WFI: Obama Regulatory Agency Rewards Union Bosses At Workers’ Expense

Closing Election Window Guarantees Employees Are Not Fully Informed & Hurts Nation’s Small Businesses

 

Washington, D.C. (June21, 2011) – The Workforce Fairness Institute (WFI) today issued the following statement in response to news reports that the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) will propose new rules to close the window of time during workplace elections:

 

“Once again, President Obama has sided with Big Labor bosses over American workers and jobs.  The latest move by Obama’s National Labor Relations Board to impose ‘quickie elections’ is indefensible as they allow union organizers to prepare for months for an organizing campaign, while businesses have only hours to respond.  This is a blatant attempt to ensure workers do not have objective information and are forcibly unionized,” said Fred Wszolek, spokesman for the Workforce Fairness Institute (WFI).  “If President Obama is serious about job creation as he repeatedly claims, he must stop the anti-job creation menace that his NLRB has become.”

 

 

BACKGROUND:

 

“Rules Would Speed Up Union Elections”:

  

“Labor regulators are set to propose sweeping new rules Tuesday that would dramatically speed up the time frame for union elections, a move that could make it easier for struggling unions to organize new members, and cut the time businesses have to mount anti-union campaigns.  A copy of the planned rules, to be announced by the National Labor Relations Board, was obtained by The Associated Press. The proposal is expected to irritate Republicans and business groups who have complained about the board's pro-labor actions.  Most labor elections currently take place within 45-60 days after a union gathers enough signatures to file a petition, a time many companies use to discourage workers from unionizing.  The new plan could cut that time by days or even weeks – depending on the case – by simplifying procedures, deferring litigation and setting shorter deadlines for hearings and filings.” (Sam Hananel, “Rules Would Speed Up Union Elections,” The Associated Press, 6/21/11)

 

White House Chief Of Staff Bill Daley: “Sometimes You Can’t Defend The Indefensible”:

 

“It was supposed to be the White House’s latest make-nice session with corporate America – a visit by Chief of Staff William M. Daley to a meeting with hundreds of manufacturing executives in town to press lawmakers for looser regulations.  But the outreach soon turned into a rare public dressing down of the president’s policies with his highest-ranking aide … Daley said he did not have many good answers, appearing to throw up his hands in frustration at what he called ‘bureaucratic stuff that’s hard to defend.  Sometimes you can’t defend the indefensible,’ he said.” (Peter Wallsten & Jia Lynn Yang, “White House’s Daley Seeks Balance In Outreach Meeting With Manufacturers,” The Washington Post, 6/16/11)

 

“The Worst May Be Yet To Come From Obama’s Regulatory Board”:

 

“As more Americans become familiar with the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) due to the complaint it filed against the Boeing Company for building a production facility in a right-to-work state against the wishes of the union representing its Washington State employees, the regulatory agency stocked with President Obama’s appointees continues to deliberate over job-killing policies that reward Big Labor bosses and hurt workers … With unemployment over nine percent and every major economic indicator revealing serious challenges for families and small businesses, the NLRB has indicated in public commentary that it is considering changing the time frame within which union elections take place. Big Labor is pushing the idea, supported by its allies at the NLRB of squeezing a 38-day median election period into as little as seven to 10 days after a petition is filed.” (Fred Wszolek, “The Worst May Be Yet To Come From Obama’s Regulatory Board,” Townhall, 6/18/11)

 

“Quickie Elections: Rigging The Rules To Favor Big Labor”:

 

“After the forces of organized labor lost their battle for mandatory card check in Congress, it was widely anticipated that the board would give them the next best thing – ‘quickie elections,’ which are held seven to ten days after a petition is filed.  Like card check, quickie elections rig the rules to favor a union outcome … Imagine a political election in which only one party were given the opportunity to tell voters its side of the story, and could set an election date only days away, all without prior notice to the other side.  Sound unfair?  This is the model the Obama board intends to impose on American business for union-representation elections.” (Peter Schaumber, “Quickie Elections: Rigging The Rules To Favor Big Labor,” National Review Online, 6/13/11)

 

The Workforce Fairness Institute is an organization committed to educating voters, employers, employees and citizens about issues affecting the workplace. To learn more, please visit: http://www.workforcefairness.com.

Veterans For Change - ACTIONS SPEAK LOUDER THAN WORDS

ACTIONS SPEAK LOUDER THAN WORDS, AT LEAST WHERE VETERANS ARE CONCERNED

Garden Grove, CA – June 7, 2011 –Veterans-For-Change, an advocacy group for Veterans rights, benefits, and treatment, would like to address the ever-increasing problems affecting veterans and their families every day.

