Welcome Secretary Walsh!

Swearing in Secretary Marty Walsh to the U.S. Department of Labor

This is why most labor activists worked so hard on President Biden’s election.  President Biden’s appointment of Boston Mayor and former union laborer Marty Walsh to heard up the U.S. Department of Labor will give working families a loud voice at the table in Washington DC for the first time in many years.  Secretary Walsh’s statement on the day he was sworn in is a testimony to his commitment to working families.  Thank you President Biden and good luck Secretary Walsh!   

“Yesterday, as I was sworn in as the 29th secretary of the U.S. Department of Labor, I thought about my mother and father, who emigrated from Ireland in the 1950s. They both worked hard, but our American Dream did not take shape until my father joined the Laborers Union Local 223 in Boston.

The union was our way into the middle class. It meant a fair wage, so we could have a home and give back to our community. It meant safety on the job, so we didn’t have to live in fear of an accident derailing our lives. It meant a pension, so my parents could retire with dignity. And it meant health insurance, so our family had access to quality care.

As a young man, I followed my father into construction and joined the same union. I worked on job sites all over Boston and saw the sacrifices working people make to ensure they can feed their families. In my 20s, because of the same benefits that enabled my cancer treatment as a child, I was able to seek treatment for my alcoholism. I am a proud member of the recovery community. Later on, as a full-time legislator, I went back to school and earned my degree from Boston College at the age of 42.

I share these personal details because they shaped who I am today, and they inform my deep belief in the work of the Department of Labor:

·         Ensuring all workers have fair pay, health care, unemployment benefits, safe workplaces and a secure retirement.

·         Ensuring equal access to good jobs.

·         Ensuring workers have a seat at the table in shaping workplace conditions and policies.

·         Bolstering career education and job training.

·         Increasing access to mental health and substance use treatment.

These are not just policies to me — these are real, tangible needs for millions of Americans, and I will continue fighting for them as I begin this new role.

We have a lot of work to do. Right now, our nation is facing unprecedented economic and public health crises that are disproportionately hurting communities of color. Hundreds of thousands of Americans continue to file for unemployment week after week, and while we are making lifesaving advances in vaccine distribution, we still have a long way to go to full recovery.

I believe we must act with urgency to meet this moment, to strengthen and empower our workforce as we rebuild. As secretary, I pledge to work in partnership with workers and businesses; states, cities and tribal territories; employees in every agency of the Department of Labor; and President Biden and Vice President Harris to help working families build back better.

Marty Walsh is the secretary of labor. Follow him on Twitter at @SecMartyWalsh.”

Increasing Unionism

As a union and social activist for most of my life I thought I had almost all the answers for questions related to unionism.  Recently, a friend posed a question that I found to be much more difficult than it should be.  His question was ‘what would be the first steps a person would take if they wanted to increase unionism from the current 9% to 20% by the year 2030’? 

I have been thinking of how to respond.  My first thought is that we need to do a better job of educating the public.  Then, I thought about how many union members I’ve represented that are not only first-generation union members but are paying union dues for the first time in their lives.  Most of today’s union members have no idea how they got the benefits they have today.  Long forgotten are the sacrifices made by the generations that came before us.  Long forgotten are the memories of blood spilled and lives lost.  These sacrifices are not taught in schools, though they should be. 

On March 25th, 2021 we will be celebrating the 110th anniversary of the Triangle Shirt Waist factory fire in New York where 146 workers lost their lives.  The workers were mostly women in their teens and 20’s, some as young as 14 perished in the fire.  At approximately 4:30 pm fire broke out on the 8th floor of the 10-story Asch Building.  The fire department ladder trucks could only reach the 6th floor leaving many of the workers to leap to their deaths.  An eyewitness to the tragedy William G. Sheperd described it like this; “I learned a new sound- a more horrible sound than description can picture.  It was the thud of a speeding, living body on a stone sidewalk.  Thud----dead, thud----dead, thud----dead, thud----dead.  Sixty-two thud----deads.  I call them that because the sound and thought of death came to me each time, at the same instant.  There was plenty of chance to watch them as they came down.  The height was eighty feet.

