NC Protests the Latest Showing of Big Labor's Push Into South

National Legal and Policy Center, by Paul Chesser, February 13, 2014

A Saturday march in Raleigh, NC, that consisted of participants from dozens of left-wing groups – many bused in from more than 30 states – marked a new level of effort by national organized labor to assert itself in the South.

The recognized leader of the demonstration is the president of the North Carolina chapter of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, Rev. William Barber (in photo, on right), who recently received national media attention for his remark that black conservatives – such as South Carolina Republican Sen. Tim Scott – are “ventriloquists’ dummies” for the Tea Party. Barber last year conducted a series of “Moral Mondays” protests in the state capital against changes in state law that lowered taxes and limited the growth of government.

But unions have provided extra forces in opposition to the newly Republican-controlled state legislature and governorship. North Carolina, the most ardent right-to-work state in the nation, has become a top target for Big Labor, which has a stated goal to “Organize the South or Die.”

CONTINUED! 

BOOK REVIEW: Shadowbosses

Shadowbosses: How Government Employee Unions Control America and Rob Taxpayers Blind
(NY Times Bestseller!)


Mallory Factor is the author of SHADOWBOSSES.

SHADOWBOSSES tells a story of intrigue, drama, and corruption and reads like an organized crime novel. However, it is a true story of how labor unions are infiltrating our government and corrupting our political process.

This compelling and insightful book exposes how unions have organized federal, state, and local government employees without their consent, and how government employee unions are now a threat to our workers’ freedoms, our free and fair elections, and even our American way of life. And, Mallory Factor reveals what’s coming next: how unions are targeting millions of Americans–maybe even you–for forced unionization so that unions can collect billions more in forced dues and exert an even greater influence over American politics. A chilling expose, SHADOWBOSSES is also a call to citizen action against those who really hold power in America today.

Read More:  http://malloryfactor.com/

AMERICANS FOR PROSPERITY: STOP BIG LABOR!

Scott Walker’s recent victory in Wisconsin proves that Americans are starting to question union control of the workplace. But the struggle against Big Labor is just starting.

President Obama stacked the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB), the independent agency charged with mediating union elections and enforcing labor laws, with former union cronies from the Service Employees International Union. Instead of protecting workers and enforcing fair elections, the NLRB is doing exactly the opposite.

This is a major blow to employers and the employees exercising their choice not to join a union. Thankfully, Congress is considering the Employee Rights Act, which will put a check on the power of labor unions.

Take action today and urge your representatives in Congress to support the Employee Rights Act and put the power back in the hands of employees—not union bosses.

The Employee Rights Act will give workers the choice of whether their dues money should go toward political purposes that they don’t support. The Employee Rights Act will also protect the secret ballot instead of allowing “card check” style elections where employees can be coerced.

When politics get in the way and unions are given unchecked power, it hurts workers’ rights and businesses’ bottom lines. It’s time to stop big labor bosses from hurting employees.

Take action today and urge your representatives in Congress to support the Employee Rights Act and put the power back in the hands of employees—not union bosses.

Sincerely,
Americans for Prosperity

Americans for Prosperity® (AFP) is a nationwide organization of citizen leaders committed to advancing every individual's right to economic freedom and opportunity. AFP believes reducing the size and scope of government is the best safeguard to ensuring individual productivity and prosperity for all Americans. AFP educates and engages citizens in support of restraining state and federal government growth, and returning government to its constitutional limits. AFP has more than 2,000,000 members, including members in all 50 states, and 34 state chapters and affiliates. More than 95,000 Americans in all 50 states have made a financial investment in AFP or AFP Foundation. For more information, visit www.americansforprosperity.org

LEGISLATIVE UPDATE MARCH 5, 2012

Thanks to Tea Party Patriots for this Legislative Report  ~ Lynn

PASSION TO ACTION

Remember, the unions are already planning a counter rally to oppose us on March 24th in DC, so we need EVERY tea party supporter we can to join us in DC at the first stop on the Road to Repealing Obamacare! Please make sure to spend this week emailing your group members and communities about the rally, and encourage them to register at www.roadtorepeal.com. Also please post that link on Facebook, Twitter, etc. And if you are interested in organizing a bus to attend the rally, please email Gregg Cummings at gregg@teapartypatriots.org.

Federal Budget & Spending
No Budget: Tuesday, March 6th marks the 1042nd day since the Senate has passed a budget under Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV). Remember, when they passed the debt ceiling deal, they did not pass a budget. A budget is a ten-year document that prioritizes spending according to revenues, and deals with mandatory spending. The debt deal did none of that.

