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The Obama Watch
Obama’s Favorite Union Heavies
The Service Employees International lives to intimidate in the workplace.
Unions thrive on workplace conflict. The AFL-CIO, for example, sponsors a “Bad Boss Contest,” which awards the employee who submits the best story about a horrible boss a “seven-night vacation escape” from his or her workplace travails. But aggressive union tactics are no laughing matter, as a recently unveiled playbook distributed by one of America’s biggest unions reveals.
Over the last decade, aggressive campaigns against employers have enabled the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) to grow into one of the country’s biggest labor organizations. Now, its campaign manual — which the union recently had to file during discovery in a federal court proceeding — offers an unprecedented glimpse of how the union operates. It’s not a pretty picture.
The SEIU manual instructs union activists on how to conduct a “corporate campaign.” This consists of a union pressuring an employer to give in to worker demands by employing aggressive methods, including generating negative media coverage, filing complaints with regulators, and disrupting relationships between businesses and their customers, vendors, and lenders.
A union conducting a corporate campaign will often enlist the help of third parties sympathetic to the broader progressive agenda — environmental activists, consumer groups, “human rights” advocates, and the like. For instance, an environmental group sympathetic to the union might accuse the company which the union is targeting of polluting, while the union itself might go after the firm’s access to capital by attacking its creditworthiness.
The SEIU manual instructs union activists how to disrupt their employer’s operations, undermine company profits, and even harass managers at their homes and in their communities.
It also encourages workers to lower their productivity, stating, “In many cases, the most powerful worksite tactic is for members to do only what they are required to do by the union contract and no more.” If reducing productivity is not enough, SEIU then calls for personal attacks on managers, encouraging workers to make “life more difficult for them as individuals,” through such methods as leafleting outside of their homes and at community gatherings.
In a corporate campaign, the union’s message to the employer is clear: Agree to our demands or we’ll drag your reputation through the mud. When the employer relents, the attacks cease.
Happy workers have little use for powerful unions, whereas unions thrive when worker dissatisfaction is high. It is unsurprising, therefore, that unions would provoke hostile relations between employees and their managers. This discontent enables unions to expand their membership rolls and increase their dues revenue.
Unfortunately, workers suffer as a result. According to a March 2011 Gallup poll, unionized workplaces in both the public and private sectors scored lower on Gallup’s Work Environment Index than their non-unionized counterparts. The poll concluded, “Workers who are unionized are more likely to consider their supervisor to be a boss rather than a partner, and less likely to say their supervisor creates a trusting and open work environment.”
President Obama has been trying to dispel the notion that he is “anti-business,” but it’s hard to take such claims seriously given his close ties with the SEIU. Obama has appointed SEIU officials to senior positions in his administration, including former SEIU associate counsel Craig Becker, who now wields considerable power over labor policy as a recess-appointed member of the National Labor Relations Board. If the President is serious about reaching to the business community, not appointing — or reappointing — any more SEIU officials to his administration would be a good start.
Meanwhile, House Republicans should explore what role, if any, Becker and other SEIU officials now serving in government may have played in the production of the SEIU campaign manual. Creating a manual that endorses intimidation tactics that border on extortion should disqualify anyone from public office.
Union efforts to incite workplace conflict are bad for businesses, bad for workers, and bad for the economy. If President Obama truly cares about America’s working population, he has his work cut out for him — and actions speak louder than words.
Letter to the Editor View all comments (52) | Leave a comment
More Articles by Ivan Osorio
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http://spectator.org/archives/2011/07/26/obamas-favorite-union-heavies
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Mike Hawk| 7.26.11 @ 6:57AM
The Oborg collective is reflexively hostile to business. They are Marxists. Enteprenuers are independent thinkers and doers. Neither the Oborg nor it's union thugs could run a business or make a profit.
masly | 7.26.11 @ 12:36PM
They want total domination of citizens by government from their policies designed to destroy private business and replace same with public/government services and the public dependence upon same for the own personal welfare.
I am a 28 years old doctor, mature and beautiful.and now I am seeking a good man who can give me real love , so i got a username Andromeda2002 on--s'e'ek'c'ou'ga'r.c óm--.it is the first and best club for y'ounger women and old'er men, or older women and y'ounger men,to int'eract with each other. Maybe you wanna ch'eck 'it out or tell your friends!
