Big Labor Puts Politics Ahead of Jobs
by Sean HazlettLast March, the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) filed a complaint against Boeing for its decision to set up a non-unionized production line in South Carolina. The complaint alleges that Boeing is locating a second production line in that state to retaliate against striking union workers in Washington State.
Since 1989, there have been four strikes at Boeing’s Washington facility. The last strike lasted eight weeks and cost the firm $2 billion.
In 2009, Boeing invested $1 billion in a new factory in South Carolina, a right-to-work state, and hired 1,000 local workers. Had Boeing then laid off 1,000 workers in Washington State, the NLRB might have had a case.
However, Boeing actually increased its Washington workforce by 2,000.
It is perfectly reasonable for Boeing to install a second line in South Carolina to hedge against the uncertainty associated with unionized labor.
That is not retaliation- it is simply smart business.
However, it is completely unreasonable for unionized workers to have a veto on where a company decides to allocate shareholder capital. Yet that will be the ultimate result if the union wins this case.
This case is less about Boeing and more about establishing a union beachhead into so-called right-to-work states. Right-to-work states have laws that secure “the right of employees to decide for themselves whether or not to join or financially support a union.”
Unions hate right-to-work laws because they cannot force workers to fund their bloated coffers. They are also likely concerned that so many companies are relocating to more business-friendly, right-to-work states. Union leaders are so invested in their archaic system of doing business that they are willing to destroy 1,000 jobs to make their point.
Are right-to-work laws really as bad as opponents claim?
Let’s look at the public record.
From February 1990 to April 2011, businesses created nearly 61% of all American jobs in 22 right-to-work states, even though these states currently account for 40% of the United States’ population. Companies created nearly 2 times as many jobs in the average right-to-work state than they did in states where unions can force workers to join their organizations.
Over the same period, job growth in right-to-work states increased by over 34% versus 12% for states without right-to-work laws. Right-to-work states created an average of nearly 52,000 jobs a month versus just over 33,000 in the other 28 states.
Employment Gains & Losses: Right-to-Work vs. Forced-Unionization States (in thousands), Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
The employment picture in right-to-work states also appears to be much more stable. Since February 1990, net job additions or losses have been nearly 46% more volatile in states that did not have right-to-work laws. Over two-thirds of the time, unemployment can swing within plus or minus 103,000 jobs versus 150,000 in the other 28 states. While correlation does not imply causation, union activity seems to be highly correlated with job uncertainty on both the supply and demand for labor. Companies have little control over whether their employees will strike and employees are more likely to lose their jobs as companies close their operations and move to greener pastures with cheaper labor, such as China or India.
Right-to-work laws offer companies a third, American option.
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77 Comments
Americans vs. progressives.
Big Labor puts EVERYTHING ahead of freedom of choice! They are socialist Dems spread across the U.S. stealing people's freedoms and money and giving it all to the bully Dictators who've invaded our Government so they can continue to ' Fundamentally Transform America ' to an oppressive Dictatorship that we must remove asap!
Parasites depend on the host not noticing an infestation. Once the host is aware it begins to eliminate the infestation, or the host will die.
The next thing like all industry in America, Boeing will move overseas.
First off the government not only has no business sticking there nose in situations about where a private corporation sets up its shops nor does it have any constitutional authority in that type of matter. I certainly hope Boeing fights this through the courts since it is clearly obvious the NLRB has overstepped it's powers. This also proves just how ingrained the unions are in our government.
Definitely chose a right to work state rather than travel outside the country. We have lost too many jobs and industry due to taxation, regulation, and unions.
AS to the NLRB, it has changed under BO rule into a socialist union agency.
Labor unions are nothing more than the money laundering arm of the democrat party. Modern labor unions are rooted in communism. Why else would it be called "collective" bargaining?
Unions are a money making big business. Labor hours are their product. They care nothing for their worker bees, the companies where they work or the Country. It is all about the cash and power.
Government, Unions and Business forming a coalition sounds more like Fascism than Capitalism.
the unions can't stand the fact that the company is thumbing their collective nose at them. I say good riddence to bad rubbish. Tell the unions to pound sand and move the whole company to Right to Work states. Enough is enough.
The marxists must go, period!
President Obama told a Chrysler plant in Toledo, Ohio, today: "Chrysler has repaid every dime and more of what it owes the American taxpayer from the investment we made during my watch."
