Quick Hits - June 30, 2008- June 30, 2008 A few Right to Work-related updates from over the weekend: 1.) Does the AFL-CIO owe $14 million in back taxes Perhaps an IRS audit will reveal other problems with the AFL-CIO's overtly partisan and massive campaign expenditures. The author overstates the good that comes from oversight of union finances by the Office of Labor Management Standards, but he does point out the amusing fact that Democrats are in favor of "smaller government" in this one instance: read morehttp://www.nrtw.org/blog/quick-hits-june-30-2008-06302008 The Self Serving Labor Board- June 27, 2008 Wednesday's Daily Labor Report (subscription required) featured a self-serving article likely placed by the National Labor Relations Board's PR flacks in which the two remaining board members assert that the NLRB "might actually be functioning more efficiently" with three vacancies than with a full five-member panel. Hmmm. Perhaps Congress should take another look at the NLRB's excessive funding levels. We at Freedom Work also take issue with a false claim by the Board...http://www.nrtw.org/blog/outrageous-claims-nlrb-members-exposed-062620081 Big Labor Unleashes Record Political Activisim- June 27, 2008 Yesterday, the AFL-CIO officially endorsed its candidate for president. The endorsement should come as no surprise, of course, since Big Labor has always used member dues -- and forced dues from nonmembers -- to support its Far Left political agenda. But this year's campaign will apparently be the largest and most expensive yet: read morehttp://www.nrtw.org/blog/unions-unleash-record-political-activisim-06272008 Common Sense Says Card Check is a Bad Idea- June 26, 2008 Here at Freedom Work, we often discuss card check by citing examples of employees being harassed, misled, or lied to by union organizers. But simple common sense also says that when (often intimidating) individuals shove a piece of paper in your face, and tell you that it is in your interest to sign, you may well do it -- even if you aren't exactly sure what you are signing. Case in point are two videos -- both done for television shows -- of people signing absurd petitions. In both...http://www.nrtw.org/blog/common-sense-says-card-check-bad-idea-062620082 The Card-Check Connundrum- June 26, 2008 The recent Chamber v. Brown decision (.pdf) highlighted one of the worst aspects of coercive union organizing. Writing for the majority, Justice Stevens emphasized the California statute's most problematic feature: while the free flow of truthful information about the downsides of unionization was shut off by the state's draconian regulations, union organizers received special dispensation to harass workers both at home and on the job: Instead of forbidding the use of state funds for all...http://www.nrtw.org/blog/card-check-connundrum-06262008 Video Spotlight on Locke Supreme Court Case- June 25, 2008 In the latest update to Right to Work's YouTube channel, Daniel Locke, lead plaintiff in the Foundation's Locke v. Karass Supreme Court case, discusses why he felt the need to file suit against Maine State Employees Association union officials. Also in the video, Foundation president Mark Mix explains what is at stake in the case, and another Maine state employee, Mark Turek, discusses his decision to quit his job rather than be forced to pay union dues to a union he disagreed with. read...http://www.nrtw.org/blog/Locke-06252008 Quick Hits - June 24, 2008- June 24, 2008 A few Right to Work-related updates from around the web: 1.) The Toledo Blade has a great editorial up on one city official's attempt to strong arm private contractors into blackballing non-union workers. Money quote: Mr. Szollosi argues that because public money was spent on the property, the principles that apply to public construction should hold sway even after the property is sold to the private sector. But the only thing that would be accomplished by restricting development on the.http://www.nrtw.org/blog/quick-hits-june-24-2008 The Denver Post: Still Clueless About Forced Unionism- June 22, 2008 As Patrick Semmens pointed out recently, Denver Post columnist Al Lewis got quite an earful for suggesting that workers are rarely dissatisfied with compulsory union representation. But at least Al has the grace to admit he was wrong. In a recent post, he acknowledged that "unions make workers pay." His colleague Bob Ewegen, on the other hand, is an unrepentant forced unionism propagandist. In a recent column, he trots out the same tired talking points in defense of non-Right to...http://www.nrtw.org/blog/denver-post-still-clueless-06232008 Supreme Court Agrees with Foundation; Strikes Down a Prototype Union Organizing Law- June 20, 2008 In case you missed it, the Supreme Court just struck down (pdf) a biased California statute that prevented companies who received state grants from sharing accurate information about unions with their employees. Foundation attorneys filed an amicus curiae brief in support of overturning the Ninth Circuit's flawed reasoning. The Foundation's press release is now available online. Money quote: Had the Ninth Circuits ruling not been overturned, employees of companies accepting funds from the.http://www.nrtw.org/blog/supreme-court-agrees-foundation-strikes-down-06202008 |