Unions and the Wisconsin Governor

[AquaMan]

The point is that if a business is well run, treats its employees fairly and with dignity, a union simply can't and won't be able to sign up any employees.

When Unions are badly run and treat their employer badly in negotiations they generally get it thrown back at them in spades. Show me a contentious, long lasting strike and I'll show you unfair and unjust on both sides.

As an aside, some industries enjoy having a Union to effect ongoing training and supply quality, licensed workers.

[Red Arrow]

The point is that if a business is well run, treats its employees fairly and with dignity, a union simply can't and won't be able to sign up any employees.

I disagree.  Peer pressure can be very powerful.

When Unions are badly run and treat their employer badly in negotiations they generally get it thrown back at them in spades. Show me a contentious, long lasting strike and I'll show you unfair and unjust on both sides.

Probably mostly true.

As an aside, some industries enjoy having a Union to effect ongoing training and supply quality, licensed workers.

This is an area where I could agree with a responsible union.  Unfortunately, the stereotype is that even though licensed, union workers are often not of the quality expected.  Workplace attitude by union members is another area that has a bad reputation in the non-union world.  If unions could work to remove those stereotypes, more people would respect them and perhaps see value in belonging.

[heironymouspasparagus]

This is an area where I could agree with a responsible union.  Unfortunately, the stereotype is that even though licensed, union workers are often not of the quality expected.  Workplace attitude by union members is another area that has a bad reputation in the non-union world.  If unions could work to remove those stereotypes, more people would respect them and perhaps see value in belonging.

Spent some time in Detroit area and New Jersey in the early 80's working with union electrical workers, and a few mechanicals.  Attitude was strictly self preservation - very strongly protective of their area and the work they did in that area.  Very strongly.  I was perfectly content to let them turn the screwdrivers and connect the meters - like having my own personal technical equivalent of a chauffeur.  It all took a little longer than it would have if I had been doing the work, but not much - and most of that was likely because I was already familiar with the equipment, and most of the time it was their first time to see it.  The guys were all good to work with once they understood that I had no intention of taking a meal off of their table.  Did a lot of good work and even got some friends out of it.  Even with the "New Jersey" reputation for attitude.  Didn't hurt that I took baseball caps with our company logo everywhere I went and handed them out like candy at Halloween.  (Today, it would probably have to be iPods to get the same level of smooth operation!)  Never had anything but good work relationship with any of them.

But I still don't want to be a union member - too restrictive for me.

[guido911]

And the winner of the Governor of the Year? You guessed it, Scott Walker.

He has dominated the political debate on both sides. Defining the issues. He is cited by both Democrats and Republicans as the best of example of what is wrong, or what is right with a conservative approach to government. Although they will never admit it, many Democratic governors are different from Walker only in a matter of degrees.

Nearly every governor, regardless of party, began the year saying the current path of expensive pension and benefit packages for public employees is unsustainable. The way the issue exploded in Wisconsin is as much a function of the legal and legislative tools at Walker's disposal as it is about the specific route he chose to take.

This is why Governors Journal has selected Scott Walker as the 2011 Governor of the Year.

It is not accurate to say Scott Walker launched an unannounced attack on public employees. For decades, state and local government leaders have complained about government employee unions: Collective bargaining, growing benefit packages, under-funded pension systems and binding arbitration. The warning siren had howled

http://governorsjournal.com/2011/12/governor-of-the-year-scott-walker/

[Hoss]

And the winner of the Governor of the Year? You guessed it, Scott Walker.

http://governorsjournal.com/2011/12/governor-of-the-year-scott-walker/

Really?  It just means he's an attention you-know-what...

[Teatownclown]

I like popping Scott Walker!
Scott Walker Investigation Leads To Felony Charges
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/01/05/scott-walker-investigatio_n_1186726.html?ref=politics


creeps

[Teatownclown]

That's a lot of signature's: http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2012/01/wis-dems-make-it-official-one-million-signatures-collected-to-recall-walker.php

[we vs us]

I'm not up on my Wisconsin recall protocols, but that's a buttload of signatures. 

Lots of folks unhappy with Monsieur Walker, looks like.

[nathanm]

I'm sure it's mostly dead people.

[Conan71]

I'm sure it's mostly dead people.

Nails it.  Good one, Nathan!

[heironymouspasparagus]

One thing that is very interesting about this is they have about 50% of the people who voted last time signing this thing.  If they all come out and vote, it may well be that he gets un-elected from this.

[Teatownclown]

5/09/2012 @ 2:23PM |46,188 views
Scott Walker Using $100 Million Of Taxpayer Money To Fight Off Recall?


As Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker heads into the final stretch in his effort to hang onto his job, he is finding it increasingly more difficult to make his case honestly— or without using huge sums of taxpayer money to sway voters.

While life would likely have been easier for the Governor had collective bargaining remained the key issue of the campaign, now that the election has become largely about Walker's record on job creation, the polls reveal that things are becoming increasingly more difficult for Scott Walker. Wisconsin currently competes with Nevada for the dubious title of worst job creator in the nation, resulting in the polls tightening into a dead heat, leaving the Governor with reason to be worried.

In the effort to move withering public opinion in his direction, the Governor has embarked on a campaign strategy highly dependent upon finding someone else to blame for the poor economic performance of his state. In the process, Walker has resorted to committing a huge amount of taxpayer money to aid in his political survival, while mounting a campaign that—to anyone paying attention—only serves to highlight his own failures over the past decade.

Not surprisingly, the 'someone' chosen by Walker to play the role of scapegoat is his recall election opponent, Mayor Tom Barrett of city of Milwaukee—a city with some of the most difficult poverty problems in the nation.

http://www.forbes.com/sites/rickungar/2012/05/09/scott-walker-using-100-million-of-taxpayer-money-to-fight-off-recall/

and there's this intriguing info:
Former assistant city attorney for Milwaukee, member of the Wisconsin Elections Board, and a former municipal court judge.

Whats this all about? He asked for and received immunity.

Tip of the iceberg I say. This guy has something to say.


12th person granted immunity in Wis. John Doe case
http://www.wisconsinrapidstribune.com/usatoday/article/39241989?odyssey=mod

[guido911]

On the subject of taxes...

[Madison, Wisc...] After refining the dataset created by Verify the Recall, a Wisconsin man began running it against other public records and discovered 571 tax delinquents signed Recall petitions.

His findings? The total in back taxes owed by petitioners is more than $17 million. The list of individuals can be found through the website, www.putwisconsinfirst.com

The creator of the site told the MacIver News Service, his databases should be considered to be tools and not definitive source documents. The source documents are from the State of Wisconsin and the Verify the Recall effort and can be found through links on the site, all he's done is connected the names and addresses together.

http://www.maciverinstitute.com/2012/05/website-reveals-recallers-owe-17-million-in-back-taxes/index.php

[Townsend]

On the subject of taxes...


http://www.maciverinstitute.com/2012/05/website-reveals-recallers-owe-17-million-in-back-taxes/index.php

So it's fabricated?

[nathanm]

I wonder how many tax laws Walker's proponents have paid to have rewritten so they don't have $17 million in tax liability.