New online guide to Michigan governor's failures

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFWSHDYCasm4IorS-TCrBVSuZG7vsXAho2nLzr1BWhUWFYw0SPzZEOdfjpdlrAl6gsL793ER0GmDS-fRjjq61zNtQb1OzaPlzFEgd_8jmebQHdrYboB2T-K4bo3wQv4et2aOUTsPK3tUUk/s1600/snyderfails_logo.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFWSHDYCasm4IorS-TCrBVSuZG7vsXAho2nLzr1BWhUWFYw0SPzZEOdfjpdlrAl6gsL793ER0GmDS-fRjjq61zNtQb1OzaPlzFEgd_8jmebQHdrYboB2T-K4bo3wQv4et2aOUTsPK3tUUk/s1600/snyderfails_logo.png" /></a></div>Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder, who famously railroaded a <a href="http://teamsternation.blogspot.com/2012/12/class-war-breaks-out-in-mich-as-snyder.html" rel="nofollow">right to work (for less)</a> bill through the Legislature last year, has a new on-line critic. <a href="http://www.progressmichigan.org/" rel="nofollow">Progress Michigan</a> launched a new website today called Snyder fails. You can find it at <a href="http://www.snyderfails.org/">www.SnyderFails.org</a>.<br /><br />In a statement today, Progress Michigan said:<br /><blockquote class="tr_bq">Progress Michigan will expose Snyder’s real record on the issues that matter to Michigan’s middle-class and working families... </blockquote><blockquote class="tr_bq">Snyder Fails will take the governor to task over his supposed love of metrics and numbers. Featured on the site will be a “<a href="http://www.snyderfails.org/by-the-numbers/" rel="nofollow">By the Numbers</a>” section, which will track in simple math just how bad Snyder’s policies have been for Michiganders.</blockquote>Here's how bad:<br /><ul><li>Michigan cut $100 million in funding to local communities</li><li>Slashed billions of dollars from school districts</li><li>Given away billions in corporate tax breaks.</li></ul>The result has been devastating to Michigan's working families. The state ranked second in job growth when he became governor. Now Michigan ranks 36th, with the fourth worst unemployment rate in the country. <br /><br />Remember when right to work (for less) was supposed to <i>help</i> Michigan's economy? No, we don't either.<br /><br /><div><br /></div>

MI Rick Snyder right to work for less New online guide to Michigan governor's failures

Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder, who famously railroaded a right to work (for less) bill through the Legislature last year, has a new on-line critic. Progress Michigan launched a new website today called Snyder fails. You can find it at www.SnyderFails.org…

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Today's Teamster News 10.27.13

