPTASTROPHE for the GOP in November
5 years ago
Reply to  Divide by Zero

Like the Trump Crime Family? 🏌️‍♂️🇷🇺💵⚖️

haywood jablowme
Guest
haywood jablowme
5 years ago

Well congrats on getting your house built with the cheepest materals possible. Why one would brag about that says alot about you. Unions lost the residental sector in the 70s, I worked residental for 12yrs, doing my own nog. and never made more than 25$ per hr, and we built some real shit houses. The builder picks the lumber supply, and everything else , my wage included. Ya you could try to neg your own wage, but the $ is not there. I don’t think any of you people sh!t talking the building trades have ever wore tools for more than a weekend, and i bet most could not handle working 200ft from tara ferma

Mary Ella Anderson
Guest
Mary Ella Anderson
5 years ago

The war on unions began after WWII and it has been very effective as witness the decline of union membership, the assault on wages that has left them stagnant and thrown so many into poverty, destroyed the large middle class that union jobs created in this country, and produced the largest transfer of wealth to the top since the pharaohs. It had the support of Wall Street and Hollywood. On the Waterfront, for instance, was an anti-union movie. The theme promoted by the spinners was that unions were all corrupt and needed to be done away with. Some unions were corrupt but their members had the power to change that. Most did. Whenever the majority are directing your attention to the powerless as your major enemy, you are being hoodwinked. It’s not the powerless that destroy societies. It’s the powerful that you don’t know and never see. The unions are almost entirely now and so are the good jobs.