So many workers rushed to the elevator to escape the flames that it gave way to the weight of the workers and plunged to the bottom of the elevator pit killing most of the women on board.  More than twenty women lost their lives when the fire escape on the exterior of the building collapsed hurling the women to the concrete street below.  Fire fighters found a six-foot pile of charred bodies in front of a locked door.

With in a few days of the fire more than 350,000 men and women marched in the streets of New York for better working conditions and more regulations to protect working men and women.  These actions spawned a renewed push for job safety and more labor rights and with those labor rights unionism grew. 

Increasing unionism in the United States will not be an easy task.  Fortunately, President Biden recognizes the role unions play in protecting all workers.  His appointments to the National Labor Relation’s Board and the Department of Labor will be much more friendly to labor unions.  This is the best opportunity labor unions have had in my lifetime to increase unionism.  Let’s start by educating our members and encouraging them to talk about the benefits their union has given them.    

It’s not Us against THEM!

It is a common mistake that too many people make thinking that unions are opposed to corporations or businesses earning profits.  Nothing could be farther from the truth; unions cannot survive without profitable businesses.  The problem is that while many businesses are making record profits, they demand fewer benefits and less pay for their workers. 

Whether it’s construction, manufacturing, agricultural or service sector jobs, working men and women have been toiling away for generations to make ends meet for their families while the rich have gotten richer and the gap between the workers and the wealthy has gotten bigger.  According to the Economic Policy Institute since 1979 the pace of annual pay increases for the top 1% wage grew 138% while wages for the bottom 90% grew 15%.  The problem isn’t the greed of union workers.  It’s laws that create an unfair playing field that gives corporations the power to force American workers to compete with workers in third world nations, many of whom use child labor for jobs that were once done by workers here in the USA.

In 2009 the United Auto Workers (UAW) took huge concessions that helped Ford avoid bankruptcy and allowed Chrysler and General Motors to use the Bridge Loans secured by President George W. Bush and guidelines put forth by the Obama administration to exit bankruptcy and regain profitable status.  The concessions by the UAW and the restructuring of the American auto industry by the Obama administration are proof that we can work together.  At the time the CEO of Ford Motor Company Bill Ford told CNBC, “When we got into a really tough period, I sat down with Ron (Gettlefinger President of the International United Auto Workers Union) and I said, ‘you have to help me save the Ford Motor Company so we didn’t have to go through bankruptcy, so we didn’t have to get a federal bailout,’” Ford said.  “And he did that.”  Ford credited the union with helping his company regain a foothold in the North American market.  He added that the UAW helped the entire industry “get back on its feet.””

President Biden recognizes the contributions to America’s economy that unions provide.  He also knows the importance of making sure that unions have a seat at the table.  The president is right; it was unions that brought him to the dance and so far, he hasn’t forgotten it. 

Joe shakes up the Department of Labor

As a union activist and leader for four decades I have lost count of how many times I have been asked; ‘why doesn’t the union support republicans?’.  The short answer is that we have.  Admittedly, not often, but throughout the years but we have supported some republicans. 

According to the International UAW’s CAP Department’s internal polling of the 2016 election 32% of UAW members did not vote for Hillary Clinton, the UAW endorsed candidate.  An additional 8% voted in the 2016 election but did not vote for a candidate for president.  The AFL-CIO has reported similar numbers within their ranks.  I have also been told over and over that “there is no difference between the democrats and republicans”, that the democratic party does not care about workers.  There may be a small amount of truth to those statements. 

If you want a clearer picture on who supports working families and who doesn’t?  Look at who has been fired or removed from the Department of Labor and the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB).  In less than two weeks President Biden has taken the Department of Labor away from Trump’s union busting corporate lackeys and filled the positions with men and women from labor.  It seems that maybe…just maybe all these years union members have been asking the wrong question?  It’s not why doesn’t the union support republicans, it’s why don’t republicans support working families.  

Reporter Mark Joseph Stern writes in Slate Magazine: “On Tuesday, Joe Biden demanded the resignations of all 10 of Donald Trump’s appointees to the Federal Service Impasses Panel, a powerful labor relations board, in a major victory for federal unions. Eight members resigned, and two were fired after refusing to step down. Trump’s appointees—a group of partisan anti-labor activists—had hobbled federal unions for years, sabotaging their ability to organize and bargain collectively. Biden’s clean sweep, which was first reported by Government Executive’s Erich Wagner, marks a crucial step toward ending his predecessor’s campaign of federal union busting.”

Labor Front Honors Black History Month

February is Black History Month where we recognize the many contributions black men and women have made throughout the history of our great nation.  It is also very important to understand and acknowledge the role that many African American’s played in the country’s labor movement. 

While most people know many of the Civil Rights icons that shaped the modern-day union very little is known about their predecessors.  While researching for this article I was amazed to read about Mr. Isaac Myers.  He was born to free parents on January 13th, 1835 in Baltimore, Maryland.  His minister taught him to read and write.  When he turned sixteen, he became an apprentice caulker for a ship building company where he learned how to caulk planks to prevent ships from leaking.  By the age of twenty Mr. Myers oversaw a crew that caulked large clipper ships. 

At the time the Baltimore Shipyards employed both freemen and slaves that were leased to the ship builders including a slave named Frederic Douglas who worked as a caulker shortly before his escape to freedom.  Prior to the Civil War there was plenty of work for white dockworkers and most freemen worked as caulkers, carpenter, or longshoremen.  In 1838, African American workers formed the Caulkers Association which was one of the first black trade unions in the US.  The Caulkers Association negotiated with the ship builders.  Historian Bettye C. Thomas wrote in the Journal of Negro History in 1974 that the “Caulkers were paid very well and were seldom refused wage increases since the Association monopolized the market,” and “they were also able to dictate the conditions under which they would work”.

By the late 1850’s, the caulkers were being paid $1.75 per day which was more than most of the white workers were being paid.  By the mid 1860’s tensions over wages and working conditions led to riots by the white workers and with the help of the police the black caulkers were driven from the shipyards.  Isaac Myers organized meetings with his fellow caulkers where he suggested they form their own union and buy up a shipyard and railway line.  If they could find the funding they could run their business as a cooperative.  The Baltimore blacks responded by investing $10,000 and Myers borrowed an additional $30,000 from a ship captain and in 1866 the Chesapeake Marine Railway and Dry Dock opened.

The business was so successful that they were able to pay off all loans in less than five years and paid their three hundred workers an average of three dollars per day.  Myers also organized the Colored Caulkers’ Trades Union and was named its first president.  As president through political activism Myers called for civil rights and ending black suffrage. 

In 1868 Isaac Myers was one of nine black union leaders invited to the National Labor Union.  At the time the NLU was the largest white labor organization in Philadelphia where in his call for unity he said, “I speak today for the colored men of the whole country when I tell you that all they ask for themselves is a fair chance; that you shall be no worse off by giving them that chance…The white men of the country have nothing to fear…We desire to have the highest rate of wages that our labor is worth”.  

Myers calls for unity with white workers was met with a tepid response however, Isaac Myers continued speaking around the country where he told his audiences that labor could succeed only if both races united.   

More than 150 years ago at a time when racial strife was at its worst Isaac Myers was preaching what we all know to be true.  We are in this together and when we put our collective efforts together we can overcome almost anything.  Brothers and sisters we should all strive to be more like Isaac Myers and find ways to overcome our differences and work in unity to end all racial divisions. 

Organize Amazon!

Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos earns just under $9,000,000.00 per hour, that’s $150,000 per minute and $2,500 per second.  An Amazon worker earns approximately $15.00 per hour, that’s $0.25 per minute and less than half a cent per second.  At that rate of pay a worker would have to work 166 hours to make what Bezos earns in one second.  An Amazon worker would have to work 3,667 hours per year to make the average household median income in the state of Missouri.  Jeff Bezos makes that in 22 seconds. 

I don’t think most people begrudge Bezos earning high wages.  Hell, he built a bulletproof company that rakes in zillions!  The problem is he doesn’t think his workers are worth much more than poverty wages all while earning more in an hour than 95% of his workers will earn in a lifetime! 

There is currently a union organizing drive at Amazon and employees will be able to vote for or against joining a union.  It appears that Bezos has serious concerns that if his employees vote for union representation he might have to pay a few dollars more, provide better benefits and honor some union protections for the workers.  And apparently that scares the hell out of the zillionaire.  He gathered up a few million in pocket change (most likely from his sofa) and hired the Pinkerton to spy on his workers. 

Pinkerton is a notorious union busting firm which can trace their anti-union roots all the way back to the 1800’s and set up a website for members to rat out their union supporting co-workers.  The website is full of misleading information like this; “IF YOU’RE PAYING DUES…it will be RESTRICTIVE meaning it won’t be easy to be as helpful and social with each other.  So be a DOER, stay friendly and get things done versus paying dues.”  He makes sure to let his employees know he doesn’t pay them enough with this statement; “Don’t buy that dinner, don’t buy those school supplies, don’t buy those gifts because you won’t have that almost $500 you paid in dues.  WHY NOT save the money and get the books, gifts and things you want?  DO IT without dues!”  Five hundred dollars per year in union dues…$500.00 in union dues…based on a worker working 2,000 hours that would be $00.25 cents per hour.  Mr. Bezos is concerned that his employees might spend twenty-five cents an hour on union representation.  Representation that would offer many benefits that his employees may not have. 

Bezos should be embarrassed.  I am reminded of a quote our nation’s 23rd President Benjamin Harrison;

“I cannot always sympathize with that demand which we hear so frequently for cheap things.  Things may be too cheap.  They are too cheap when the man or woman who produces them upon the farm or the man or woman who produces them in the factory does not get out of them LIVING WAGES with a margin for old age and for a dowry for the incidents that are to follow.  I pity the man who wants a coat so cheap that the man or woman who produces the cloth or shapes it into a garment will starve in the process.”

If you are an employee of Amazon vote for union representation, vote to level the playing field with Bezos, vote not just for your future but for the future of your children and their children. 

Using the Pandemic as an Excuse to Break Unions

It appears that many corporations are using the pandemic to flex their anti-union muscles by locking out union members and calling in nonunion workers as replacements.  “Lockouts are an economic weapon employers’ use to take the initiative in collective bargaining,” said Alex Colvin, dean of the school of industrial and labor relations at Cornell University. “During the pandemic, lockouts pose a greater threat to unions due to the high unemployment rate and greater availability of replacement workers.”

Essential workers throughout the country are feeling the effects of the pandemic which is why it has never been more important to have a president that respects workers at every level of our society.  President Biden has already issued numerous executive orders reversing some of the anti-worker policies implemented by the Trump administration and replacing the anti-worker Trump appointments at the Department of Labor with labor leaders.    

As president, Joe Biden has vowed to sign the Protecting the Right to Organize Act (PRO Act) which would be a major step in increasing union membership.  Not only would it increase penalties for companies that interfere with organizing drives it would offer new protections to the striking workers and establish a process for unions and the company to reach their first collective bargaining agreement.  President Biden is not messing around with anti-worker holdovers from the Trump administration.  He gives them the choice of resigning or being terminated and has not hesitated to tell them “your fired”. 

While some in the labor movement are frustrated with President Biden’s decision to end the Keystone Pipeline, be patient.  President Biden is preparing to submit an infrastructure and jobs proposal that will create thousands of union jobs for years to come.

It’s a New Day in America!

Today marks a new day not just in America but for the nation’s working men and women.  President Joe Biden has been sworn in as the 46th president of the United States of America. President Biden has promised to be the “strongest labor president you ever had” and based on the appointment of Boston Mayor Marty Walsh as Secretary of Labor he’s off to a terrific start. 

As a former member of Laborer’s Local 223 Mayor Walsh literally comes from the trenches and ditches of Boston.  Mr. Walsh will bring a wealth of experience as a union leader to the role of Secretary of Labor. 

While Biden’s appointment of Walsh is certainly a step in the right direction, we also need his appointments to the National Labor Relations Board, judgeships, etc. that recognize the value working men and women play in the economy of the United States and put that value first.  Appointees that understand the role unions play in protecting the rights of workers both with union cards and without. 

President Biden, Vice President Harris, the majority of us in the labor movement, no correction we working men and women need a president that will put Main Street workers over Wall Street donors.  Sir, we are counting on you to put American workers first. 

Thank you!

America Under Siege

It hurts my head to have to write this post, but I feel it must be said.  Anyone that knows me knows I’m not afraid to say what I think, even when it’s unpopular.  I’m also sure that the post will upset some of you on my friend’s list, that’s life and you’ll either get over it or you won’t.  These are my thoughts, and I will not apologize for them.

Let me start out by saying my friends list is as diverse as our great nation.  There are men and women of every age, race, ethnicity, religion, sexuality etc. and I try to learn from you all.

I believe that the insurgents that stormed the United States Capitol are domestic terrorists and should be regarded as enemies of the state.  I also do not equate the storming of the Capitol with the BLM protests over the last few years.  I contend that differences could not be greater.  The Black Lives Matter protests were spawned by the killing of black and brown men and women at the hands of the police in which most of the cops went unpunished.  The attack on our Capitol was spawned by the loss of Donald J Trump’s bid for re-election. 

I have heard friends and family declare that I and most people I know were “silent” during the BLM protests, that not only didn’t we say anything about the protests we ignored the riots that grew from the protests.  Nothing could be further from the truth.  The majority of the left did not condone the property damage or looting and in fact there is evidence of the proud boys and other right-wing groups instigating some of the mayhem (google umbrella man). 

Tens of thousands of Americans of all races, creeds, sexualities etc. marched in the streets of America’s cities in support of the BLM movement. Contrast that to the President and some in his administration making false claims of voter fraud that of the assault on our Capitol on January 6th, 2021 where President Trump and his top staff encouraged violence.    

So, there ya have it folks, our sore loser president was successful in getting a few thousand of his most ardent supporters to attack the sovereignty of the United States based on lies and you are comparing it to men and women protesting the unnecessary loss of life to black and brown men and women.  Sore loser vs. some bad cops killing people.

Oh, and Happy New Years to you all.

Services for Free?

I think most people consider the economy of the United States to be built on capitalism.  Most of my conservative friends abhor any intrusion on business by government.  I vividly remember the cries of “it’s General Motors…….NOT Government Motors” when the Obama administration helped guide the American auto industry back from the brink of bankruptcy.  Nope, most people do not want the government involved in any dealings that have to do with businesses.  Which begs the question why they would constantly push anti-union legislation like Right to Work?

What most people fail to realize is that unions are businesses and are subjected to the same rules as most businesses.  They have many of the same expenses that other businesses have, work comp, building expenses, administrative expenses, the list goes on.  Unions are in the business of providing services to their members whether it’s holding a company accountable when they violate the terms of their collective bargaining agreement or holding member education classes or safety trainings etc.

Why in a capitalistic society would anyone expect any business to provide their services for free?  Could you imagine owning a local gym and being forced by the government to allow freeloaders the right to use the gym’s equipment and not have to pay the monthly fee?  How is that different than forcing a union to provide their services for free? 

Politicians like to say that it’s about “choice”, employees should be able to choose whether or not to belong to a union.  What those politicians fail to realize is that when someone chooses to work for a company who’s employees are represented by a union they do so of their own free will, in other words, they CHOOSE to work there.  Most of the time it is because of the better wages and benefits negotiated by the union.  Similar to when a home buyer chooses to purchase a home in a neighborhood with an Home Owners Association, they do so knowing there will be HOA fees and that those fees provide services neighborhood’s without HOA’s don’t have.

The only reason these politicians consistently push Right to Work is because the know it will weaken the unions and give a bigger advantage to their corporate masters.   No one should be forced to provide their services for free. 

Right to Work is Wrong

Every legislative session some in Jefferson City think the voters of Missouri do not understand the meaning of Right to Work.  Never mind that more than 60% of Missouri’s voters exercised a citizen’s veto of Right to Work when they rejected Proposition A at the polls in 2018.  I have noticed that the politicians are very quick to honor the “will of the people” when the people vote them into office.  Then it appears they suddenly forget that they are there to serve the people not bow to their corporate masters. 

Missouri is the only state in the nation to defeat Right to Work at the polls and we have done it twice.  Why would the politicians think the voters are too stupid to know what they are voting for? 

State Rep Jered Taylor out of Nixa MO has filed House Bills 87 & 88 which if passed will make Missouri a Right to Work state.  I wonder if his bill will allow businesses to join the Missouri Chamber of Commerce receive all the benefits the Chamber provided but refuse to pay the fees the Chamber charges?  The I visited the Missouri Chamber of Commerce’s website and was shocked to see how closely Chamber’s “Why Join the Chamber” page resembles the mission statements of many labor unions.  Check out the PDF I converted to JPEG and see for yourself.

page two

Citzens United

Fifteen years ago, Citizen's United became the law of the land and granted "Person hood" to corporations enabling them to participate in the electoral process of the United States.  That decision has always bothered me.  I have also been thinking about the illegal immigrant/undocumented worker issues that we as a nation face. I have read links to articles that have been posted by many of my facebook friends, and a common theme among the articles is that no one wants illegals/undocumented citizens voting in our elections.  I get that, and I agree, the election process and all things that deal with it should be restricted to legal citizens of the United States of America.

 With that said did the SCOTUS take the time to verify the country of origin of the corporations that they granted person hood to, what were their requirements to become American citizens? Did they check to see if they were American Corporations? Should any corporation that is not 100% American be granted the same status as a legal citizen of the United States of America?

I do not agree that corporations are people "my friend". I also think that their country of origin should be posted along with their certificates of birth granting them person hood and if they are not 100% American owned they have no rights to participate in the election process of the United States of America.

It’s Over Donald

Exit Stage Left

To everyone claiming there was rampant voter fraud? Think about this; Donald Trump has sued to throw out ballots in numerous states and as of now has lost every suit.  Why?  Because neither he nor his legal team have offered any evidence proving voter fraud.  Even though Trump attempted to undermine the US Postal Service, eliminated polling locations, purged voter rolls, and disenfranchised as many voters as possible, he still lost.  Read this ruling from Judge Brann:

"Plaintiffs ask this Court to disenfranchise almost seven million voters. This Court has been unable to find any case in which a plaintiff has sought such a drastic remedy in the contest of an election, in terms of the sheer volume of votes asked to be invalidated," US District Court Judge Matthew Brann wrote Saturday.

"One might expect that when seeking such a startling outcome, a plaintiff would come formidably armed with compelling legal arguments and factual proof of rampant corruption, such that this Court would have no option but to regrettably grant the proposed injunctive relief despite the impact it would have on such a large group of citizens. That has not happened," Brann added.

"Instead, this Court has been presented with STRAINED LEGAL ARGUMENTS WITHOUT MERIT AND SPECULATIVE ACCUSATIONS . . . AND UNSUPPORTED BY EVIDENCE."

"In the United States of America, this cannot justify the disenfranchisement of a single voter, let alone all the voters of its sixth most populated state. Our people, laws, and institutions demand more," the judge wrote. "At bottom, Plaintiffs have failed to meet their burden to state a claim upon which relief may be granted."

The courts have ruled that they will not throw out legally cast ballots based on Trump and his ever-changing legal team’s allegations without sufficient evidence to back up their claims.  The sad part is that Trump’s follower do not and never will care about evidence or facts.  Face it Trump.  The election is over, you lost in a landslide election.  Now be a good boy and move on. 

