Union Bosses Versus Union Members?

As the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) protest in front of Majority Leader Adam Hasner’s (R- Delray Beach) district office today in South Florida against preserving and protecting Floridians’ right to a secret ballot, the country's fastest-growing union is engaged in its own labor dispute with employees it is seeking to lay off.
The Washington Post reported today the Service Employees International Union has notified the union that represents about 220 of the SEIU's national field staff members and organizers that it is laying off 75 of the employees.

“It’s ironic that the SEIU staff members are losing their jobs and suing the union for unfair labor practices,” said Leader Hasner. “Unions are supposed to protect their members, not fire them.”

The article went on to say, “The workers union's leaders say that the SEIU is engaging in the same kind of practices that some businesses use: laying off workers without proper notice, contracting out work to temporary-staffing firms, banning union activities and reclassifying workers to reduce union numbers.”

"It's completely hypocritical," said Malcolm Harris, president of the workers union. "This is the union that's been at the forefront of progressive issues, around ensuring that working people and working families are taken care of, but when it comes to the people that work for SEIU, they haven't set the same standards."
To read the entire article, click here

HOUSE DEMOCRATS FIGHTING AGAINST FLORIDA WORKERS

***JUST THE FACTS***

HOUSE DEMOCRATS FIGHTING AGAINST FLORIDA WORKERS
~Continue to side with Union Bosses’ Attempts to Steal a Worker’s Right to Secret Ballot~

The facts on Save Our Secret Ballot are simple:

FACT: 80% of union members support protecting workers’ right to secret ballot.

FACT: The only thing that is anti-worker is the House Democrats’ continued attacks on Florida workers’ right to be free from fear of retaliation and intimidation from their union, their employer or from fellow employees.

FACT: House Democrats choose their leaders by secret ballot. It’s a shame they won’t give Florida workers the same protection.

Luck o' the Rooneys

By Anne Schroeder Mullins 11:50 AM
http://www.politico.com/blogs/anneschroeder/

Freshman Rep. Tom Rooney's family just continues with the ole Irish luck.
For one, Rooney was elected in Congress.
For two, as we know, his family is the family that owns the Pittsburgh Steelers.
For three, the Steelers won the Super Bowl this year.
And for four........Dan Rooney, said owner of the Steelers, and uncle to Tom, has just been nominated to be the brand spanking new Irish Ambassador, the WH announced on the anniversary that St. Patrick drove the snakes out of his fair country.

Rooney seems thrilled -- how could you not be? - as he said in a statement: “I am happy to hear President Obama has nominated my Uncle Dan Rooney to be our nation’s new Ambassador to Ireland, I wish him well and I know he will do great job representing the United States. For decades he has been working to help foster peace and reconciliation as well as fight poverty in Ireland as the co-founder of the American Ireland Fund which started 35 years ago.”

HOUSE DEMOCRATS REFUSE TO OFFER

- Sands vs. Saunders, Round Two –
Sands asks, if we’re unwilling to repeal sales tax exemptions, “why are we here?”

TALLAHASSEE- This afternoon, having reached the conclusion of their three week review of existing sales tax exemptions, House Democrats on the Finance & Tax Council are ignoring the advice of Minority Leader Franklin Sands and are following Minority Leader-designate Ron Saunders’ playbook in refusing to produce even a single tax exemption to repeal.

Minority Leader-designate Saunders’ do-nothing plan for House Democrats was clear:
“Rep. Ron Saunders, D-Key West, said he would urge Democrats to keep the exemptions, saying it's up to the Republican majority to figure out how to balance the budget.”
- WFLX-FOX/AP, “Lawmakers consider repeal of tax exemptions, ” 3/11/2009
Saunders’ strategy directly contradicts the message from Minority Leader Sands on dealing with sales tax exemptions.
“Democrats returned to a familiar refrain used repeatedly during a budget-balancing special session in January: Lawmakers must not be afraid to look at doing away with sales-tax exemptions and considering raising taxes on items like cigarettes. ‘Florida's in very, very difficult straits at this point. And if we're not willing to do that, then why are we here?’ said House Minority Leader Franklin Sands, D-Weston.”
- Florida Times-Union, ‘It’s that Bad, Florida will fall another $2.4 billion short,” 3/14/2009
House Democrats, turning away from Minority Leader Sands who says he wants the minority party to engage in a constructive role, and embracing the blame game fingerpointing strategy of Minority Leader-designate Saunders, is surprising considering their previous outspoken support for repeal of sales tax exemptions.

With 46 days left in this year’s legislative session, Floridians, frustrated by the Minority Leader-designate’s strategy to not participate in the decisions facing Florida, may be asking House Democrats a version of the same question that the Minority Leader is asking right now: “Why are you here?”

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