President Obama has clearly stated, “Whether you left the service in 2009 or 1949, we will fulfill our responsibility to deliver the benefits and care that you earned. That's why I've pledged to build nothing less than a 21st-century VA.”

The issues Veterans-For-Change addresses include:

DoD response time dealing with verification of service on Classified Missions:

The Memorandum Of Understanding that was drafted with DoD to form Care Coalition Special Operations Command shall be modified as follows:  The Department of Defense and all other federal agencies that have classified records on any veteran requesting disability from the Department of Veterans Affairs shall be informed that they are mandated to provide any and all documentation in their files that will establish Service Connection for any illness or injury that the veteran sustained while serving their country during times of war and times of peace.

Furthermore if Care Coalition SOCOM does not receive the necessary documentation within 1 calendar month then the claim for Service Connection is automatically granted at a rate no lower than 50% and the Combat Related Special Compensation Board shall be notified that they are to give the veteran the same CRSC rating as the DVA has until such time as DoD or any other government agency holding records gets those records to Care Coalition Special Operations Command.

Chapter 61 Retiree's and Widows Concurrent Receipt:

Veterans-For-Change would like everyone to take a stand, urging co-sponsor and support of H.R. 186 and H.R. 178, introduced by Representative Joe Wilson. In the event you are not aware, establishment of H.R. 186 states: H.R.186 - To amend title 10, United States Code, to expand the eligibility for concurrent receipt of military retired pay and veterans' disability compensation to include all members of the uniformed services who are retired under chapter 61 of such title for disability, regardless of the members' disability rating percentage. http://www.opencongress.org/bill/112-h186/show H.R. 178 states: H.R.178 - Military Surviving Spouses Equity Act To amend title 10, United States Code, to repeal the requirement for reduction of survivor annuities under the Survivor Benefit Plan for military surviving spouses to offset the receipt of veteran’s dependency and indemnity compensation. http://www.opencongress.org/bill/112-h178/show

These important pieces of legislation seeks to correct one of the remaining inequities pertaining to restoration of concurrent receipt by allowing medically retired military retirees to receive their full military retired pay and VA disability compensation without offset or rated disability and end the "Widow's Tax" on military survivors by eliminating the DIC (Dependency Indemnification Compensation offset of SBP (Survivor's Benefit Payments) which is based on the same rationale that prohibited the concurrent receipt of military pay and VA disability compensation.

Chapter 61 Retirees were involuntarily retired with less than 20 years of service because they incurred service-connected illnesses and injuries. They should not be penalized for conditions they cannot control due to serving their country, with an end result directly related to their military duties. It is important that all disabled military retirees are treated equally.

H.R. 186 addresses the “widow’s tax” which would be a giant step in that direction to fix this problem. President Obama had promised to do what is needed, and failed to meet that promise.

SBP (Survivor Benefit Plan) is a life insurance plan the Active Duty personnel obtains while in the service and elects to carry after service. So it is in essence a private paid plan having nothing to do with the VA or the DIC benefit through the VA, thus concurrent receipt is not a reasonable excuse to tamper with SBP. Current law imposes a penalty upon the widow:

Where the SBP plan begins to pay benefits and the widow applies for DIC (Disability Indemnity Compensation) for the death of the Veteran due to a service-connected illness, SBP is reduced by the amount of payment on DIC dollar for dollar.

This is an outright penalty or perhaps it should be considered an additional tax! Both programs are entirely different and separate from each other and there should be no offset.

We ask that Congress please draft legislation immediate to reverse this widow tax, and pay both benefits concurrently in full.

President Obama has said: “We have a sacred trust with those who wear the uniform of the United States of America, a commitment that begins with enlistment and must never end.” This statement was published in April, 2009. Isn’t it time for Congress and our Government to make these strong, compelling words come true for our precious Veterans who are finding living with the difficulties, physical and emotional wounds of combat more than they can tolerate?

If our nation rescinds its promises and ignores its obligation to those who have fought to preserve freedom throughout the world, we compromise the right to ask our men and women to serve and defend our national principals. The choice is yours.

Take a stand to stop the endless spinning wheel of a hamster or guinea pig. Take a stand to show and respect our Veterans, to start treating them as human beings, not pin cushions, or undeserving human beings. Veterans served our country with dedication to duty. Never have they asked, “Why me?” Isn’t it time America and the VA treated our soldiers and veterans with the respect, and the benefits so promised.