Dave | 7.26.11 @ 4:49PM
Predictably, these ain't Woody Guthrie's union boys anymore. They ain't even Jimmy Hoffa's. And if Jimmy ain't a good example of what 'ya get when you cross the Leadership, I don't know what is.
Actually, this whole union thing gives me an idea for a new candy bar the local membership could sell door-to-door during election campaigns:
"Aeeey, youz guyz wanna' buy a box of ... Mr. Goodfella's. How 'bout a whole case?"
Now that'd be an offer youz couldn't refuze.
Patrick| 7.27.11 @ 5:34AM
One word - RICO
Timothy L. Pennell| 7.26.11 @ 6:59AM
Dictatorship 101.
Kill the Middle Class. The RICH are easily cowed. Threaten their money, and they will do as they are told.
The POOR are for sale. They have nothing, so they will do whatever they're told to do, and their PRICE is very little.
Take control of the Media. Obviously, we all know that our Young Muslim Boy King already had control, by virtue of the "D" beside his name.
And, lastly, make sure you have "A Civilian Force, that's just as large, and just as financed, as the Military one".
Make sure you have BROWNSHIRTS, and lots of them. (ACORN - SEIU - AFLCIO - UAW - on and on)
Make sure they are WELL PAID. (STIMULUS)
There's nothing NEW under the Sun. This is Standard Procedure in the Halls of The LEFT.
SIC SEMPER TYRANNUS!
The DOMESTIC ENEMY sits in the Oval Office.
chuck| 7.26.11 @ 7:54AM
As usual, right on the money!
Paul| 7.26.11 @ 8:54AM
Timothy,
I look forward to your posts every morning.
SpiralArchitect| 7.26.11 @ 12:08PM
control, by virtue of the "D" beside his name
That D is for Demon, right?
KennesawJack| 7.26.11 @ 12:40PM
Come 2012, Obamarx will be cast upon the ash heap of history and judged forever as the petty dictator- want-to-be he so clearly is. So, in the end, you are absolutely right on; Sic Semper Tyrannus!
Margie| 7.26.11 @ 3:44PM
"The POOR are for sale. They have nothing, so they will do whatever they're told to do, and their PRICE is very little."
Perhaps for the most part you are right. The suffering poor may, but they may not. Just because one is poor, they do not have to be cowards.
You will be surprised who among the poor are truly on our side, and would fight as you would.
God bless.
jothepro| 7.26.11 @ 7:24AM
Spending other peoples money-the socialist way
Melvin| 7.26.11 @ 7:52AM
"Kill the Middle Class. The RICH are easily cowed. Threaten their money, and they will do as they are told.
The POOR are for sale. They have nothing, so they will do whatever they're told to do, and their PRICE is very little."
So very Prophetic.
Petronius| 7.26.11 @ 8:21AM
The goons who clocked Ken Gladney in the head were acquitted in St. Louis Co. Court last week. The county prosecutor put a rookie on the case who had never done a jury trial, and did no more to get a conviction than the prosecutor in L.A. against O.J. He seated jurors hostile to his client and allowed the SEIU lawyers to paint him as the aggressor. But the county prosecutor is a Democrat. Bob McCullough got the result he wanted.
Redstateboy| 7.26.11 @ 8:24AM
Thank goodness for TAS and their continual spotlight on the cockroaches in bed with this administration. Viewing that Man-child last night convinced me he is the worst President in American history.
SpiralArchitect| 7.26.11 @ 12:14PM
The Rep response was surprising, in a positive way.
Pecos Pete| 7.26.11 @ 8:29AM
King O doesn't care about anything except his reelection. The unions and their fellow travelers are his primary source of funds. King O will try his damnedest to send them more of our money so they can return part of it back to him as campaign contributions.
Louis Jenkins| 7.26.11 @ 9:06AM
Instead of trying to improve the work conditions, the work product, and morale, the union goons do everything in their power to bring the company to its knees. Killing the golden goose. No small wonder many companies have went under rather than face the unions. That's what the Commander n Thief wants. Use every dirty trick in the book to get what they desire, including Obama's re-election.
TrueBlue| 7.26.11 @ 12:20PM
The "best" part is, when the company goes under the unions then convince the former employees it was because the owners would rather horde their money than give their employees a little bit more.
David| 7.26.11 @ 9:24AM
The SEIU is a bunch of criminals. Why would anyone be surprised at their actions?
Doctor Right| 7.26.11 @ 10:25AM
Union bosses are cunning, manipulative SOB's. Unfortunately, it seems like most rank-n-file union members are complete dolts - by design!