<a href="http://peoplesworld.org/teamsters-score-big-organizing-gains-go-kosher-too/" rel="nofollow">Teamsters score big organizing gains, go “kosher” too! </a> People's World   ... while the biggest win was in Santa Monica, Calif., the most unusual saw the union "go kosher" - winning an election and a first contract for 15 kosher dining hall workers at the University of Pennsylvania...<br /><a href="http://www.alternet.org/economy/nine-democratic-senators-side-gop-entitlement-cuts" rel="nofollow">Sell-Out Alert: 9 Democrats Already Caving to GOP On Social Security Cuts </a> Alternet   ...There are at least nine in the Senate. California’s <a href="http://ourfuture.org/20130326/senate-kicks-the-chained-cpi-to-the-curb-but-leaves-the-back-door-open">Dianne Feinstein</a>, Montana’s <a href="http://ourfuture.org/20130326/senate-kicks-the-chained-cpi-to-the-curb-but-leaves-the-back-door-open">Max Baucus</a>, West Virginia’s <a href="http://www.msnbc.com/disrupt#53275328">Joe Manchin</a>, Delaware’s <a href="http://www.coons.senate.gov/newsroom/releases/release/serious-attempt-at-deficit-reduction-requires-closer-look-at-advice-in-bowles-simpson-report">Chris Coons</a> and <a href="http://www.carper.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases?ID=39f20a2e-d3b9-49b1-82a0-e9c67f00ba4f">Tom Carper</a>, and Colorado’s <a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/wonkblog/wp/2012/10/09/the-gang-of-six-nay-eight-is-back-will-it-matter/">Michael Bennett</a> have all said they support cuts to entitlements in letters to constituents, proposed bills or statements...<br /><a href="http://medicalobserverph.com/putting-profits-first-no-way-health-groups/" rel="nofollow">Putting Profits First? No Way – Health Groups</a>  Medical Observer   ...militant health groups belonging to Health Alliance for Democracy and the People’s Health Movement-Philippines picketed the office of the World Health Organization to express their strong opposition to the Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement...<br /><a href="http://www.scmp.com/news/china-insider/article/1336647/jiangxi-businessman-pays-model-mo-lulu-100000-yuan-breastfeed-him" rel="nofollow">Jiangxi businessman pays model Mo Lulu 100,000 yuan to breastfeed him</a>  South China Morning Post   ... at a private dinner after the automobile show, Mo breastfed a man who paid her 100,000 yuan. According to the report, the businessman called Mo “mom” every time he took a sip. Other people at the dinner took photos and uploaded them online...<br /><a href="http://www.americanprogressaction.org/issues/labor/news/2013/09/20/74751/middle-classes-are-stronger-in-states-with-greater-union-membership/" rel="nofollow">Middle Classes Are Stronger in States with Greater Union Membership</a>  Center for American Progress Action Fund   ... four of the top five union states—Alaska, Hawaii, Washington, and Rhode Island—had middle classes of above-average strength...<br /><a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/wonkblog/wp/2013/10/26/marty-sullivan-figured-out-how-the-worlds-biggest-companies-avoided-billions-in-taxes-heres-how-he-wants-to-stop-them/" rel="nofollow">Marty Sullivan figured out how the world’s biggest companies avoided billions in taxes. Here’s how he wants to stop them.</a>  Washington Post   ...it was Sullivan who in 2010 pieced together from public filings that Apple had understated its reported profits to hide the fact that it was paying a tax rate of less than 2 percent on its overseas profits, shining the spotlight on Apple’s tax avoidance schemes...<br /><a href="http://www.mybudget360.com/means-tested-benefits-government-benefits-more-than-fulltime-workers-census-data/" rel="nofollow">Means-Tested recovery: Over 108,000,000 Americans received means-tested benefits in latest report from Census Bureau, more than are currently employed full-time. </a> My Budget 360   ...the stock market is rallying higher and higher thanks to financial maneuvering but the actual American worker is taking it on the chin.  This is obviously unsustainable...<br /><a href="http://www.buzzfeed.com/rosiegray/libertarians-and-progressives-team-up-against-nsa-surveillan" rel="nofollow">Libertarians And Progressives Team Up Against NSA Surveillance</a>  Buzzfeed Politics   ...Organized by the coalition Stop Watching Us, which includes dozens of groups ranging from Internet freedom advocates to Tea Party organizations, the rally attracted hundreds of people to the Capitol Reflecting Pool to protest the electronic surveillance by the National Security Agency revealed by Edward Snowden this year...<br /><a href="http://www.dispatch.com/content/stories/local/2013/10/24/First-responders-pension-fund.html" rel="nofollow">Police, fire pension fund still falls short, report says </a> Columbus Dispatch   ...Rep. Lynn Wachtmann, the Napoleon Republican who leads the Ohio Retirement Study Council…threatened to dismantle the Police & Fire Fund as a separate board because of what he perceives as members’ continued intransigence. “Some of these members are union thugs who know about power and aren’t afraid to use power or abuse power if they need that to win...”<br /><a href="http://www.plunderbund.com/2013/10/26/tea-party-activists-gather-signatures-for-so-called-right-to-work-amendment/" rel="nofollow">Tea Party activists gather signatures for so-called right to work amendment</a>  Plunderbund   ...At this rate, Ohioans could vote to make Hillary Clinton the next president of the United States before we ever get a chance to vote on another anti-union measure in Ohio.  Unless, of course, they pick up a lot of funding and start collecting signatures at a faster pace...<br /><a href="http://host.madison.com/wsj/news/opinion/mailbag/letter-asbestos-bill-will-complicate-veterans-claims/article_c7f20289-bc20-5923-bc09-411005281a94.html" rel="nofollow">LETTER: Asbestos Bill Will Complicate Veterans' Claims</a>  Wisconsin State Journal   ...veterans make up only 8 percent of the population, but 30 percent of all mesothelioma-related deaths. Senate Bill 13 would add additional hurdles for victims seeking claims against asbestos companies and would delay or deny justice for asbestos victims...<br /><a href="http://abclocal.go.com/ktrk/story?section=news/bizarre&id=9300706" rel="nofollow">Georgia man runs into burning home to save beer</a>  KTRK   ..."I went back into the house like a dummy." That's what one man in Georgia said after he risked his life to save beer from his fridge while his house was on fire...

corporate tax avoidance organizing pensions plutocracy right to work for less social security spying TPP Today's Teamster News 10.27.13

Teamsters score big organizing gains, go “kosher” too!  People's World   ... while the biggest win was in Santa Monica, Calif., the most unusual saw the union "go kosher" - winning an election and a first contract for 15 kosher dining hall workers at…

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Fox News fires anti-union provocateur

<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="236" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/tIF70HsfpAg" width="420"></iframe><br /><br />You may remember this jackass from the <a href="http://teamsternation.blogspot.com/2012/12/surprise-alec-wrote-michigans-rtw4less.html" rel="nofollow">Teamsters' battle over right-to-work-for-less</a> in Michigan nearly a year ago. His name is Steven Crowder. Last year he went to the protest outside the Capitol, he tried to cause trouble and he made a <a href="http://doctored%20video/" rel="nofollow">phony video</a> that showed 'union violence' at a protest outside the capitol. Then Fox News aired the video -- over and over. Now <a href="http://wonkette.com/532300/bring-your-trumpets-we-are-having-a-new-orleans-style-funeral-for-comedian-steven-crowders-fox-news-career" rel="nofollow">Fox fired him</a>. <br /><br />The bad news is that Crowder didn't get fired for doctoring videos to make union members look bad. It was because he <a href="http://www.mediaite.com/tv/fox-comedian-crowder-slams-hannity-liberals-come-in-and-bulldoze-him-like-a-child/" rel="nofollow">criticized Sean Hannity</a>. Or maybe it was because he just wasn't that funny, and he<a href="http://fox%20hired%20crowder%20four%20years%20ago%20and%20gave%20him%20a%20lot%20of%20visibility.%20but%20the%20problem%20was%20that%20he%20was%20never%20that%20funny%2C%20and%2C%20in%20addition%2C%20he%20crossed%20the%20line%20more%20than%20a%20few%20times.%20so%20we%20let%20him%20go.%20it%20happens.%20this%20is%20a%20business.%20but%20now%2C%20sadly%2C%20on%20his%20way%20out%20the%20door%2C%20crowder%20is%20proving%20his%20true%20colors%2C%20by%20being%20disloyal%20to%20the%20folks%20who%20took%20a%20chance%20on%20him%20and%20had%20him%20on%20the%20payroll%20for%20so%20long.%20the%20attack%20on%20hannity%20only%20further%20underscores%20the%20wisdom%20of%20our%20decision%20to%20part%20company%20with%20him./" rel="nofollow"> criticized Hannity</a> as the door was slamming him in the butt.<br /><br />Whatevs. It is with absolutely no sorrow that we note the death of Steven Crowder's career.<br /><br /><br />

Fox News MI provocateurs right to work for less Fox News fires anti-union provocateur

You may remember this jackass from the Teamsters' battle over right-to-work-for-less in Michigan nearly a year ago. His name is Steven Crowder. Last year he went to the protest outside the Capitol, he tried to cause trouble and he made a phony video …

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Today's Teamster News 09.10.13

<a href="http://www.record-bee.com/news/ci_24054350/teamsters-paratransit-services-management-reach-tentative-deal" rel="nofollow">Teamsters, Paratransit Services management reach tentative deal</a>   Lake County Record Bee   ...Teamsters Local Union No. 665 and Paratransit Services, the company contracted to manage transit services in the county by Lake Transit Authority, reached a tentative collective bargain agreement Thursday for a new contract...<br /><a href="http://www.teamster.org/sites/teamster.org/files/9913ABFRevoteTotals2.pdf" rel="nofollow">Local-by-Local ABF Re-Vote Totals</a>  teamster.org   ...Here are the local-by-local ABF totals for the seven supplements that were re-voted and counted on August 28...<br /><a href="http://www.teamster.org/sites/teamster.org/files/8513Essaycontest2013.pdf" rel="nofollow">James R. Hoffa Memorial Scholarship Essay Contest</a>  teamster.org   ...Children and dependent grandchildren of Teamster members have until Sept. 30 to enter the James R. Hoffa Memorial Scholarship Fund Essay Contest, which gives higher-education students the opportunity to win a one-time $1,000 award from the union...<br /><a href="http://www.ttnews.com/articles/basetemplate.aspx?storyid=32897&t=UPS-Teamsters-to-Vote-Again-on-Rejected-Agreements" rel="nofollow">UPS Teamsters to Vote Again on Rejected Agreements</a>  Transport Topics   ...Teamsters at UPS Inc. will vote again starting on Sept. 18 on seven of the 17 supplemental agreements that were rejected in June when the national master agreement was approved, the union has announced...<br /><a href="http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2013/09/10/judge-declares-indiana-right-to-work-law-unconstitutional/" rel="nofollow">Judge declares Indiana ‘right to work’ law unconstitutional</a>  Raw Story   ...Indiana’s much-derided “right-to-work” law was ruled unconstitutional on Monday by a state Superior Court judge, paving the way for another legal battle with the state Supreme Court...<br /><a href="http://www.fayobserver.com/articles/2013/09/10/1281831?sac=fo.local" rel="nofollow">Moral Monday protest in Moore County, a Republican stronghold, draws hundreds</a>  fayobserver.com   ...A strong turnout at a Moral Monday event in Republican-heavy Moore County shows that the movement goes beyond party lines, the head of the state chapter of the NAACP said...<br /><a href="http://abclocal.go.com/wtvd/story?section=news/local&id=9241749" rel="nofollow">'Moral Monday' held in Moore County </a> WTVD-TV   ... The "Moral Monday" movement moved to the Moore County and dozens showed up to support it...<br /><a href="http://thehill.com/business-a-lobbying/321225-labor-opens-doors-to-non-workers-to-bulk-up-as-membership-declines" rel="nofollow">Labor, with union membership declining, will woo non-workers</a>  The Hill   ...Facing what AFL-CIO chief Richard Trumka called a “crisis” of membership, officials took the dramatic step at their annual convention of adopting a resolution that invites anyone in the country to join, regardless of union affiliation...<br /><a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/ellen-r-shaffer/stop-tpp-protections-for-big-tobacco_b_3886771.html" rel="nofollow">Stop TPP Protections for Big Tobacco </a> Huffington Post   ...Under present trade rules, predatory tobacco corporations have new global rights to challenge important tobacco control laws and regulations in the U.S. and elsewhere that help people quit smoking, and keep kids from getting addicted, like a ban on clove cigarettes, and limitations on advertising. The TPP would perpetuate and extend these trade rules and their threats to health...<br /><a href="http://www.economicpopulist.org/content/majority-new-jobs-are-not-part-time-5364" rel="nofollow">The Majority of New Jobs are Not Part-Time</a>  Economic Populist   ... people working part-time hours as a percentage of all the new employed was 17%.  We expect this figure to be higher than official part-time jobs for people are still getting their hours cut and denied full-time hours due to the economy not really running at full throttle...<br /><a href="http://www.tradereform.org/2013/09/china-still-sucking-life-world-economy/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=china-still-sucking-life-world-economy" rel="nofollow">China Still Sucking the Life out of the World Economy</a>  Trade Reform   ... China’s trade surplus is growing again because they have doubled down on sucking the life out of the global economy to feed their rapid growth.  It is parasitic.  Global imbalances in trade are bad.  That is the economics.  Persistent global imbalances in trade flows are really bad.  It shows that the market is not working...<br /><a href="http://americanmanufacturing.org/blog/cloud-computing-china-paid-us-trade-deficit" rel="nofollow">Cloud computing in China, paid for by the U.S. trade deficit</a>  manufacture this   ...Beijing plans to put $1 billion toward cloud-computing development in the coming years, and fold those advancements into its computer warfare efforts...<br /><a href="http://dealbook.nytimes.com/2013/09/09/invasive-tactic-in-foreclosures-draws-scrutiny/?_r=0" rel="nofollow">Invasive Tactic in Foreclosures Draws Scrutiny</a>  New York Times   ...In suing Safeguard, Lisa Madigan, the attorney general, contends that the company broke into homes despite stark evidence that homeowners still lived in them, bullied tenants into leaving even though they had no legal obligation to do so and, in some instances, damaged the very homes they were sent to protect, according to the suit...<br /><br />