Veterans-For-Change has been crying out to all 535 members of Congress now for four years effective April 2006, as President Woodrow Wilson said, a leader’s ears must ring with the voices of the people! Do you hear us, America?

Veterans and their families are tired of campaign promises, yellow ribbons, and endless speeches that mean absolutely nothing. We need politicians on Capitol Hill to take immediate action to truly support all Veterans. It has been said that “Actions speak more than words…perhaps now is the time to truly take action and show our Veterans, we are America. We are proud, and we support and service our Veterans who served so proudly to defend our Nation!

WFI: NLRB Sides With Big Labor Once Again

Union Boss Hypocrisy On Full Display; Obama Regulatory Agency Sides With Big Labor Over Workers

 

NLRB Rules That UAW Did Not Violate Federal Labor Law By Requiring Employees Who Objected To Paying Full Agency Fees For Nonrepresentational Purposes To Renew Annually:

 

“The National Labor Relations Board May 27 held that the United Auto Workers [UAW] did not violate federal labor law by requiring that employees who objected to paying full agency fees for nonrepresentational purposes renew their objections annually in order to qualify for a reduced obligation under the union’s procedures (United Auto Workers Local 376 (Colt's Mfg. Co.), 356 N.L.R.B. No. 164, 5/27/11).” (Website, National Labor Relations Board, Accessed 6/1/11)

 

Big Labor Protests Wisconsin Budget Plan Over Annual Renewal Of Contracts

 

Wisconsin Governor Walker’s Budget Proposal Would Require Unions To Re-Negotiate Contracts Annually:

 

“Mr. Walker made several proposals that will weaken not just unions’ ability to bargain contracts, but also their finances and political clout.  His proposal would make it harder for unions to collect dues because the state would stop collecting the money from employee paychecks.  He would further weaken union treasuries by giving members of public-sector unions the right not to pay dues.  In an unusual move, he would require secret-ballot votes each year at every public-sector union to determine whether a majority of workers still want to be unionized.  He would require public-employee unions to negotiate new contracts every year, an often lengthy process.  And he would limit the raises of state employees and teachers to the consumer price index, unless the public approves higher raises through a referendum.  Exempted from those changes would be firefighters and law enforcement personnel.” (Monica Davey & Steven Greenhouse, “Wisconsin May Take An Ax To State Workers’ Benefits And Their Unions,” The New York Times, 2/11/11)

 

“To stay alive, the unions under Walker’s legislation would have to get 51% of the vote of all the potential union members in their bargaining unit, not just the ones who actually cast ballots.  They also will have to win the vote again every year or their union will lose its official status and be unable to reconstitute itself for at least a year after that.” (Jason Stein, “Unions Might Drop State Status,” Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 5/26/11)

 

Union Bosses Protest Governor Walker’s Budget Proposal:

 

“Families in town for college graduation ceremonies this weekend can check out or join protests at the State Capitol, where a big ‘We Are Wisconsin’ rally is set for Saturday afternoon.  The Wisconsin AFL-CIO is calling on its union members to rally again against Gov. Scott Walker, the Republican-dominated Legislature and legislation drastically limiting collective bargaining for public workers … Busloads of protestors are scheduled to come to Madison for the Saturday rally, according to the AFL-CIO.  Buses are coming from all corners of Wisconsin, including Eau Claire, Wausau, Racine, Manitowoc and Milwaukee.  An email advisory from the AFL-CIO said the rally will show that the people want to deliver ‘a resounding message to stop the attacks on the middle class.’” (Bill Novak, “Big Union Rally Planned On Capitol Square On Saturday,” Capital Times, 5/13/11)

 

“More than 10,000 union public employees and supporters packed the Capitol Square and the inside of the statehouse on Tuesday to protest Gov. Scott Walker’s budget plan to strip many bargaining rights from state and local government workers … Protesters chanted and held signs while the Joint Finance Committee heard testimony on the bill.  The committee planned to go into the night to hear from hundreds signed up to speak.” (Jeff Mayers, “Thousands Of Wisconsin Union Workers Protest Budget Plan,” Reuters, 2/15/11)

 

The Workforce Fairness Institute is an organization committed to educating voters, employers, employees and citizens about issues affecting the workplace. To learn more, please visit: http://www.workforcefairness.com.

CEI - Auto Bailout Documents from Treasury Dept Reveal Cozy PR Relationship

Delayed Release of Auto Bailout Documents by Treasury Dept. Reveals Cozy PR Relationship

Agency Coughs Up Material on Eve of Obama Administration Hoopla

Washington, DC, June 2, 2011 - Documents released last week by the U.S. Treasury Department indicate that General Motors and the Obama administration coordinated their PR strategy regarding GM's much criticized 2010 ad campaign, in which the car maker misleadingly claimed to have repaid all its government loans.  In May 2010, after GM's campaign was launched, CEI filed a deceptive advertising complaint with the FTC, and GM shortly thereafter stopped running the ads.  CEI also filed a Freedom of Information request with Treasury for documents on the ad campaign.  Those documents were finally released last week, after nearly a year of delay.

"One year ago, the US Treasury Department aided General Motors in its fraudulent claim that it fully repaid its government loans," said Sam Kazman, CEI General Counsel.  The detailed nature of their cooperation is demonstrated in the Freedom of Information documents that the Department has finally produced.  Rather than respond within the 20 day statutory time period, Treasury took nearly a year to release these documents.

"Now the Treasury Department is re-enacting this smoke-and-mirrors routine on behalf of Chrysler," said Kazman.  "Whatever the bailouts may be credited with creating, honesty isn't one of them."

The documents produced as a result of CEI's FOIA request show GM sharing PR strategy with the Obama administration more than three weeks before launching the campaign.  The Treasury Department sent some of those documents on to the White House at least two weeks before the launch.

Key points about the FOIA documents:

• The timing of the Treasury Department's response to CEI's FOIA request appears to be connected to the administration's current flurry of activity to tout the alleged success of the auto bailout.

The Treasury Department inexplicably took almost a full year to respond to CEI's FOIA request.  (See FOIA document pg. 1.)  Yesterday, Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner wrote a Washington Post op-ed on June 1, 2011 with a similarly misleading statement that Chrysler had repaid its government loans.  Tomorrow, President Obama is scheduled to give a speech at a Chrysler plant in Toledo, Ohio, likely trumpeting the auto bailout.

• Treasury Secretary Geithner issued a press release touting GM's repayment on the same day that GM launched its ad campaign.  (See pgs. 9-10.)  The newly released documents, however, indicate that the interrelationship between the Treasury Department, the White House, and GM on this PR effort was more extensive than previously realized.

Starting on March 30, 2010, three weeks before GM's planned launch of its ad campaign, Brian Deese from the Executive Office of the President and numerous Treasury officials began exchanging emails relating to GM's planned announcement.  (See pgs. 55-59;97-102.)  These emails included draft schedules, draft remarks by GM to be given by its chairman and CEO, Edward Whitacre, and draft press releases from both GM and Treasury.  (See pgs. 9-14; 18-24; 36-39; 83-96.)  Treasury also had advance copies of GM's marketing materials for its ironically titled "Trust Campaign." (See pgs. 73-81.)

• Once GM launched its campaign, it was widely ridiculed, and then, as revealed by the documents, Treasury officials began to develop a plan for responding to those criticisms.

In late April, 2010, Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) accused GM of repaying TARP loans with other TARP funds.  An April 29 email shows Treasury trying to "prepare a response today." (See pg. 11.)

Then, on May 10, 2010, former auto czar Steve Rattner publicly admitted that "GM may have slightly elasticized the reality of things" in its claims of repayment.  The documents show that, in response, Treasury officials privately began to look for ways to respond to Rattner's criticism. Rattner's successor, Ron Bloom, wanted "a couple bullet points for response if this comes up." (See pgs.61-62.) 

• The Treasury Department's role in facilitating GM's deception may be far greater than the documents reveal, because the Treasury Department withheld some of the documents covered by the FOIA request, including portions of documents shedding light on White House involvement.   For example, a blacked out item in the Treasury document release is a March 30 email from Brian Deese in the Executive Office regarding GM's upcoming campaign.  The only item left visible was the opening phrase, "Hi guys." (See. Pp. 58-59.)

See also:

General Motors Accused of Fraud Over Misleading Claim That It Paid Back Taxpayers; CEI Files FTC Complaint by Hans Bader

The truth behind Chrysler's fake auto bailout pay back, by Conn Carroll for the Washington Examiner

Read more commentary on the GM bailout on Openmarket.org

Declaring bailout victory - Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner, center, General Motors CEO Edward Whitacre, left, and National Economic Council Director Lawrence Summers, right, meet at the Treasury Department in Washington, Wednesday, April 21, 2010. Associated Press photo.