How else do you explain union policies on "agitation" that ultimately interfere with a company's ability to tun a profit, causing the company to make-up for the shortfall by either a) cutting headcount, or b) relocating overseas???
Union bosses are the lowest form of pond-scum. They skim as much off of the top for themselves while simultaneously killing their rank-n-file members' chances of long-term job security.
Wake-up, Union folks! Obama and his cronies in the Union hierarchy are KILLING the Golden Goose!
Margie| 7.26.11 @ 3:47PM
Right on, sir.
The Union thugs are despicable, vile creatures.
They already have their reward.
Unless they repent, of course.
Dick Nome| 7.26.11 @ 9:43PM
You overlooked the more common third alternative: go out of business, close, shut it. Then nobody is working and the union thugs have no members by any of the three.
Al Adab| 7.26.11 @ 11:18AM
By what authority, including moral authority, can the Federal government favor one group, organization or class over another. Is that not the very definition of discrimination? Is not ours a nation of laws not of men? Apparently we have fallen so far that having had our Grachii and our Marius, we now look to find our Ceasar. Instead we need to find our Cicero and Cato and find them fast.
KennesawJack| 7.26.11 @ 4:02PM
Hope we're not too late. Yon Cassius has that lean and hungry look.....
russel| 7.26.11 @ 11:23AM
Dingy Harry . Thanks , SEIU .
Michael Tomlinson| 7.26.11 @ 11:30AM
We need civil service reform that bans the unionization of Federal employees. Coupled with real campaign contribution reform that bans unions for contributing to politicians (along with quasi government institutions like Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac) and requires the identification of all donors. These would be small steps in cleaning up the corruption inflicted on our country by labor unions, crony capitalists and the Democrat party.
TrueBlue| 7.26.11 @ 12:23PM
I agree with that. Seriously, what the heck is with public sector unions? How are they going to go to the government demanding their members get more work when it's the CITIZENS that are writing the check, not the fed. Federal/state employees want a raise? Send the request to the voters; this goes for the entire federal government to include Congress. What kind of bs is it that they can vote their own dang raises? Seriously?
Oldefarte| 7.26.11 @ 11:40AM
If there is any normal, semi-intelligent person out there who does not now GET IT as to who, what this president and his Democratic Party are all about, then G_D help and save us. He/they and their political attachment to these labor unions has now been completely exposed, and this article only further highlights same. When private industry union memberships have been declining post the industrial revolution, they have re-positioned their membership activites toward government and public education. Their intent is to organize, brainwash, propagandize, intimidate, destroy all of us and our economy. They want total domination of citizens by government from their policies designed to destroy private business and replace same with public/government services and the public dependence upon same for the own personal welfare. HEIL HITLER will be the next order of their political business, and we all will be required to snap to attention and to obey!!!!!!
Richard| 7.26.11 @ 12:09PM
Why do we need unions at all anymore? Unions were given power by the Feds as a counterpoint to corporations. That role is no longer needed because of government regulation of the workplace. Unions need to be called the criminals they are.
Doctor Right| 7.26.11 @ 12:26PM
Once the Feds completely control the means of production, etc, they will go after the unions...
Jack London| 7.26.11 @ 12:41PM
That Gallup survey is trash - it could equally show that unions are badly needed in workplaces where companies treat their employees poorly. The best way to defuse unions to is to treat employees well.
Mike Hawk| 7.26.11 @ 1:20PM
You must be an SEIU member.
russel| 7.26.11 @ 3:26PM
Agree . " treat ' workers ' poorly " is as laughable as some poor soul who is discriminated against because a landlord has his reasons . Sorry landlord , you HAVE to rent . Ditto a restaurant . Go to a right -to -work state and see just how " poorly " they're treated . The state more than likely is in the black too .
Oldefarte| 7.26.11 @ 1:38PM
BS! Unions served a purpose during the industrial revolution because of employer abuses, but not now. There are substantial protective laws on the books that protect worker abuse, and unions are now useless usurpers of power and manipulators of their memberships for political purposes. As such they should all be OUTLAWED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Jack London| 7.26.11 @ 3:08PM
I've just had a look at what the SEIU have been organising for here - it's about Sodexo, which I don't think you'd like to work for (see below). Anyway, surely our free society allows workers in private industries to organize in any way they want legally - surely you're not against that.