That is just not true. Here is the math:
Chrysler received the following loans from the federal government:
January 2009: Chrysler receives $4 billion loan from TARP
January 2009: Chrysler financial receives $1.5 billion from the Treasury Department
May 2009: Chrysler receives a $1.9 billion debtor in possession loan from the Treasury Department
June 2009: Chrysler receives a $6.6 billion loan from the Treasury Department
Total loaned to Chrysler: $14 billion
Chrysler made the following payments to the federal government:
May 2010: Chrysler pays the Treasury Department $1.9 billion to settle their January 2009 loan.
May 2011: Chrysler pays the Treasury Department $5.1 billion as partial settlement for June 2009 loan.
June 2011: Chrysler pays the Treasury Department $560 million to settle the rest of the June 2009 loan.
Total paid back by Chrysler: $7.56 billion
All he ever does is read off a teleprompter. Didn't ever have to do an actual job at any point in his life.
WORST PRESIDENT EVER.
He's a traitor! He stole 550 Billion Dollars from Medicare and donated it to his ObamaCare! Did we vote on that? Were Republicans locked out of any input into reforming our Healthcare System?
Remove this traitor from power before we have no power left! He needs to be Impeached or removed from office now!
Another illustration of why government meddling rarely works.
The government does not know Boeing's business better than Boeing. All the government knows is paying off political cronies at Boeing's expense. Government power breeds corruption. The public welfare has nothing to do with it.
In a nutshell, it's why the least governed is the best governed. Multiply the insanity with Boeing a million times, and it's no surprise the country is at the brink of disaster.
Let me see if I get this straight – I own a business but a union can tell me I can't shut it down any time I want? While not exactly what happened to Boeing it begs the question who owns the company? The owner (shareholders) the Union, or the Government? Now that's as clear as mud, is it any wonder that manfacturing is the U.S. is in the toilet?
Nice work Jackson! This man is on a single minded, highly funded Campaign to ' Fundamentally Transform America' with the forced ' Redistribution of our Wealth' using OUR tax dollars plus Donations from Socialist Dems across America and with the help and support of soros, and Foreign Dictators and enemies of the U.S!
He's beyond treacherous. He's a very transparent Enemy of the State, and should be impeached or removed from office NOW!
The thing about Obama is not that he is a terrible American president. It is that he is an effective anti-American president. The latter is far worse.
“When a man who is honestly mistaken hears the truth, he will either quit being mistaken or cease being honest.” Of course, this doesn't apply to the liar-in-chief! /S
Realistically, a Congress that can't even pass budget cuts in the face of bankruptcy is not going to initiate and succeed at impeachment hearings. We the people have one last shot to change course in 2012, assuming things don't fall apart beforehand. If we don't take back the Senate and WH in 2012, we will be past the point of no return.
On the up-side, maybe once these unions push most businesses offshore, and there's almost nobody to unionize, things will be bad enough to starve the beast.
"Big Labor Puts Politics Ahead of Jobs"
Thank you, Captain Obvious! Of course they put politics and marxist ideology first, it's the only way they can push their agenda against the will of everyday Americans.
Another change of America we NEVER would have voted for if we knew what his plans were. Another lie to add to the list of reasons to NEVER again vote for a totally unknown politician that HID everything, even his college anything, friends, grades, classes, you name it and its locked up tighter than a drum.
I remember when libs SCREAMED for Bush everything in college. NEVER again trust a DEM about anything.
A vote for a DEM is dangerous for America and our childrens survival. My proof is just look at the record of what all dems have done to America in the last 4 years. The factual record speaks for itself.
A nice thought! Of course what'll actually happen is fewer jobs will spawn more government "help" and greater public dependencies on ever-bigger government. A viscious cycle ending in ruin.
*uck the progressives
If the RATs narrative doesn't change, with Baracky continuing to obfuscate and lie, 2012 will be a blood bath.
"Big Labor Puts Politics Ahead of Jobs "
……and big labor puts politics ahead of America. aint that right pos trumka
The National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) was the brain child of FDR during the 30s, of which did nothing to help end the depression. Fact is, the NLRB contributed to labor unrest, and to lengthen the misery. The NLRB is just another repressive, Progressive, wasteful agency that needs the boot.
It never occurs to modern Dems that their goals are not so different from goals of Communists, just more gradual and with a veneer of political correctness.
Progressive is just another word for oligarch, monarch, communist, union leader, socialist, terrorist, totalitarian, statist, Mufti and Nazi.
The Nolan scale is dead wrong!