Waste: The Government Accountability Office (GAO) recently released its second annual report on waste and duplication in federal programs. The GAO found 51 areas of government spending where taxpayers could potentially save tens of billions of dollars every year. The GAO also found little progress in reducing the waste identified in last year’s report. Of the $100 billion in waste that was found, the GAO estimates that only about 5% of it has been addressed. On top of the $100 billion from last year, they found more than $300 billion wasted annually on over 1,500 programs across dozens of government agencies. If the Senate had actually passed a budget, they would be able to address these areas of waste.

President’s Budget: The RSC compiled a policy brief detailing the President’s budget, and you can read it here.

Jobs, Economic Growth & Regulations

• Cronyism: Read about green-job cronyism here, and how our tax dollars fund it.
• Corporate Taxes: US corporate tax rate is the highest out of all non-territorial OECD countries. Read about it here.
• Recession: If the economy is improving so greatly, why does this chart look recessionary?
• EPA: The top 5 job killing regulations from the EPA as compiled by the NFIB (National Federation of Independent Business). Check out more of their resources on regulations and job growth here.
• Tax Rates: Read the RSC’s policy brief on how the welfare state creates implicit marginal tax rates in excess of 100% on working families.
• Jobs Through Growth: What do you think of the RSC’s Jobs Through Growth Act? Find more information here and let us know what you think.
• Gas Prices
: An infographic from RSC about gas prices and energy below.