From http://cleanupsodexo.org/a/about/
But when you talk to Sodexo's workers, they'll tell you that...
The "cycle of poverty" that Sodexo claims it wants to end starts with a job at Sodexo.
Sodexo's "commitment to health and wellbeing" stops when its workforce doesn't have access to affordable healthcare.
Sodexo's effort to build "leadership for diversity and inclusion" fails when, even after thousands of black employees are forced to file a race-bias suit that's eventually settled for $80 million, lawsuits alleging unfair treatment continue to be filed.
Sodexo's "longstanding policy of non-retaliation that ensures employees can safely report their good-faith concerns without fear of retribution" wears thin when an employee alleging sexual harassment on the job is fired.
Sodexo's pledge to provide nutritious meals falls short when the parents of students who eat Sodexo's food question its quality, referring to it as "pre-packaged, processed food you would find in the freezer section."
Curtis Rasmussen| 7.26.11 @ 3:42PM
Sounds like an SEIU power grab as described in the article above. How about providing a neutral source of information in place of your partisan tripe, Jack(ass)?
Jack London | 7.26.11 @ 4:02PM
What 'power grab'? How can trying to secure better working conditions be a 'power grab'? Is it your contention that employers like Sodexo have hearts made of gold really?
Old Guy| 7.26.11 @ 8:03PM
Surely the right to join implies the right also NOT to join.
Ground Control| 7.26.11 @ 4:12PM
Boeing treats its employees well and a union is trying to sue it to close its new South Carolina Plant. Your statement is ridiculous.
Le Cracquere| 7.26.11 @ 6:56PM
The moral obligation to treat one's employees well evaporates the nanosecond they unionize. PINKERTONS ASSEMBLE!
Michael Tomlinson| 7.26.11 @ 12:54PM
One of President Reagan's greatest moments was when he fired the PATCO bums. Since we know the union thugs will be trying to steal and buy elections in 2012 the GOP should make ending their "reigns of terror" a campaign theme. Time to give real workers and not union leaches power.
Jack London| 7.26.11 @ 3:04PM
Personally, I like my controllers to be rested, well trained and well paid. But that's just me - when you're flying it may be different.
KennesawJack| 7.26.11 @ 4:05PM
Lately, they seem to be getting quite a bit of rest. Too bad it just happens to be while they're on the job.
Skippy| 7.26.11 @ 5:32PM
I like 'em fired!
David W| 7.26.11 @ 1:57PM
"Creating a manual that endorses intimidation tactics that border on extortion should disqualify anyone from public office."
Would this plus the involvement of other organizations to "extort" money and concessions from businesses also be considered "organized crime" and subject to RICO?
Die Fledermaus| 7.26.11 @ 6:16PM
If any SEIU thug dares step onto my private property to "intimidate" me they'll leave on a stretcher.
Hilton| 7.26.11 @ 9:56PM
Maybe you wanna ch'eck 'it out or tell your friends!
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Hilton| 7.26.11 @ 9:57PM
Maybe you wanna ch'eck 'it out or tell your friends!
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http://www.jerseys-hats-store.com
POST American| 7.26.11 @ 11:29PM
----Most union leadership, indeed like
Marks-ism and 'So---shall----ALL'-ism itself,
is sourced from Social Darwinist Freemasonry
at the service of self-proclaimed 'masters'
and 'Heir --is ---Toxic---RATS'.
ALAS
ALAS
ALAS
Ron| 7.27.11 @ 1:25PM
I was forced into being a Union member for 10 years, working for the State of Alaska. Here, if you work for the State (except for some exempt branches, such as the Governor's/Lt. office, The legislature, the Alaska Commission on Post Secondary education - Student Loan Corp.) then Union membership is required. What aggravated me the most was 1) a private organization (AFSMCE) holding so much power over a sovereign State and it's employees and 2) where my Union dues really went. Basically, from what I could tell, it went to pay for Union staff overhead, their bs PAC (which I hated, because they never, ever supported conservative, republican candidates, as they always claimed the Democrats were better for the workers.) There is no way I will ever work for an organization that requires Union membership. it is just SLAVERY in another form, with the Union thugs and chiefs being the overseers.
Flatulus Ancien| 7.28.11 @ 5:20PM
I would move out of state before I would work in an union environment.
I have been in a union, and found that the union is for those that won't work, those that are on drugs and drunks. Anyone other than that do not need a union, just good work ethics.