It's Time to Question Labor's Ties to Democrats

[Omaha Steve]

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/gregory-floyd/its-time-to-question-labors-ties_b_911981.html

Gregory Floyd

President, Teamsters Local 237

Organized labor has many enemies in this country. Unfortunately, we also need to start worrying about our friends.

Vocal conservatives continue to increase their influence and hijack the debate about restoring our economy, putting the focus on cutting deficits and not creating jobs. Their attempt to shrink government and hurt the middle class is unfortunate, but not surprising. While Tea Party Republicans have awakened a newfound passion for fiscal conservatism, the party has always been the cloak the powerful use to conceal their self-interest.

Sadly, however, this belief is finding a toehold in the Democratic Party, the once strong ally of labor unions. While Democrats and unions have stood together and fought valiantly in pockets of the country -- most notably in Wisconsin -- there are too many Democratic politicians embracing the supposed popular support of conservative policies.

To be a true ally means more than lending support when times are good. In fact, it means just the opposite. You must be able to stand with your allies during the worst of times. The strength that you gain from each other's support is essential to mutual survival.

The Democratic Party, however, has been less than a stalwart ally.

Around the country and in our nation's capital, we are seeing more Democrats willing to place the burden of fixing the country on the backs of public workers and the middle class in general. Even more alarming, we have seen a willingness to attack some of our most important institutions, including pensions, Medicare and Social Security.

One thing that can be said for Republicans: they stand by and fight fiercely for their allies. Those allies are corporate interests, oil companies and the super rich, but Republicans stand up for them unabashedly, killing tax increases of even one penny. They don't play fair; they fight dirty; and they refuse to concede any ground. They are on the wrong side, but they know how to play the game.

FULL story at link.

[patrice]

1. Freedom is strength! It's time to question Labor's ties to ANYONE but itself. nt

[mike_c]

2. at my union's last delegate assembly there was a great deal of anger...

...directed toward dems for failing to stand up for labor issues. Our sense was "why should we support them when they don't deliver for us once in office?"

[Brickbat]

3. Amen, amen.

Labor needs to put Labor first. I love this movement.

[readmoreoften]

4. We would have SO much more money for strike benefits and real actions

if we cut loose of the false friends.

[slipslidingaway]

5. Any thoughts on this from 2007 ...

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=389&topic_id=1777600&mesg_id=1777600

The AFL-CIO page no longer works, but I copied what was on the page.

I came across this page when looking back on the votes for the China Trade bill in 2000. What is interesting is how the page includes information on the China Trade bill for certain candidates and excludes vote information for other candidates. I would assume this page is compiled for the benefit of their members so why would they be selective on the voting records of the candidates? Does anyone else find this strange?

No mention of the votes that the Dem candidates cast for this bill


YES

Biden
Dodd
Edwards

NO

Kucinich


Republican YES votes are mentioned

Brownback
McCain
Thompson

Republican NO votes are NOT mentioned

Hunter
Paul
Tancredo

[Remember Me]

6. Steve --

Labor has been as betrayed by Obama and virtually ALL the other Democrats as all the other liberal/progressive "identity politics" groups. I've watched it for too many sickening years now -- a couple of decades, actually. So I think "friends" (I know it's not your word) is overly optimistic.

I'm suddenly reminded of a line from the Recovery movement: The definition of "co-dependence" (unhealthy relationship) is "going back again and again for what you never got the first time." Children, for one example, including adult children, keep spending too much energy and effort in the hopes of finally getting the love or approval or acceptance of one or both parents they never got the first time.

while I'm a little concerned about saying this on DU, having all too recently read the rules, I am frankly heartened by the efforts being made to form a 3rd Party. I didn't have any details until I googled - took a bit of looking -- and I found this:

The Pulse: Third party to break ground on electronic nomination By Michael Smerconish
http://www.philly.com/philly/opinion/126467093.html?cmpid=15585797
website: http://www.americanselect.org/

One thing I know for sure: our elected representatives are not doin' any actual representin'. And that has to change. One way or another, that has to change.

I think we should ALL join unions. Isn't there one that lets just interested supporters join?

[swilton]

7. K&R

Good questions - the left is being divided.

[cyberpj]

8. Could we get behind this with enough people? Or do the other legs of the platform obstruct that?

G. Labor
The right to organize unions, bargain freely and strike when necessary is being destroyed by employers and their representatives in government. Today, nearly one out of ten workers involved in union organizing drives is illegally fired by employers who wage a campaign of fear, threats, and slick propaganda to keep workers from exercising a genuinely free choice.

And as union membership falls, so do the wages of all working people, union and non-union alike. We support efforts to overcome these legal handicaps, especially in the South and Southwest where the laws are most hostile. We also must dedicate ourselves to fighting for a complete overhaul of this country’s labor laws.

We support the irreducible right of the working people, without hindrance, to form a union and to bargain collectively with their employer. This right was guaranteed under the National Labor Relations Act of 1935.
Furthermore, we support the right of workers, without penalty, to inform other workers on the premises of a union being formed. This includes advertising and recruiting.

The right to organize has been eroded and diluted over the years by incremental infringements and restrictions, especially by the Taft-Hartley Act of 1947 passed over President Truman’s veto. We stand for repeal of the Taft-Hartley Act. The right to organize has also been diminished by an aggressive anti-union offensive by employers who have undermined the law, and in many cases, brazenly violated it. To restore these legal rights, we call for the enactment of the Employee Free Choice Act.

more detail:
http://www.gp.org/committees/platform/2010/social-justice.php#1001797