There's nothing new about forced-dues-hungry union bosses complaining about how volunteers and nonprofits don't pay union dues, but this is a new low:
Last week at a city council meeting in Allentown, Pa., a top official of the local Service Employees International Union chapter ranted about 17-year-old Scout Kevin Anderson's park cleanup work. Anderson devoted some 200 hours to the job in order to earn an Eagle Scout badge. He picked up trash and helped clear a 1,000-foot walking path with fellow members of Boy Scouts Troop 301 of Center Valley.
But SEIU's Nick Balzano gave them hell instead of thanks.
Balzano disparaged altruistic efforts in city parks and asserted that "there is (sic) to be no volunteers" since his union members were laid off. He then issued a witch hunt threat: "We'll also be looking into the Cub Scout or Boy Scout who did the trails. We may file another grievance on that." Citing union rules, he gave the Allentown city council, the Boy Scouts and all potential volunteers an iron-fisted ultimatum: "None of them can pick up a hoe. They can't pick up a shovel. They can't plant a flower. They can't clear a bicycle path. They can't do anything. Our people do that."
Michelle Malkin has more on this outrage here. Boy Scouts, and anyone else who voluntarily gives up their free time to improve our communities, should be commended for their service, not ridiculed by selfish union bosses. This kind of union demagoguery is quickly becoming a widespread national problem. Malkin asks National Right to Work president Mark Mix why (emphasis added).
In California, union heavies in the Sacramento area sued a nonprofit environmental group for using college-age volunteers on a state-funded project to clean up a canyon and build a community trail. Big Labor dusted off an old law that requires community service volunteers to be paid prevailing wages for doing the same kind of cleanup that Allentown Boy Scout Kevin Anderson was punished for doing freely. The law was finally repealed, but not without a brass-knuckles fight.
As National Right to Work Committee President Mark Mix, whose group monitors forced union abuses, pointed out during the battle: "Discerning California union bosses' real agenda … is not hard. Volunteer workers don't have to pay compulsory union dues to serve their communities, but most paid workers on public projects in California do. … (It) is yet another example of how government-authorized compulsory union dues corrupt the political process and furnish unscrupulous union officials with an enormous incentive to act against the public interest."









Comments
I use to be a member of this
I use to be a member of this union, for ten years. Even that they collected my dues, they didn't pay or help paying my medical bills, in another way I did not have any beneficts.
SEIU,the boy scout bullies
It seems to me that the SEIU needs to be taken down a few notches, I am a VOLENTEER ,EMT Fireman and I do all kinds of volenteer work for FREE .I wish that these union jerks would come to Erwin TN and show me that I can't volenteer my time,personally I think that all can do is beat up on one man giving out flags and push around cub and boy scouts,I am Inviting ,NO I am Challaging you to come down and see if you can push a man around you don't have the guts.Just send me an email to skpfoss@ aol.com and I will give you gutles wonders directions to my house or a park some where in town where we can meet,see this time you won't have your half-breed to hide be hind or some judge tthat you have paid off to protect you ,because down here you are nothing as a matter of fact you are not much of anything anywhere
Paid dues
Several years ago I workked for a rural coop and had to join a union to work. 2 of us got laid off and the union told us to keep paying your dues and we will have you back to work quickly. After 6 mos I quit paying and heard nothing from the union. They didn't try to fine me a job, all they wanted was my money. Unions were allright at one time but that time has come to an end. Now its all about money and nothing else.
The Enemy
It used to be that the Unions were part of the community, now they are the enemy of the community.....treat them them as THE enemy of everything that was good about America.
Remember thats how communism infiltrated the 'community' in Russia, through so-called workers unions.
We need to fight them with everything we have
Unions - the enemy
Unions served a good purpose a few generations back. However, they have spawned a couple of generations of lazy bums. My late husband worked as a service person to the mining industry. We saw the mines go through several strikes. By the time they came back to work, they ended working about 4 hours a day (were paid for eight). They demanded pay for their commute to and from work, pay the the time it took them to shower and clean up and so many other ridiculous demands. I believe their days are over. The unions have been and still are filled with corruption, bosses, union dues! What a legacy they are building for their children. Their greed is one of the reason so many of our jobs are outsourced to other places because the workers will work honestly and for less money. They could make a good change IF they would forget their greed and power. Fat chance of that ever happening!
Unions end up looking ridiculous
I wonder if these union members know how absolutely ridiculous they seem to others to protest service projects done for free by our Boy Scouts and other service organizations. The should think of what their mothers would have said to them. "What makes you think you're so big that you would ask for pay when a group of good kids - solid citizens are willing to work for nothing!." Your Moms must shake their heads in embarrassment that your are being so picky! GROW UP!