Every one of the aforementioned scumbag forms organization are outcroppings of proggyism and they are all about achieving the exact same goal, unlimited power.
Keep in mind that Nolan was a Fabian Socialist…
"……..Right-to-work laws offer companies a third, American option……"
OPTION,….OPTION,…..OPTION,…..????
Can you please use another word,……..
this concept does not sit well with "Big Labor"
Agreed. We must start with PURGING our voter rolls Dictrict by Dictrict. The Dems don't have to do much if we don't demand that the invalid names that still ride on the rolls from ACORN and deceased people are not removed. Unfortunately that should be automatic, but the Dems have found a way to force each Dictrict to have to request the PURGING of the rolls. If anyone knows more, it would be interestion, but
this is a KEY point that would make a HUGE difference in the next election. Dems are slick in manipulating voting as we've all seen in Wisconsin. So if some powerful politician is reading this, maybe you can make this purging and cleaning of the voter rolls more automatic across the Country.
Exactly. This is the result of the Socialist Dems and Das Leader breaking all of our laws and getting away with it. Clean out, or put huge pressure on the Republicans, especially the RINOs. Obviously they are not fighting back hard enough.
The only successful Politicians on the Repub side that I see, are the ones that are landing direct punches on Obama! and Holder.
Video: Big Labor’s Richard Trumka & the Murder of Eddie York
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pUVpJnHZNw8&fe....
Why doesn't Boeing just print out a letter saying, "F___ You, NLRB," in gigantic letters, mail it to DC, and get on with business in South Carolina?
That's exactly what happens in socialized economies where the government has taken on the role of the union. A large business can't close a facility in France or even lay off some employees without first getting government approval. The government dictates what you can and can't do with your business regardless of the economic realities.
Yes, the stakes are huge and the expected voter fraud efforts of progressives will be proportional. Their motto after all is ends justify the means. It'll take extra effort to minimize that. And extra effort to win an electoral margin of victory greater than their inevitable margin of cheating.
Can someone spell out for me the distinction between a progressive and a communist? Seems to me the difference is only a matter of pace — progressive transformation versus revolution — both aiming for godless all-powerful statism. Progressives also make a pretention of open-minded political correctness, but we repeatedly see that mask fall away the minute anyone dares to question their orthodoxy.
Wait a minute Boeing adds 2000 union jobs in Washington state, but the union has an issue with 1000 non union jobs?
It looks like Boeing was trying to do something to make good to the union. These days the union should be happy Boeing even added union jobs. Boeing could have said screw you to the union, never said anything and built the factory and hired 3000 non union workers in South Carolina. Then I think the unions would have had something to complain about.
The union and the NLRB are nothing but a bunch of ungrateful S.O.B.s.
Union Dues are nothing more that LEGAL EXTORTION.
If you want a JOB you HAVE to join the UNION,.. AND you HAVE to PAY DUES.
When I was in Unions If I could have NOT payed dues I wouldn't have payed it.
I HATE UNIONS. You want UNIONS??
Fine.
Go get a job in DETROIT. Oh,.. wait you can't.
THERE ARN'T ANY!!!
AND THE REST OF AMERICA pretty soon too.
UNIONS are Destroying America.
Look at Detroit MI to see what the UNION's AND
the DemocRAT party have planned for America.
A ONCE Great American City COMPLETELY DESTROYED
BY the DemocRAT Party and their UNION masters.
WAY to go AFL-CIO, UAW, USW, AFT,TUA, WGA and SEIU.
This IS what they WILL do to YOUR town if you LET them.
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I agree absolutely with the analysis, but I am curious if the 150k/103k variance takes into account the 60/40 population split between forced union and right-to-work states. The job growth numbers speak for themselves, but the variance seems to be solely a function of relative population.
The real point of the union concern is this. By Boening building the plant and having the ability to keep producing planes in case the Washington work force goes on strike the union losses it ability to extort money out of Boening anymore. Now if the workers in South Carolina wanted to pay dues (which they don't) and if they could be counted on to strike (which they won't) the union wouldn't have a problem and did this protest.
The sad thing is businesses might not expand or go overseas which means everyone losses.
Walter Hanson
Minneapolis, MN
"Go get a job in DETROIT. Oh,.. wait you can't.
THERE ARN'T ANY!!! "
Yes. Pick anyplace in America that has been a progressive stronghold for years. You will likely find an economy and politics rotted to the core, joblessness, bankruptcy and despair. There is a lesson there for those with eyes to see.
