Why unions are out of touch with reality (and republicans are corrupt)

The public-sector union showdowns in Wisconsin and Ohio are proceeding as if it was the 1950s. Democrats and liberals call labor oppressed, and want the unions to win; Republicans and conservatives call labor a threat, and want unions broken. That’s the wrong way to think about the entire situation.

Labor unions and collective bargaining are important tools. There are good reasons to form unions. But unions must be reasonable. If the customer is not happy with a union’s performance, or if the cost of doing business becomes too high — whether the customer is the state of Wisconsin or otherwise — then unions must make reasonable compromises.

Collective bargaining is, after all, about negotiation.

Idaho Students Stage Walkout to Oppose Teacher Layoffs, Collective Bargaining Curbs

“We don’t Need Coca-Cola” Says Venezuela’s Chavez

Mérida, February 7^th 2011 (Venezuelanalysis.com) – In a nationally televised address on Friday to commemorate the 19^th anniversary of the famous failed coup attempt led by himself, President Hugo Chavez expressed his support for the current workers’ conflict in a Venezuelan Coca-Cola plant.

 “If Coca-Cola doesn’t want to comply with the constitution and the law, well, we can live without Coca-Cola,” he said.

“Coca-Cola isn’t indispensable,” he continued, to cheers from the crowd, “Who said Coca-Cola is necessary in order to live?” he added, then suggested some Venezuelan drinks, such as guava juice, that are better.

we are the insurgents

Timidity on the Mall

An Undemanding "One Nation" Rally

By STANLEY HELLER

The “One Nation Working Together” rally was billed as a chance to “demand the changes we voted for”. That slogan was just for the suckers. There was barely any criticism of the Administration from the main stage, just bleats for jobs and justice.

You would think that up on the main stage there would be giant banners with progressive slogans, “Obama, Hire Millions Now” “Defend Public Education from the Privatizers”, “Why are a Million Blacks in Prison?”, “Cut the Pentagon Budget in Half”. But there were no banners at all. Instead there were flags, lots of American flags.

None of the rally speakers were announced beforehand. That’s always a big draw. Was it stupidity or just an effort to avoid showing that “peace” would not be part of the demonstration. Bless his heart, rally speaker Harry Belafonte did vigorously denounce our wars and he actually condemned the Afpak surge saying, “The President’s decision to escalate the war in that region alone costs the nation $33 billion”. He didn’t challenge the President to bring the troops home, but no one else on the main stage criticized Obama on anything.