NILRR News Clips – March 23, 2012
Hospital Union Officials Face Federal Charges for Disclosure Malpractice
nrtw.org, March 23, 2012
With free legal assistance from the National Right to Work Foundation, Donna Von der Lieth of San Ramon filed the charges with the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB).
Von der Lieth sent a letter to California Nurses Association (CNA) union officials resigning from formal union membership and invoked her right to refrain from paying full union dues in September 2011. However, because CNA union officials enjoy monopoly bargaining privileges over her workplace, and because California does not have state Right to Work protections for its workers, Von der Lieth is forced to accept CNA union officials’ “representation†and pay union fees as a condition of employment.
NLRB Pushes Union Organizing With New Program
Wall Street Journal Online, March 22, 2012
Federal regulators are preparing a drive to tell workers at nonunionized businesses they have many of the same rights as union members, a move that could prompt more workers to complain to employers about grievances ranging from pay and work hours to job safety and management misconduct.
Union leader to run in Lt. Gov. recall election
The Badger Herald Online, March 19, 2012
 In a statement following the press conference, the Wisconsin GOP said it was confused by Mitchell’s criticisms of Walker since he originally put out a press release applauding the governor’s decision to leave the police and firefighter unions out of the budget repair bill.
Union Seeks New Bailout in Budget Deal
Wall Street Journal Online, March 21, 2012
The union, 1199SEIU United Healthcare Workers East, is asking the state for $80 million more in Medicaid dollars so it can keep on providing health insurance to personal-care aides. In September, the Cuomo administration authorized a $50 million bailout of the benefit fund, but the union said it received only $35 million and needs the extra money to keep its fund afloat.
Labor’s lost love for Obama returns
Politico.com, 3/15/2012
The public love-fest signals that despite a fitful past, a key segment of Obama’s base is rallying behind him in time to help energize his 2012 campaign.
Why Labor’s Rank And File Won’t Campaign For Obama
Countercurrents.org, 3/16/2012
A surreal fog hangs over U.S. labor unions’ enthusiastic endorsement of Barack Obama. When AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka announced the labor federation’s recent endorsement, the exaggerated pro-Obama comments likely surprised union members everywhere. Has President Trumka paid any attention to the labor policies of President Obama?
What’s the link between dues check off and collective bargaining?
publicsectorinc.com, 3/12/2012
The article notes that the unions defenders claim that eliminating dues check-off would “weaken the membership and finances of teachers’ unions, making it more difficult to collect dues from members.†This is true. The unions would have to get teachers to voluntarily contribute to their coffers and remember to send a check periodically. But this is how every onther interest group in America operates. They use ideological and material incentives to lure in members and get them to donate to the cause. Only unions enjoy dues check-off provisions that guarantee them a steady and stable revenue stream.
Unions Rally at Red Cross Headquarters To Protest Stalled Contract Negotiations
Daily Labor Report Online, March 21, 2012
Union members March 21 rallied at American Red Cross headquarters in Washington, D.C., in protest of protracted collective bargaining over as many as three years for renewal of expired labor contracts covering 635 members of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters, the United Food and Commercial Workers, and the Office and Professional Employees International Union.
120 New Jobs for Noble County
Indianasnewscenter.com, March 22, 2012
Owner Nick Busche says the state’s new “right to work†law was one factor that played into the decision.
The IEDC claims it has helped generate 7,000 new jobs so far in 2012, on the way to a goal of 25,000 new jobs.
The organization says five companies have made commitments because of the recent passage of “right to workâ€.
Report: Public-sector unions using dues to fight political assaults
Wisconsin Reporter.com, March 21, 2012
The Manhattan Institute’s pointed report, “Dues and Deep Pockets: Public-Sector Unions’ Money Machine,†released Wednesday, doesn’t mince words.
Public-sector unions, unlike other advocacy organizations in the political process, have used mandatory revenue and membership streams through “dues checkoff†rules and “agency shop†laws to build their political base and push policies that sustain themselves and government benefits at ballooning public costs, the report asserts.
Poll: Most Voters Support Right-to-Work Legislation
WLNS.com, March 22, 2012
A majority of Michigan voters believe employers shouldn’t force their workers to join a union to keep their job. That’s according to a new Right-to-Work poll by the Marketing Resource Group and Inside Michigan Politics.
Retail group tells Senate to ax NLRB’s union-election rule
The Hill Online, March 21, 2012
In the letter, Katherine Lugar, RILA’s executive vice president of public affairs, said the election rule would hurt job growth.
Restoring worker freedom in the federal workforce
Southeast Missourian Online, March 22, 2012
There needs to be a true right to work at the federal level, with individual workers able to opt out completely from union intervention in their workplace activities. Supervisors should be restored their First Amendment rights to criticize unfair union practices.
Man charged with embezzling from Fresno County fire union
The Republic Online, Columbus, IN, March 20, 2012
Prosecutors charged John Morton Watson of Visalia with one count of felony embezzlement on Monday. He is accused of taking more than $100,000 from the Clovis Firefighters Association from late 2004 to 2011.
MSNBC anchor paid nearly $200K by unions
Fox News Online, March 19, 2012
Well, when you and I were at CBS News, if we ever took $200,000 from either the AFL-CIO or some corporation and then did stories, presumably favorable stories about them.
They would throw us out so quickly, Bill, we wouldn’t know what hit us. So — so those standards haven’t changed. What’s changed is the media landscape.