Marxists always put politics ahead of jobs.
But they should not have to fight this in court. It is an unconstitutional power grab by a agency not spelled out in the constitution!
Unions should have to re-certify every 5 years.
Then we would have:
Fewer unions, more responsive unions, and lower union dues.
Let the best employees win…phuck all Unions.
That's very true and a good point. I would hope that with whatever court this went before they would see the obvious unconstitutionality of the government and award Boeing all court costs and legal fees. I mean what's another several million tax payer dollars lost by our illustrious officials? That's sarcasm since I'm completely appalled and offended when people say monies in that amount are pocket change.
And pardon my wrong usage of the word "there" in place of "their" in my original comment.
That's the funny part the Obumble administration doesn't care about court rulings.
Sometimes I think I am living is a fascistic state like Cuba. I don’t know how they think they can tell a company where and when they can build?
Independents and moderate Dems need to wake up and look around.
Meddling in Boeing's private business to protect political cronies.
Obamacare mandating purchases by citizens.
The Obama administration ignoring bankruptcy law, shafting GM bondholders and awarding to union cronies during the GM takeover.
Obama administration bypassing Congress and the courts in trying to enact law by fiat through regulatory agencies such as FCC and EPA.
And much more. This is a lawless, rogue administration populated with radicals intent on corruptly micro-managing peoples' livelihoods, to grab power for themselves and their cronies, and create dependent citizens.
isn't it interesting how stupid these union members are not to realize it? and then lose their jobs. Alas- remember some of these people are forced to be in unions- let us hope the intelligent ones will stand up and have courage against the union leaders who rip them off.
Historically, Republicans have always played nice in Congress, allowing the dems some say in how things are run. This time, I really hope payback is a bitch! You reap what you sow.
I'm glad to see Boeing was willing to expand in the US but I won't hold it against them when they move overseas.
I can't wait to vote next year.
I've been a life long Republican as is my Father, as was my Grandfather…. last election I changed to an Independent because honestly, the right has become so intertwined with big business, whether it be Oil, Wall Street, big Pharm., so while my values are firmly plated in the Republicans of old, this new crop to me is bat sh!t crazy… and reading these comments it really pains me to see how many people drink the right wing koolaid, you would think that the lot of you are multimillionaires whose care is is focused on two things… 1) money….. and 2) hating the other side. I have news for you all… this Country is pretty much a 50/50 split, and if BOTH sides don't compromise in a fair and HONEST way and one side won't budge, this Country will go down faster than a lead balloon.
I think the scariest thing I see are when the comments start sounding like a repeat of right or left wing radio those people are MORONS and don't have an honest bone in their bodies…. they'll say ANYTHING to smear the other side and will spare no expense getting their side elected, even if the person is a brainless moron. Why? because they make MILLIONS doing it… Sad thing is when talking behind the scenes, some admit it's all BS. Wake up. Be your own man… and take the labels away… and lastly, compromise. It's all we got.
This is exactly what I am talking about… just blind hate for each other? Neither side willing to listen…and the worst part, even if you have no idea that if they are telling the truth, you assume it's a lie. What a terrible way to live life.
If they are true trolls, the hell with them, but if they only differ in opinion, it's time for a reality check on why you come to sites like this.
Everything we see the moron in chief do is fully intentional with the intended effect of destroying America. This idiot has no idea what is next once our business economy is destroyed and no more money is available to steal. Liberalism is a mental illness that never creates and only destroys. Detroit is obamas vision for America.
American doesn't need, nor deserve a destructive SOB for guidance…
)
Spot on LostinOregon! This will the the most important election in recent American history since we have an Un-American President.
When he lost the House of Rep, his stampede over U.S. was slowed but he and his Intl. network of fascists will never stop. They will go down swinging, and that's what we need; for them to go down to defeat.
We're doing well. He got Boo'ed for his lying, so his credibility is finally cracking in the eyes of the general public. I like the trend, but he's got so many obamabot groups that we have to err on the side of caution.
Purging the voter rolls would be a good start since they still contain names of deceased people, and ACORN "write-ins" I'm very concerned about that but I'm hoping that the "Photo Voter ID" is installed by then in most States.
I've got to hand it to you, pni. You've got these losers PEGGED! Purging the voter rolls is a necessity, but the problem with states such as mine is the Sec. of State is an ally of the criminal regime. Try, try as we might, in Oregon, we're burdened with a built in voter fraud machine, Vote by mail.