Congratulations Joe and Kamala!

While a handful of votes are still being counted and there will no doubt be challenges in the courts, former Vice President and U.S. Senator Joe Biden and his Vice President former California Attorney General and U.S. Senator Kamala Harris have been declared the winners and will take the oath of office to become the next President and Vice President of the United States of America. 

Now the hard work begins, the work of repairing a damaged nation.  It is not the time to gloat, it is time for Biden to roll up his sleeves and go to work for the American people.  It is time to reflect as a nation why wages are so bad that many Americans are working multiple jobs to make ends meet.  Why citizens in their golden years are working instead of enjoying the fruits of their many years of labor.  Why women and minorities make less per hour than their white male counterparts.  Why in the richest nation in the world people die because they do not have access to affordable healthcare.  Why we allow multinational corporations to force American workers to compete with third world countries that have little if any environmental protections or worker’s rights. 

No, now is not the time to gloat, now is the time to start repairing our nation both here in the USA and with our allies.  Congratulations President Elect Joe Biden and Vice President Elect Kamala Harris.  Nearly 76 million Americans put their faith in you.  Thank you for taking the challenge.  Now, prove us right.    

Good Luck Candidates!

I know that all candidates have put in countless hours, time, energy, and money into their races. Very few people do it for the glory and those that do seldom make it very far. No, men and women across this state and country put in the work to make Missouri and the United States a better place for everyone. Thank you to all that have worked so hard and while not everyone will win just remember that even in losing you have encouraged discussion on issues that may not have been talked about.

Good luck candidates! Go Joe GO!!

Links to the UAW and MO AFL-CIO endorsed candidates are on the front page. Please vote for labor friendly candidates!

Missouri Rules for Poll Watchers

With the president’s call for poll watchers it is very important to know what role they can play and what rules they must abide by.  Poll watchers are covered under Missouri Election Laws, Chapter 115 of the Missouri Secretary of State’s page. 

Poll Watchers must be registered to vote in the jurisdiction they will be watching.  The chair of the county committee for each political party named on the ballot has the right to designate a challenger for each polling place.  The Poll Watcher may be present during the hours of voting to witness the votes taking place but can not advocate for a political candidate, display any political paraphernalia, or interfere with the election judges.   Challenges may only be made when the challenger believes the election laws of this state have been or will be violated, each challenger shall report any such belief to the election judges, or to the election authority if not satisfied with the decision of the election judges.

Poll Watchers, just like Election Judges and voters all need to know their rights and obey all state laws. 

https://protectthevote.net/

Joe Biden for President

Every election is “the most important election of our life”, or so we have been told.  This will be the 12th presidential election I will have voted in.  All hyperbole aside, I really do believe that this election will be the most important election of my lifetime.  While former Vice President Joe Biden was not my first choice, he is my ONLY choice.  I could not in good conscious vote to re-elect Trump.   Trump exemplifies everything that I have fought against my entire life.  In fact, he represents everything that union and social activists have fought against for at least a generation.  While Trump has made much of his fortune bilking mom and pop businesses, cheating his workers out of their hard-earned dollars and hiring undocumented workers, Joe Biden has worked to strengthen laws that protect working families.  

Trump’s appointments to the National Labor Relations Board and judgeships throughout the country make it crystal clear that he either does not understand the importance of unions or he does not care.  Either way, it is apparent he does not support the hard-working men and women of our country.  Because Joe Biden understands the value of hard work and the dignity it brings to American workers, I will proudly cast my ballot for Joe Biden and Kamala Harris.  While I may not agree with every position they have; I believe they will be much better for working families.  I encourage people to research all candidates positions labor, the environment and compassion for those less fortunate before casting their votes. 