Constitutional Issues
• Anti-Protest Bill?: HR 347 is titled the “Federal Restricted Buildings and Grounds Improvement Act of 2011” was passed by the House recently by a vote of 388-3. Ron Paul and two other Republicans voted against it, and all Democrats voted for it. The bill is meant to prevent protesting on or at “restricted buildings and grounds.” There is a good chance that this is a very bad bill, but we need to do more research. Let us know if you have any information about it.
• IRS: If you feel that your group is being harassed by the IRS due to your application for tax-exempt status, the American Center for Law and Justice (ACLJ) has agreed to represent many of these groups.  Please contact the ACLJ if you believe you are being harassed.
• Anti-NDAA Resolutions: There is a resolution being proposed in Moffat County, Colorado to oppose the NDAA. To see a copy of this Resolution go to http://www.bearsearspatriots.com/ and click on the link to the left titled El Paso Resolution. You can also go to http://www.theintolerableacts.org/ for more information on NDAA resolutions.
• Pro-NDAA: We try to present both sides of an issue, especially if the grassroots asks us to do so. An activist wanted us to share this article about the NDAA, and specifically to push back on the claim that American citizens have lost their due process through the law. (Note: We have had a pro-NDAA speaker on the call and we are lining up an anti-NDAA speaker for a future call.)
Education
• New Study: New Study Shows Higher Graduation, Achievement Rates for Milwaukee Voucher Students.  Students enrolled in the Milwaukee voucher program are more likely to graduate from high school and go to college than their public school counterparts, boast significantly improved reading scores, represent a more diverse cross-section of the city, and are improving the results of traditional public school students, according to a comprehensive evaluation of the program released today.  If you would like to see similar voucher programs and other education opportunities in your state, visit our website http://www.teaforeducation.com/.  Let us show you how together we can make 2012 the year of educational opportunities and options. After all, isn’t it time education is about the children?
House Weekly wrap up & the week ahead provided by the RSC. Weekly Wrap Up
• Regulations on Academic Institutions — Last Tuesday, the House approved H.R. 2117, the Protecting Academic Freedom in Higher Education Act, by a vote of 303-114. The bill repeals two burdensome Department of Education regulations on institutions of higher education: (1) the credit hour regulation, which would harm innovative methods of awarding credits; and (2) the state authorization regulation, which could result in higher costs for schools and students. Additionally, the bill prohibits the Department from defining the term “credit hour” in the future. These onerous regulations on institutions of higher education inject the federal government into traditionally academic and state affairs.
• Water Usage Rights — Last week, the House approved H.R. 1837, the San Joaquin Valley Water Reliability Act by a vote of 245-173. The bill amends the Central Valley Project Improvement Act (CVPIA, P.L. 102-575) by adding new purposes to the Act, which requires that water dedicated to fish and wildlife be replaced and provided to the Central Valley Project (CVP) by the end of 2016 and require expedited water transfers between willing sellers. H.R. 1837 also requires the Secretary of Interior to strictly adhere to state water rights laws and priorities and to honor water rights senior to those held by the CVP, notwithstanding provisions of the Endangered Species Act. The CVPIA and the Endangered Species Act (ESA) have contributed significantly to water supply uncertainty and instability in California. Environmental organizations blaming the water pumps as the main cause of endangered Delta smelt declines successfully used the federal court system to achieve many of their objectives. In May 2007, a Federal District Court judge ruled in Natural Resources Defense Council vs. Kempthorne that a Department of Interior Biological Opinion on Delta smelt was “arbitrary, capricious and contrary to law.” This eventually led to a revised Biological Opinion that caused massive water shut-offs in 2009 and 2010. According to the Natural Resources Committee, the results of the water restrictions were devastating—over one million acre feet of water were lost due to the smelt and salmon Biological Opinions. Although jobs estimates differ, thousands of jobs were lost and hundreds of thousands of acres of land were fallowed in 2010.
• International Religious Freedom – Also last week, the House approved H.Res. 556 by a vote of 417-1 (after the vote, the lone no vote indicated she had mistakenly voted incorrectly). The resolution condemns the government of Iran for its state-sponsored persecution of religious minorities and its continued violation of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, and calls for Iran to exonerate and immediately release Pastor Youcef Nadarkhani and all other individuals held or charged on account of their religion. It also recognizes that freedom of religious belief and practice is a universal human right and a fundamental freedom of every individual, regardless of race, sex, country, creed, or nationality, and should never be arbitrarily abridged by any government, and also governments have a responsibility to protect the fundamental rights of their citizens and to pursue justice for all.
The Week Ahead
• JOBS Act — This week, the House is expected to consider H.R. 3606, the Jumpstart Our Business Startups (JOBS) Act. This legislation is a compilation of bipartisan House bills that will provide real solutions to encourage job growth by removing regulation impeding small businesses and startups. These bipartisan measures will increase capital formation, spur the growth of startups and small businesses, and pave the way for more small-scale businesses to go public and create more jobs.
• Hydropower Development — Also this week the House may consider H.R. 2842, the Bureau of Reclamation Small Conduit Hydropower Development and Rural Jobs Act. H.R. 2842 would jumpstart hydropower development on Bureau of Reclamation canals and pipelines by reducing unnecessary and duplicative administrative and regulatory costs. The legislation would authorize the Bureau of Reclamation to permit private entities to develop small hydropower units on all irrigation canals and conduits under the agency’s jurisdiction. Under current law, the bureau or the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) has jurisdiction over hydropower development at such facilities. H.R. 2842 would clarify that the jurisdiction for small hydropower development on all bureau irrigation canals and conduits lies solely with the bureau. In addition, the bill would exempt small conduit hydropower (1.5 megawatts or less) from National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) regulations, while retaining NEPA application for larger installations.
• Countervailing Duties – This week, it is likely that a bill dealing with the issue of countervailing duties will be on the House floor. While it has some support from conservatives, many conservatives are concerned that this legislation violates free market principles by applying punitive tariffs that not only harm U.S. importers, but will harm our negotiating position on legitimate bilateral trade concerns.  Further, by allowing the Obama administration to escalate a trade war with China, it can hurt U.S. importers.
• Transportation and Budget – At this point it looks likely that the highway bill will not be considered until the week of March 19, at the earliest. It is also very likely that the House will consider the FY 2013 Budget during that work period. For the latest on the budget negotiations, please check out this article.
• Next scheduled House recess: March 12th – 16th.
SENATE

THE BLAZE: Revealed: Michigan Union Manual Instructing Teachers on How to Use Children as ‘Propoganda’

“For more than two years, the Michigan Education Association [MEA] has had a manual that urges its members to use students as propaganda in contract negotiations and also lays out how to organize strikes,” writes Tome Gantert of Michigan Capitol Confidential.


Considering the fact that teacher strikes are illegal in Michigan, some may find it odd that the MEA has been encouraging this sort of behavior.

In fact, the MEA has been doing a lot more than just encouraging. As Gantert reports, the organization produced an anonymously written 28-page manual titled, “Building Full Capacity Locals — Crisis Planning, It’s Never Too Early To Start!”

While there are many things in the manual that should be the cause for concern, probably the most disturbing moment occurs when one section appears to quote almost verbatim Saul Alinksy’s “Rules For Radicals.”

Alinsky instructs his followers to “Pick the target, freeze it, personalize it, and polarize it.” Likewise, the MEA manual instructs teachers to “Pick a target—personalize—and polarize the opposition [pg. 17].” And those are just the verbatim quotes; the entire manual is a handbook for creating, managing, and profiting from crises.

Representatives of the MEA were unavailable for comment when The Blaze contacted them for more information.

