New Developments Regarding the (Still?) Mobbed Up Teamsters Union. . .

Will Collins — Wed, 02 Jul 2008 13:14:33 -0400

In May, a devastating piece from the Far Left New Republic highlighted the Teamsters' officials attempts to get rid of the Independent Review Board (IRB), a federal oversight body intended to police the union's well-documented connections to organized crime. Here's a particularly choice example of Teamster union "representation" from the article:

Administration Lawyer Undercuts Another Foundation Case, Abruptly Resigns

Patrick Semmens — Tue, 01 Jul 2008 12:47:14 -0400

The cover story of the July/August issue of Foundation Action is now available for download here.

The story details former United States Solicitor General Paul Clement's efforts to undermine the Foundation's Locke v. Karass U.S. Supreme Court case. The article also shows that this isn't the first time that the Solicitor General, who recently-resigned his position, has undercut a Foundation Supreme Court case.

You can get your own free subscription to Foundation Action here.

Quick Hits - June 30, 2008

Will Collins — Mon, 30 Jun 2008 16:53:09 -0400

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:

The Self Serving Labor Board

Nick Cote — Fri, 27 Jun 2008 14:58:20 -0400

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 contained in the article:

Big Labor Unleashes Record Political Activisim

Nick Cote — Fri, 27 Jun 2008 11:13:55 -0400

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:

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Common Sense Says Card Check is a Bad Idea

Patrick Semmens — Thu, 26 Jun 2008 13:37:10 -0400

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 cases, the signature collectors don't even lie to the people whose signatures they seek about what they are signing.

The Card-Check Connundrum

Will Collins — Thu, 26 Jun 2008 12:35:29 -0400

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 employer advocacy regarding unionization, AB 1889 [the California law] permits use of state funds for select employer advocacy activities that promote unions. Specifically, the statute exempts expenses incurred in connection with, inter alia, giving unions access to the workplace, and voluntarily recognizing unions without a secret ballot election.

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Video Spotlight on Locke Supreme Court Case

Patrick Semmens — Wed, 25 Jun 2008 16:44:58 -0400

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.

Quick Hits - June 24, 2008

Will Collins — Tue, 24 Jun 2008 14:35:11 -0400

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 site to union workers would be to limit Mr. Dillin's ability to negotiate the best deal he can with local trade unions, raising labor costs and potentially putting the project in jeopardy.

The Denver Post: Still Clueless About Forced Unionism

Will Collins — Sun, 22 Jun 2008 17:19:12 -0400

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 Work states' supposed economic vitality: