We’re All Right-Wing Bastards Now

[PoliticalChic]

"On the last day of the National Education Association’s convention this summer, its outgoing general counsel, Bob Chanin, gave a speech for the ages. After sharing fond recollections of his 41 years as the NEA’s top lawyer, he switched gears and started lobbing grenades at “conservative and right-wing bastards,” including Fox News, the Wall Street Journal, and Forbes. The NEA and its affiliates, by contrast, were “the nation’s leading advocates for public education and the type of liberal social and economic agenda that these groups find objectionable.” Chanin’s glowing portrait of the NEA was wildly wrong, of course, but so was his characterization of the union’s opponents. People of all political stripes—not just right-wing “bastards”—are starting to realize that the single biggest impediment to education reform is the NEA itself.

...the teachers’ unions consistently blocked meaningful education reform and accusing the NEA of trying to end enforcement of the No Child Left Behind act. The unions “almost uniformly call for the spending of more money and the creation of more teaching positions which, of course, result in an increase in union membership, union income and union power,” wrote one of the authors,..."

We’re All Right-Wing Bastards Now by Larry Sand, City Journal 20 November 2009

 

[William Joyce]

The NEA is an absurdity. It barely makes a pretense of caring about education for children -- it's all about job protection for teachers (including lousy ones).

 

[Terry]

I know a lot of teachers who wish they didnt' have to join their union but are afraid not to. There are many out there and until they band together and understand they are not alone then maybe they can take back our Education system which was meant to TEACH our children not propagandize them.

 

[chanel]

Corzine wa pushing for universal day care for 3 and 4 yrs olds in NJ. Cost 12500 per child. Very few people thought the state could afford it, including my teacher friends. We realized it was a pay off to the NJEA for their support in his failed re-election bid. More babies - more teachers -more members.

Teachers are assaulted every day in schools around this country. If the union cared about its members' safety (the original purpose of unions) measures would be taken to expel more criminals. But they are more interested in keeping the criminals in school. More students - more teachers - more members.

I pay 900 a year in union dues. Not quite sure what its for.

 

[alan1]

Corzine wa pushing for universal day care for 3 and 4 yrs olds in NJ. Cost 12500 per child. Very few people thought the state could afford it, including my teacher friends. We realized it was a pay off to the NJEA for their support in his failed re-election bid. More babies - more teachers -more members.

Teachers are assaulted every day in schools around this country. If the union cared about its members' safety (the original purpose of unions) measures would be taken to expel more criminals. But they are more interested in keeping the criminals in school. More students - more teachers - more members.

I pay 900 a year in union dues. Not quite sure what its for.

Stop paying it.
Last I looked you can't be forced to join the union.

 

[PoliticalChic]

Corzine wa pushing for universal day care for 3 and 4 yrs olds in NJ. Cost 12500 per child. Very few people thought the state could afford it, including my teacher friends. We realized it was a pay off to the NJEA for their support in his failed re-election bid. More babies - more teachers -more members.

Teachers are assaulted every day in schools around this country. If the union cared about its members' safety (the original purpose of unions) measures would be taken to expel more criminals. But they are more interested in keeping the criminals in school. More students - more teachers - more members.

I pay 900 a year in union dues. Not quite sure what its for.

Stop paying it.
Last I looked you can't be forced to join the union.

The court unanimously upheld a Washington state law that applied to public employees who choose not to join the union that represents them in contract talks with state and local governments. The workers are compelled to pay the equivalent of union dues, a portion of which the union uses for political activities
Supreme Court Rules “Opt In” Law For Union Dues Used For Politics Isn’t Unconstitutional | KXNet.com North Dakota News

I believe you can ask for that part of your dues back, but not what the unions document that bargaining costs.

 

[mudwhistle]

Corzine wa pushing for universal day care for 3 and 4 yrs olds in NJ. Cost 12500 per child. Very few people thought the state could afford it, including my teacher friends. We realized it was a pay off to the NJEA for their support in his failed re-election bid. More babies - more teachers -more members.

Teachers are assaulted every day in schools around this country. If the union cared about its members' safety (the original purpose of unions) measures would be taken to expel more criminals. But they are more interested in keeping the criminals in school. More students - more teachers - more members.

I pay 900 a year in union dues. Not quite sure what its for.

To pay for all of those bribes, all of the graft, and to reelect Democrats.

They really don't need it anymore because the Stimulus Package is their slush-fund for the next 4 years. But every little bit helps.

I was a Union member for 8 years. Got nothing from it. We've got a Union President in my shop. He's supposed to be a Air-conditioning technician but he hasn't done his job in over 5 years. All he does is sit in the union hall and drink coffee......oh and sexually harass any females he happens to meet.

 

[mudwhistle]

Corzine wa pushing for universal day care for 3 and 4 yrs olds in NJ. Cost 12500 per child. Very few people thought the state could afford it, including my teacher friends. We realized it was a pay off to the NJEA for their support in his failed re-election bid. More babies - more teachers -more members.

Teachers are assaulted every day in schools around this country. If the union cared about its members' safety (the original purpose of unions) measures would be taken to expel more criminals. But they are more interested in keeping the criminals in school. More students - more teachers - more members.

I pay 900 a year in union dues. Not quite sure what its for.

Stop paying it.
Last I looked you can't be forced to join the union.

I can tell you've never been a member of a union.

You can't leave the union unless it's on your anniversary of the date you joined and you have a window of a couple of weeks that you have to submit a withdrawal statement in writing. Then it takes a couple of months for them to stop taking it out of your paycheck.

So it's not that easy.

 

[xsited1]

I just went to their site:

Welcome to CTEN

Awesome. I found this interesting:

The average teacher salary is $47,808
The average NEA employee salary is $87,725

 

[PoliticalChic]

Corzine wa pushing for universal day care for 3 and 4 yrs olds in NJ. Cost 12500 per child. Very few people thought the state could afford it, including my teacher friends. We realized it was a pay off to the NJEA for their support in his failed re-election bid. More babies - more teachers -more members.

Teachers are assaulted every day in schools around this country. If the union cared about its members' safety (the original purpose of unions) measures would be taken to expel more criminals. But they are more interested in keeping the criminals in school. More students - more teachers - more members.

I pay 900 a year in union dues. Not quite sure what its for.

Stop paying it.
Last I looked you can't be forced to join the union.

I can tell you've never been a member of a union.

You can't leave the union unless it's on your anniversary of the date you joined and you have a window of a couple of weeks that you have to submit a withdrawal statement in writing. Then it takes a couple of months for them to stop taking it out of your paycheck.

So it's not that easy.

In the 1950s some 1/3 of all private-sector workers belonged to a union. Now only 7.6% of nongovernment workers belong to one. From 1997to 2004, private sector employment grew from 66.1 to 103.6 million, but union membership declined from 14.3 to 8.2 million. (AEAweb: Annual Meeting Papers)

At the same time, unionization of government jobs is five times higher (Union Members Summary) . Could it be that the concern of private companies for profits, and maximizing shareholder value, and workers choosing opportunity over job security explain the disparity? Or, in more loaded terminology, choosing capitalism over socialism.

 

[CrusaderFrank]

When we win it all back we must dismantle the Dept of Education and turn it all back to the states and the people

 

[alan1]

Corzine wa pushing for universal day care for 3 and 4 yrs olds in NJ. Cost 12500 per child. Very few people thought the state could afford it, including my teacher friends. We realized it was a pay off to the NJEA for their support in his failed re-election bid. More babies - more teachers -more members.

Teachers are assaulted every day in schools around this country. If the union cared about its members' safety (the original purpose of unions) measures would be taken to expel more criminals. But they are more interested in keeping the criminals in school. More students - more teachers - more members.

I pay 900 a year in union dues. Not quite sure what its for.

Stop paying it.
Last I looked you can't be forced to join the union.

I can tell you've never been a member of a union.

You can't leave the union unless it's on your anniversary of the date you joined and you have a window of a couple of weeks that you have to submit a withdrawal statement in writing. Then it takes a couple of months for them to stop taking it out of your paycheck.

So it's not that easy.

You are correct, I've never been a member of a union.
Why would I want to pay an organization to prevent me from leaping across boundaries and succeeding?

 

[alan1]

I just went to their site:

Welcome to CTEN

Awesome. I found this interesting:

The average teacher salary is $47,808
The average NEA employee salary is $87,725

Isn't the average household income in the US about $47,000?
And people say teachers are underpaid yet a single teacher salary is equal to a household income.

 

[Bfgrn]

Stop paying it.
Last I looked you can't be forced to join the union.

I can tell you've never been a member of a union.

You can't leave the union unless it's on your anniversary of the date you joined and you have a window of a couple of weeks that you have to submit a withdrawal statement in writing. Then it takes a couple of months for them to stop taking it out of your paycheck.

So it's not that easy.

In the 1950s some 1/3 of all private-sector workers belonged to a union. Now only 7.6% of nongovernment workers belong to one. From 1997to 2004, private sector employment grew from 66.1 to 103.6 million, but union membership declined from 14.3 to 8.2 million. (AEAweb: Annual Meeting Papers)

At the same time, unionization of government jobs is five times higher (Union Members Summary) . Could it be that the concern of private companies for profits, and maximizing shareholder value, and workers choosing opportunity over job security explain the disparity? Or, in more loaded terminology, choosing capitalism over socialism.

Do you EVER consider there are other factors...or are there only good owner/management people and bad workers?

"We're going to crush labor as a political entity"
Grover Norquist - Republican economic guru

--------------------------------------------------------

Worse Than Union Busting

New Advertising Assails Workers' Rights

by Mary Beth Maxwell

A television ad playing in Michigan this September seemed innocent enough: an adorable little girl in braids, a schoolroom filled to the brim with the latest, colorful learning aids and enthusiastic students eager to learn. But wait; the pigtailed girl is giving a report on union malfeasance. The teacher appears shocked to hear that her union dues support worker-friendly political candidates. Seriously?

The nationwide arrival of commercials like this one—often accompanied by full-page newspaper and radio ads—should raise eyebrows. This isn't a promo for a new parody on the next installment of "Saturday Night Live" or "The Daily Show." The TV spots are the handiwork of a powerful, well-financed web of extremist, conservative organizations and well-paid spin doctors on a mission to dismantle labor unions.

The ads beg the question: Who's willing to invest millions to undermine the right of teachers, nurses and other workers in America to earn a decent living and protect their interests in the workplace? The answer is far less innocent than ponytails and reads like a page torn out of Christopher Buckley's bestseller, Thank You for Smoking.

The over-the-top mudslinging by the Center for Union Facts, the National Right to Work Committee and other anti-union groups is nothing more than an attempt to pull the wool over our eyes, hiding the real crisis in the American workplace. Too many workers in the U.S. still can't adequately provide basic necessities for their families to protect themselves from workplace hazards or take care of themselves when they get old or sick. The firings, intimidation and harassment that often befall workers attempting to exercise freedoms of speech and association by forming unions are threats to our democracy. When faced with union organizing drives, 30 percent of employers terminate pro-union workers, 40 percent threaten to close a worksite if a union prevails and 51 percent coerce workers into opposing unions with bribery and favoritism.

The motives behind assailing organized workers are both financial and ideological. Union-busting is big business. Just ask Center for Union Facts founder and D.C. mercenary lobbyist Rick Berman. He's the mastermind behind the ads and has earned a living attacking other public interest groups—like Mothers Against Drunk Driving and the Centers for Disease Control—for clients including the alcohol and fast food industries. Although he won't reveal who is bankrolling CUF, attacking unions seems to be the source of his latest windfall.

And Berman isn't the only one profiting from conspiring to bring about the demise of worker-built organizations. Search for "union buster" on Google and peruse over 3 million hits. The proliferation of "union avoidance" consulting has resulted in 82 percent of employers hiring help to fight worker organizing drives.