“What’s really troubling about this publication isn’t what’s inside, it’s right there on the cover. This organization has decided it is above the law that has empowered them so much in so many other ways,” said Paul Kersey, director of labor policy at the Mackinac Center for Public Policy, according to the Michigan Capitol Confidential article.

CONTINUED:http://www.theblaze.com/stories/revealed-michigan-union-manual-instructing-teachers-on-how-to-use-children-as-propoganda/

The Washington Times: Union fight pits rights of free speech, private land

With a full complement of members after President Obama’s recent recess appointments, the National Labor Relations Board could soon rule on a closely watched labor law case with major implications for property rights, union organizing tactics and even what workers can write about on their company email accounts.


In 2005, Roundy's Supermarkets Inc., ordered members of the company’s construction union, the Milwaukee Building and Construction Trades Council, to leave its parking lots for urging customers to boycott the stores and shop elsewhere in the midst of a fierce labor dispute.

The union was upset that nonunion contractors, which the union claimed was not paying prevailing area standard wages and benefits, were building stores and expanding or remodeling existing stores for the Milwaukee-based chain.

The union set up protests in the parking lots at 26 Roundy's stores, both leased and company-owned sites. Protesters distributed handbills and offered coupons redeemable at competitor grocery stores.

After Roundy's officials ordered police to remove protesters who were not company employees, the union filed a complaint with the NLRB. The case has bounced between an administrative law judge and the agency, and legal analysts say the NLRB could issue a ruling this year. The agency declined to comment because the decision is pending.


Labor and management groups are closely watching the case, which pits basic rights to free speech and public protest against equally fundamental rights regarding private property.

The ruling is likely to set precedents for organizing battles.

CONTINUED:
http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2012/jan/12/union-fight-pits-rights-of-free-speech-private-lan/

N.C. GOP presses Democrats to hire locals for convention

The Democratic National Committee's pledge to use union contractors at its 2012 convention in Charlotte, N.C., is getting pushback from Republican state lawmakers who say the practice is undercutting local companies.


http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2011/dec/4/nc-gop-presses-democrats-to-hire-locals-for-conven/

‘Forced Unionization’: SEIU Collects Union Dues From Disabled Kids’ Medicaid Checks

November 16, 2011

Robert and Patricia Haynes take care of their two children, who at the ages of 30 and 34 are more like children in adult bodies. That’s because they both have cerebral palsy, and rely on their parents to feed and change them — and likely will for the rest of their lives.


The Haynes family receives monthly checks from the state through Medicaid, allowing the parents to care for their son and daughter themselves instead of institutionalizing them. But because a Michigan law classifies Robert and Patricia as “home health care workers,” they are considered public workers and therefore automatic union members — meaning the SEIU gets a $30 cut of the family’s Medicaid subsidy as union dues.

“We’re not home health care providers — we’re parents taking care of our children,” Melissa Haynes told Detroit Fox affiliate WJBK-TV:  http://www.theblaze.com/stories/forced-unionization-seiu-collects-union-dues-from-disabled-kids-medicaid-checks/

FROM THE TAXPAYER'S TAB: Most Expensive Bill of the Week

The Bill: S. 1723, Teachers and First Responders Back to Work Act of 2011
Annualized Cost: $6.998 billion ($34.99 billion over five years)

(PAYING BACK THE UNIONS AND BUYING VOTES!)

The Teachers and First Responders Back to Work Act would authorize grants to states to protect and create jobs. The grants would be used to pay salaries and benefits to keep teachers in the classroom and support staff on the job. In a press release, Senator Robert Menendez (D-NJ) said his bill would "protect nearly 400,000 education jobs." Funds would be awarded based on the number of K-12 students and the total population in the state.

Local police and fire departments would also receive money to prevent layoffs and to create additional jobs. According to Senator Menendez, the provision would "save thousands of police and fire fighter jobs" with an infusion of almost $5 billion. Similar to the bill's education measure, public funds would be available for hiring, rehiring, and retention of first responders.

According to the Congressional Budget Office (CBO), S. 1723 would result in almost $35 billion in new spending over the next five years. Spending for teachers represents 85 percent -- or $30 billion -- of the bill's five-year cost. In order to pay for the new spending in S. 1723, a 0.5 percent surtax would be imposed on individuals making more than $1 million.