ABF China foreclosure Indiana Jobs Moral Monday right to work for less TPP UPS Today's Teamster News 09.10.13

Teamsters, Paratransit Services management reach tentative deal   Lake County Record Bee   ...Teamsters Local Union No. 665 and Paratransit Services, the company contracted to manage transit services in the county by Lake Transit Authority, reached a…

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Oregon guv says he'll fight RTW4Less for government workers

<div class="tr_bq"><object classid="clsid:D27CDB6E-AE6D-11cf-96B8-444553540000" codebase="http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=9,0,47,0" height="270" id="flashObj" width="480"><param name="movie" value="http://c.brightcove.com/services/viewer/federated_f9?isVid=1&isUI=1" /><param name="bgcolor" value="#FFFFFF" /><param name="flashVars" value="videoId=2645579766001&playerID=2436822742001&playerKey=AQ~~,AAAAPLpuSqE~,a1DdoZJH5WT7C8Y068BNUzNkGsOfv-0l&domain=embed&dynamicStreaming=true" /><param name="base" value="http://admin.brightcove.com" /><param name="seamlesstabbing" value="false" /><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true" /><param name="swLiveConnect" value="true" /><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always" /><embed src="http://c.brightcove.com/services/viewer/federated_f9?isVid=1&isUI=1" bgcolor="#FFFFFF" flashVars="videoId=2645579766001&playerID=2436822742001&playerKey=AQ~~,AAAAPLpuSqE~,a1DdoZJH5WT7C8Y068BNUzNkGsOfv-0l&domain=embed&dynamicStreaming=true" base="http://admin.brightcove.com" name="flashObj" width="480" height="270" seamlesstabbing="false" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowFullScreen="true" allowScriptAccess="always" swLiveConnect="true" pluginspage="http://www.macromedia.com/shockwave/download/index.cgi?P1_Prod_Version=ShockwaveFlash"></embed></object></div><br />Oregon's governor John Kitzhaber slammed a proposed ballot measure that would impose right-to-work-for-less on government workers during a Labor Day picnic. <br /><br />Backers of the ballot measure want to crush Oregon unions. They say they don't but they're lying.<br /><br />Jeff Mapes at <a href="http://www.oregonlive.com/mapes/index.ssf/2013/09/john_kitzhaber_tells_organized.html#incart_river_default" rel="nofollow">The Oregonian</a> reported:<br /><blockquote>Kitzhaber, speaking at a Labor Day picnic at Oaks Park sponsored by the Northwest Labor Council, denounced the initiative as an attempt to turn Oregon into a "so-called right-to-work state" that would weaken unions and leave workers less well-off... </blockquote><blockquote>"A right-to-work state means you have a right to work for less without a voice in the workplace," Kitzhaber told the labor crowd. "A right-to-work state means you have a right to be exploited and ripped off and work at unsafe jobs and low wages and no benefits." </blockquote><blockquote>The governor charged that anti-union forces are targeting Oregon "because this is where labor is strongest." He cited organized labor's role in passing the nation's second highest minimum wage law and noted that Oregon's largest union -- Service Employees International Union -- has been able to reverse the general trend in declining union membership by organizing home health care workers... </blockquote><blockquote>...unions have already been girding for another fight over an initiative they believe is aimed at weakening the public employee unions, which are <a href="http://www.oregonlive.com/politics/index.ssf/2013/01/despite_their_clout_oregons_pu.html">key backers of Democratic candidates in Oregon</a>... </blockquote><blockquote>He said right-to-work laws strike at the heart of unions that he said play a crucial role in building the middle class. "Without organized labor, we have very little chance to address the growth of income disparity," he said.</blockquote>

government workers Oregon right to work for less Oregon guv says he'll fight RTW4Less for government workers

Oregon's governor John Kitzhaber slammed a proposed ballot measure that would impose right-to-work-for-less on government workers during a Labor Day picnic. Backers of the ballot measure want to crush Oregon unions. They say they don't but they're ly…

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