NILRR Clipsheet, April 11, 2014


Ambush is Coming

shopfloor.org, April 10, 2014

While the idea of having this public hearing on its face would fit the definition of an open and transparent government rulemaking process, the hearing itself is more reminiscent of other public “hearings,†which have been held lately. Hearings where only one side is permitted to ask questions and presenters are limited to a mere five minutes to present one particular aspect of the proposed rule, rather than the rule as a whole.  In the end, it is hard to believe this hearing is anything more than checking the transparency box for the Board.  The reality is, employers should be preparing for an ambush election – and the Board should prepare for a fight.

“Worker Committees” a $15 Million SEIIU Project

laborpains.org, April 9, 2014

In 2013, SEIU (and its locals) pumped at least $15 million toward organizations involved in its fast food campaign. We’ve provided a handy diagram below that shows the tangled web of SEIU money, front groups, and political consultants.

Griping about taxes is high where unions are strongest

publicsectorinc., April 9, 2014

Gallup has a new state poll out listing where residents gripe the most about taxes. The winners (if you can call them that) are largely not surprising, if you 480x480xno-taxes.gif.pagespeed.ic.FajJWeTt5lfollow policy debates these days. (Except for Nebraska. What are those folks so upset about?) Just for fun (if you can call it that) I took a look at how the list of those complaining the most about taxes correlated to the degree of government unionization in each state.

Davis-Bacon: The Price-Fixing Conspiracy That The Feds Mandate

Forbes Online, April 10, 2014

“Prevailing wage†law sounds so much nicer than calling it a “price fixing†law, but that is exactly what Davis-Bacon and its many state copy-cats do. Going back to the beginning of the labor movement in the U.S., the stated goal was to take labor out of competition. By making it illegal for contractors on federal projects to pay less, even if there are competent workers willing to work at wages below the “prevailing†ones, the government is acting to enforce the unions’ wish to suppress competition.

Return of union lobbyist to state post a ‘slap in the face,’ senator says

Watchdog.org, April 9, 2014

Gov. Terry McAuliffe’s pick, Carlton “Ray†Davenport, was a registered lobbyist for the Virginia AFL-CIO from December 2010 until this month, according to lobbying disclosures available from the Virginia Public Access Project. Before his time as AFL-CIO treasurer and secretary, Davenport served in the same commissioner capacity under Democratic governors Tim Kaine and Mark Warner. Earlier in his career, Davenport worked with the International Union of Operating Engineers, according to a news release from the governor’s office.

Wisconsin Democrat who fled during Walker showdown must disclose emails, court rules

Washington Examiner, April 9, 2014

One of the 11 Democratic state senators who fled Wisconsin for Illinois during the 2011 statehouse showdown over Gov. Scott Walker’s union reforms must disclose emails related to the legislative battle, a state appeals court ruled Wednesday morning.

‘Workers centers are just third-wave unions,’ says labor activist

Washington Examiner, April 8, 2014

Jose Oliva, networks director for the Restaurant Opportunities Centers United, said so-called “worker centers” like his group were a “new form of unionism” that would replace craft and industrial unions. He made the comments in an interview with the public radio program Global Nation late last month.

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