White House tries to distance from NLRB, but facts get in the way

"The Obama administration has been largely silent on the NLRB complaint. … 'This is an independent agency's enforcement action,' a White House official told Fox News. 'The White House does not get involved in particular enforcement matters.'" http://fxn.ws/lgjSBy

http://pajamasmedia.com/tatler/2011/05/06/how-the-obama-administration-and-big-labor-are-waging-coordinated-war-on-your-right-to-work/

How The Obama Administration And Big Labor Are Waging Coordinated War On Your Right To Work

Bryan Preston

May 6, 2011

Pajamas Media

Since President Obama’s inauguration, he has led a concerted effort to revive union labor nationwide. Among his strongest allies is AFL-CIO boss Richard Trumka. As Trumka was caught on tape bragging back in February, he is so welcome in the Obama White House that he visits two or three times a week and speaks with someone by phone there daily.

That’s far more access than several cabinet members enjoy. What is all this conversation about?

One likely topic is the National Labor Relations Board and its action against Boeing. That case centers on the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM) and its complaint that Boeing established a plant to manufacture 787 Dreamliners in South Carolina. The planes are already being made at Boeing’s plant in Washington State, but labor strikes over the years have made it increasingly difficult to keep the production line on schedule and labor costs overall have increased. Washington is a union state, therefore workers on the line are compelled to join and are compelled to support IAM strikes.

Boeing’s South Carolina plant does not replace the Washington plant. It is in addition to that plant, and Boeing told the union ahead of time that it was establishing the plant to take advantage of South Carolina’s more favorable economic climate. That climate includes South Carolina’s right to work law, which among other things help ensure that the plant can meet its schedule of producing seven Dreamliners per month. It is also cheaper overall to do business in South Carolina versus Washington State. South Carolina has made decisions as a state to make itself more competitive, to attract and keep jobs for its citizens. That is good government in action.

There is nothing wrong or illegal about any of Boeing’s actions. But the IAM complained in 2007 and the case got a ruling from the NRLB in April 2011. The NRLB ruled in favor of the union and against Boeing, finding:

In repeated statements to employees and the media, company executives cited the unionized employees’ past strike activity and the possibility of strikes occurring sometime in the future as the overriding factors in deciding to locate the second line in the non-union facility. The NLRB launched an investigation of the transfer of second line work in response to charges filed by the Machinists union and found reasonable cause to believe that Boeing had violated two sections of the National Labor Relations Act because its statements were coercive to employees and its actions were motivated by a desire to retaliate for past strikes and chill future strike activity.

There is nothing illegal in any of that, but the NLRB ruling threatens Boeing’s plans and stands to cost it millions both to defend itself and in production delays. That may in turn threaten Boeing’s contracts with its customers. It also threatens hundreds of jobs in South Carolina, at a time when we need every job that can be created. And it threatens to destroy state right to work laws in a single shot.

While the GOP controlled US House is considering passing a national right to work law to shore up state level laws, Senate Republicans are gearing up to find out how the NLRB arrived at its conclusion in the Boeing case. That should not be difficult. Among President Obama’s more controversial appointments is Craig Becker. Mr. Becker is a former lawyer for the SEIU, the purple clad union that is, along with the discredited ACORN, among the president’s favorite political operations. He even declared that  that union’s agenda is his agenda. Obama has made good on that, elevating former SEIU head Andy Stern to the National Commission on Fiscal Responsibility. Obama appointed Becker to NLRB as a recess appointment in May 2010, so Congress never got the chance to vet him or find out how he would influence the board. Becker’s view of unions is not one that favors individual choice: He supports forcing workers into unions, via card check or destroying state level right to work laws. Stern shares those views, and Obama has appointed both to positions of power.

Beyond Becker, there remains Richard Trumka, the man who spends a lot of time either at the White House or on the phone with someone there. He heads up the AFL-CIO, which is affiliated with the union at the center of the Boeing controversy: the not so great IAM.

Trumka and his fellow union bosses spend by their own estimate about a half a billion dollars on politics. They don’t do that for nothing. They have bought positions in and access to the Obama administration. In Wisconsin, they bought the president’s overt and then tacit support for the fleebaggers. And nationally, they’re buying the National Labor Relations Board, which has issued a ruling that threatens state right to work laws everywhere if it is allowed to stand. It’s possible that the NLRB ruling could indirectly force unionization on the 23 states that have right to work laws, which would revive union labor by force after decades of declining union membership nationwide. The Boeing case may set a precedent for ruling against a corporation for the sin of seeking out states with friendly economic climates, which these days tend to be the right to work states.

All this tells us what Mr. Trumka discusses so regularly with the White House: Their next move in the quest to destroy Americans’ right to live and work as free of Big Labor as they want.