AFL-CIO head: Labor to ditch Democrats

[mandym]

By BYRON TAU | 8/25/11 11:03 AM EDT

The growing rift between labor and their Democratic allies was on full display Thursday, as AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka told reporters that labor groups are planning to scale back their involvement with the Democratic Party in advance of the 2012 elections.

Going forward, Trumka said, the labor movement will build up its own political structures and organizations rather than contribute to and depend on the Democratic Party’s political operation.


“We’re going to use a lot of our money to build structures that work for working people” Trumka said. “You’re going to see us give less money to build structures for others, and more of our money will be used to build our own structure.”

Read more: http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0811/62057.html#ixzz1W4vWkKB5

 

[convicted1]

Read more: http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0811/62057.html#ixzz1W4vWkKB5

There is something about Mr. Trumka that seems way to shady for me. When he was prez. of the UMWA, he brought in the selective strike, where only one union mine at a time could go on strike, if my memory serves me correctly. This hurt the UMWA in the long run.

 

[Borneol]

The recent Verison strike that went poorly was another further sign of unions loosing their influence in society. Not all that surprised that unions are looking to ditch Democrats. Thought this a nice article about what the labor movement should look at doing in these changing times.

"The Legacy Labor Movement Has Lost Its Way"

http://blogs.the-american-interest.com/wrm/2011/08/19/the-legacy-labor-movement-has-lost-its-way/

excerpt:

If unions are going to survive — and there are good reasons why workers should band together — they are going to have to re-invent themselves. Suppose unions thought about ways to add value, or supported worker training that actually worked? Suppose union representatives tried to think about how a union could add value for an employer and built strategies around that? Suppose unions were more like worker associations that didn’t so much try to keep workers employed at one firm forever but acted as career advisers/facilitators/managers who helped workers navigate the economic shoals, shift to new careers and perhaps ultimately set up as independent small businesses on their own?
American workers could use some help; if the legacy labor movement can’t provide that — and thirty years of ineffective flailing about suggests strongly that it can’t — someone else needs to figure out how.
The economy has changed but workers still have important interests and unmet needs and there are many problems that people can solve better in groups and associations rather than on their own. There is a huge opportunity here for original and creative approaches to an important social need; idealistic young people who care about workers need to get out of the failing legacy labor movement and start something new.

 

[carpro]

Not a chance. Labor and democrats are irrevocably married , with a common goal of destroying American inventiveness and the individual drive to succeed.

 

[billwald]

Why does anyone think "the drive to succeed" depends upon the political/economic system under which one lives? Every society in history has had it's top 20%.

 

[mandym]

Why does anyone think "the drive to succeed" depends upon the political/economic system under which one lives?

Because it does

 

[carpro]

Unions, rather than lifting the performance of all members, seek to drag down the best employees to the level of the rest.

It's destructive and counterproductive.

 

[billwald]

How would you rate a phone company lineman? A back hoe operator? Every job is different.

Do you all approve of a standard rate book as is used in the auto repair industry?

 

[carpro]

How would you rate a phone company lineman? A back hoe operator? Every job is different.

Any competent supervisor specializing in those fields wouldn't have a problem doing so. Their work habits , attendence and attention to detail will always tell the tale.

In a union shp, the consistently tardy, shoddy workman with a poor attitude gets the same pay as the highly competent ones.

It's almost criminal.

 

[Havensdad]

How would you rate a phone company lineman? A back hoe operator? Every job is different.

Having worked in the construction industry, you rate them by their productivity and quality of work. The supervisors evaluate them.

Do you all approve of a standard rate book as is used in the auto repair industry?

There are mechanics that use rate books, and others that do not. Having the rate books is fine for a guide. Requiring people to use them, is NOT. If I want to charge you a buck to change your engine, I should be able to. If I want to charge you 50 million dollars, I should be able to. If you don't like my price, you are welcome to go somewhere else. Thats how capitalism works.