But the assault on unions goes deeper than the dollar. It is bolstered by a long-standing conservative political objective to eradicate unions. Right-wingers know something the rest of us seem to have forgotten: Workers still want unions because they are a powerful deterrent to poverty and unfettered corporate greed. When conservative political strategist Grover Norquist says, "We're going to crush labor as a political entity" and ultimately "break unions," it isn't because unions aren't relevant anymore. The right knows that unions act as the nation's conscience by advancing civil rights, environmental protections and other causes of equality, justice and fair play far beyond the workplace.

If worker-built organizations weren't powerful, the right wouldn't invest so much time and money to dismantle them. And Berman's supporters would be less concerned with obscuring their support from public view.

So the next time you come across a slick television, radio or newspaper ad pedaling anti-union propaganda, ask yourself who benefits when workers are prevented from joining together to represent themselves. Question what's at stake when democratic rights are limited in the workplace.

The anti-union network's vision for the workplace is out of sync with what we value in America.

 

[chanel]

Corzine wa pushing for universal day care for 3 and 4 yrs olds in NJ. Cost 12500 per child. Very few people thought the state could afford it, including my teacher friends. We realized it was a pay off to the NJEA for their support in his failed re-election bid. More babies - more teachers -more members.

Teachers are assaulted every day in schools around this country. If the union cared about its members' safety (the original purpose of unions) measures would be taken to expel more criminals. But they are more interested in keeping the criminals in school. More students - more teachers - more members.

I pay 900 a year in union dues. Not quite sure what its for.

Stop paying it.
Last I looked you can't be forced to join the union.

But you are forced to pay. 85% for non-union employees. What would you do?

Also to be perfectly honest - most people stay in the union because they FIGHT FOR HEALTH BENEFITS. That was one of the main reasons I left private industry to go into public services. I took a huge cut in pay, but health insurance was important to us. And I know for a fact that is why many other people go into teaching, social work, etc.

However, with the country headed toward socialized medicine, why would anyone want go into public service and join a union? It will have an effect on the quality of employees from teachers to cops to city planners. Unintended consequences?

 

[Bfgrn]

Corzine wa pushing for universal day care for 3 and 4 yrs olds in NJ. Cost 12500 per child. Very few people thought the state could afford it, including my teacher friends. We realized it was a pay off to the NJEA for their support in his failed re-election bid. More babies - more teachers -more members.

Teachers are assaulted every day in schools around this country. If the union cared about its members' safety (the original purpose of unions) measures would be taken to expel more criminals. But they are more interested in keeping the criminals in school. More students - more teachers - more members.

I pay 900 a year in union dues. Not quite sure what its for.

Stop paying it.
Last I looked you can't be forced to join the union.

But you are forced to pay. 85% for non-union employees. What would you do?

Also to be perfectly honest - most people stay in the union because they FIGHT FOR HEALTH BENEFITS. That was one of the main reasons I left private industry to go into public services. I took a huge cut in pay, but health insurance was important to us. And I know for a fact that is why many other people go into teaching, social work, etc.

However, with the country headed toward socialized medicine, why would anyone want go into public service and join a union? It will have an effect on the quality of employees from teachers to cops to city planners. Unintended consequences?

You mean like affordable health care for all...heaven FORBID!!!

 

[chanel]

Affordable? Like MA and ME?

People make choices. I don't begrudge anyone that has chosen to go without health insurance. But the guy making a cop's salary should have an extra couple hundred thousand in his pocket, right? And now he's entitled to a "subsidy"?

Unintended consequences. I foresee a police force and teaching staff resembling the employees of Acorn in the not too distant future. But as long as they pay their union dues and vote "D", it will all be worth it in the end.

 

[Diuretic]

I need clarification. Are we attacking teachers or unions? Or are we attacking teachers and unions? Maybe teachers unions?

 

[chanel]

The OP was about the NEA. And from polichic's article, it is obvious that their agenda has very little to do with education or the representation of its members. It seems their advocacy for social progressive programs may not be in the best interests of the teachers or the students. In fact, I am certain that it is not. It's about power and money.

The future of public education looks pretty grim from where I sit. Thank goodness there are still choices.

 

[Diuretic]

Thank you chanel.

So how's private education in the US? Is it healthy?