To learn more or discuss this bill visit WashingtonWatch.com.
http://www.washingtonwatch.com/bills/show/112_SN_1723.html

AFL-CIO President Says Beck, Limbaugh ‘Pushed Open the Door to Hate’ After 9/11

THE BLAZE--September 9, 2011

AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka released a statement Friday commemorating the 10th anniversary of Sept. 11 — and promptly turned it into a political opportunity to bash Glenn Beck, Rush Limbaugh, Karl Rove and other conservatives for opening “the door to hate” in the decade since the attacks:


Wealthy CEOs, anti-government extremist front groups and frothing talk show hosts—from the Rush Limbaughs and Glenn Becks to the Koch brothers, Karl Rove’s American Crossroads group, Americans for Prosperity, the Club for Growth, FreedomWorks and the American Legislative Exchange Council—also pushed open the door to hate.

Despite the unity Americans first felt in the wake of 9/11, that hate has led to “ill-thought wars,” the shooting of Rep. Gabrielle Giffords and attacks on immigrants and members of the LGBT community, Trumka said. It is also responsible for a racist conspiracy against President Barack Obama:

CONTINUED:  http://www.theblaze.com/stories/afl-cio-president-says-beck-limbaugh-pushed-open-the-door-to-hate-after-911/

TPN--JUDSON PHILLIPS

The Thug Presidency


September 6, 2011

The liberal double standards on civility were on full display yesterday. Jimmy Hoffa, the President of the Teamsters Union called on supporters to “take those SOBs out.”

Who are the SOBs?  You and me of course.

Coming from the President of the Teamsters, we know what he means by “take those SOBs out.” The Teamsters Union has a long and storied history, punctuated with frequent violence and ties to organized crime.

Jimmy Hoffa called for violence against the Tea Party.

What makes this worse is Hoffa did it at an event where Obama was the key speaker. Hoffa said, “Obama, we are your army. We are ready to march.” Obama was not present when Hoffa made his remarks, but is certainly aware of them.

The silence we hear from the Obama regime is not shocking. Obama and the liberals have a double standard on civility. Threats and even violence from the left is ignored. There is no violence from the Tea Party so the Obama compliant media manufactures the myth of it.

In January, Gabrielle Giffords was shot. The left immediately jumped out accusing conservatives of being responsible for the shooting. As it turned out, what little political beliefs the shooter had were on the liberal side. Then the liberal line went from conservatives caused the shooting to the corrosive environment based on the hate speech, which they conveniently blamed on the Tea Party.

On January 13, Obama went to Arizona where he called for civility. Since then, there has been no civility. The Tea Party and Conservatives have been talking about the problems and the solutions. The left has been telling us to “go straight to hell,” and claiming Conservatives wanted to see black people “hanging from trees.”

The ball is in Obama’s court right now. The Illinois Tea Party has called for Jimmy Hoffa to resign. Hoffa will not resign from the Teamsters Union. Thuggery is a long-standing and cherished Union tradition.

But it is time to make Obama live up to his words.

Obama must repudiate the words of Hoffa and he must do it today.

In January, Obama called for a more civil discourse. When the Teamsters President wants to “take those SOBs out,” we know exactly what he means. It is a call to violence and it is unacceptable.

Either Obama condemns this speech or he does not. If he does, then perhaps it is a step towards the hard left moving away from their rhetoric of violence.

I’m not holding my breath.

Obama will not condemn this type of rhetoric because he believes it. He will not condemn Hoffa because he needs Hoffa and the Unions.

We need to call them out on this. There is a myth that the Tea Party is the source of the heated rhetoric. We need to take this to the streets of social media and every time a liberal tries to claim the Tea Party is responsible for the heated rhetoric, we need to remind them of Maxine Waters, Andre Carson and Jimmy Hoffa.

And we also need to remind them of the silence of Barack Obama.

‘Let’s Take These Son Of Bitches Out’: Teamsters President Hoffa Calls for War on Tea Party at Obama Labor Day Event

President Obama had a fiery warm up act before his Labor Day speech in Detroit.


Here’s Fox News on the speech by Teamsters President Jimmy Hoffa:

The rhetoric coming from speakers at the event was already heated before Hoffa took the stage. Hoffa then declared there’s a “war on workers” and vowed that organized labor would “remember in November” which lawmakers were opposing the president’s agenda.

“We’ve got to keep an eye on the battle that we face — a war on workers. And you see it everywhere. It is the Tea Party,” he said. “And there’s only one way to beat and win that war — the one thing about working people is, we like a good fight.”

Hoffa called on workers to get involved in opposing Tea Party-aligned lawmakers next November.

“President Obama, this is your army, we are ready to march,” Hoffa said. “But everybody here’s got to vote. If we go back, and keep the eye on the prize, let’s take these sons of bitches out.”

OBAMA...the great unifier!
CONTINUED:  http://www.theblaze.com/stories/lets-take-these-son-of-bitches-out-teamster-president-hoffa-calls-for-war-on-tea-party-at-obama-labor-day-event/