Please follow the link to Joe’s position on labor unions here: https://joebiden.com/empowerworkers/#

My Experience with COVID

On the evening of Thursday, August 27th, I started feeling bad.  I wasn’t sure if it was a chest cold coming on or allergies.  I woke up Friday feeling very tired and sluggish.  Friday night I had horrible chest and head pressure, a mild fever and was very fatigued.  I felt about the same all weekend.  When I returned to work Monday morning, August 31st, I answered yes when asked if I had any symptoms of COVID.  I was sent to Medical where I was tested for COVID and the results came back POSITIVE on Wednesday, September 2nd.  COVID has been a roller coaster ride, some days I feel moderately better, some I can hardly get out of my chair.  I’ll eventually beat COVID and be back to normal.

With the release of journalist Bob Woodward’s taped interviews with Trump yesterday I wonder if he had taken the virus seriously from the start where our nation would be?  More than 190,000 American’s have died from COVID.  Trump was warned in January that the virus would be horrible if not addressed.  He lied to the American public and said it was “one person coming from China”.  He continued to lie and “downplay” the virus and even hosted “super spreader” rallies all while knowing the virus could be spread through the air.  How many lives would have been saved if Trump took the virus seriously?

By contrast on January 27th, Joe Biden wrote an op-ed for the New York Times and laid out exactly why he thought Trump was not prepared to lead the nation through this pandemic writing:  “To be blunt, I am concerned that the Trump administration’s shortsighted policies have left us unprepared for a dangerous epidemic that will come out sooner or later.

Pandemic diseases are a prime example of why international cooperation is a requirement of leadership in 2020.  Diseases do not stop at borders.  They cannot be thwarted by building a wall.  We cannot keep ourselves safe without helping to keep others safe as well and without enlisting the help of other nations in return.  And here’s the truth – the United States must step forward to lead these efforts, because no other nation has the resourced, the reach or the relationships to marshal an effective international response.”

The release of Bob Woodward’s interviews with Trump prove that Joe Biden was right.  I didn’t write this for sympathy, I’m going to beat COVID.  But what about the tens..no, hundreds of thousands of Americans that have died or will die because Trump refused to lead during this crisis?  Rant over.

Which Side Are You On?

Which side are you on?

Union density peaked out at almost 35% in the 1954 today it hoovers at around 10%, half of what it was in 1980.  As union membership dwindles so does their voice in politics making it harder to hold politicians accountable for our support.  A perfect is the republican platform of 1956, the approximate height of union density.  The republican platform included protecting Social Security, extending the minimum wage, strengthening labor laws and equal pay among other progressive issues.  It would not be a stretch to say that the republican platform of 1956 was to the left of Democratic President Bill Clinton in 1993.  Another prime example of the loss of union’s influence in politics was the signing of horrible trade laws like NAFTA. 

Union member support for the republican party ebbs and flows depending on the candidates.  Ronald Reagan who garnered 45% of union support against Jimmy Carter, promised to support the members of PATCO in their contentious contract negotiations and earned their endorsement only to double cross them and break their union.  42% of union members voted for Trump based on his promise to bring back steel mills and protect the coal industry.  By contrast Bill Clinton beat GHW Bush by 18% with union members then rewarded unions with NAFTA.

Too many union members fail to realize the impact they have on their union when they vote for candidates that have not been endorsed by their unions.  Trump’s appointees to the National Labor Relations Board have put unions at a huge disadvantage when it comes to union organizing drives and implemented rules that make it easier for companies to refuse to negotiate with unions. 

Walter Reuther was only partially right when he said: “there’s a direct relationship between the ballot box and the bread box, and what the union fights for and wins at the bargaining table can be taken away in the legislative halls”.  Unions are witnessing an all-out attack on the rights of union members by the NLRB under Trump.  The only way to end the assault is to elect a candidate that understands the role labor unions play not just in the economy but in the fight for social and economic justice for all working families. 

So, the question becomes, who’s side are you on?  Voting for Trump will only embolden him to continue his assault on unions and working families.  Joe Biden not only understands unions but also knows the value unions play in protecting the rights of both union and non-union members and has pledged to support unions. 

I’ll be voting for Joe Biden, because I’m on the side of working families, I’m on the side of Main Street, not Wallstreet.  I’m Ridin with Biden!