Taking the house was a coup for our side, but as you know, BHO has simply thrown out the rule of law and gone ahead and "Ruled by Fiat". To hell with the Constitution he says. You and I agree. He has to go. Not in 2012. NOW.
Great quote there Jackson. I put it up in my office.
I SO agree with you Odie1956! We've been pushed to the limit with his marxism and Dictatorship. Time to return the "favor!" …Can't wait to see this victorious blood bath! …….
One thing we must do though. PURGE the voter rolls in EVERY voting District! I have to keep saying that because that's how they could edge US out! The rolls are loaded with illegal voter's names. I hope the Voter ID cards are ready to go for this vital Election! Keep the Dem Illegals out.
That old saying comes to mind- – ' They can't cheat if it's not close!' – Here's hoping that is the case for the first anti-American President. We can't let it be close.
You know, you're making me think about the voting systems State to State. We really should focus on a State like Oregon where only 'vote by mail' is in place and add a monitoring system as an adjunct. Having a voter ID for you is useless then. Hmm. I'm going to talk to some people about that. In my Tea Party we have different projects. I think I'll bring up your situation and see if we can add that to the changes to be made. Thanks Lio! When I want a moment of peace I always think of your view of the mountain..
And the do this all under the auspice of "helping the everyday worker", whose jobs are being sent overseas or outside the country at alarming rates. Oh, what greed and power can achieve.
That would be great, but sadly all most of them can see is $$$ until their job is gone. Then the taxpayers will step in to support their collective stupidity and greed.
The Obama administration believes they have Boeing in a tight spot due to their reliance on government contracts. I'm sure this has been said in a number of behind closed door meetings. What the NLRB is doing, or attempting to do, is against everything a free society is all about. What's next, you can't move to another city cause this will cause our government benefits to decrease and we rely too much on them.
Obama and his Union miscrents do not care about America, all they are concerned about is saving their hig paying
jobs and insureing that Amerina workers do not have freedom of choice or might actually have to be responsible for keeping their jobs by doing the work they were hired to do. They are more concerned about how to continue to ride
the Tax payers when on Government jobs then actually doing any work. Corruption runs rampant just like drug users craving their next "Fix".
They just want the additional 1000 people paying dues. They could care less about their rank and file.
Unions had a place in this country years ago, but their time has long been over.
I've been managing Longshore Labor for 20+ years and the new breed of young guys are pretty radical, much more so than their parents. This is going to hurt them in the long run when the new Panama Canal opens and we can get the big ships through to the Gulf and East Coast. If the employers would just hold a party line then we can reduce their power by a power of 10.
Stephen you are so right. Both sides are to blame for this mess. At 18 I registered as a Republican at 22 or so I switched to "No Party Affiliation" I've voted Republican / Conservative every time. I don't think compromise is possible anymore because both ends of the spectrum are so extreme. We need more centralist, conservative leaning people in DC. They also have to remember who they work for, "We The People" not Joe union boss, or Jane lobbyist. Then we might see some things getting done. I think we need to clean house with a few exceptions, mostly the newbies we elected in 2010 who are trying to get some things done. Other than that handful a wholesale swap out. Congress was not designed as a career by our fore fathers. You did your time in DC and went back to the farm, manufacturing plant, general store, etc. We need term limits as well for Congress.
That one does get to the very center of Baracky….
)
' 2012 wil be a blood bath if the RATs narrative doesn't change, with Baracky continuing to obfuscate and lie.' ……..I like that strategy. So basically give him enough rope and he'll hang himself. ..
Good, now he won't bother me as much as before because he's digging his hole deeper. I like thinking of the 'blood bath' …Can't wait to see them leaving The People's House!
Exactly. They are hypocrites! We have learned about so much going on, in the underbelly of America that we weren't aware of before. At least we know what we have to reverse. That's the only up-side of Obamao.
We now have our "To Do" list. There's kind of a peace about watching this traitor dig himself deeper and deeper everyday with his taqiyya! He's the first and last treasonous President to sneak into our White House.
Baracky's presently in deep ca-ca, in several areas.
* There's a case pending for a ruling before the 9th circuit court of appeals for his edibility and false use of a Connecticut SSN.
* And another lawsuit under the FOIA before the DC circuit for the false use of the same SSN plus, and a subpoena to Hawaii for a deposition and production for a hands on look of his latest BC release.
* Obama's latest white house BC release is in pdf format, and have been examined by numerous Adobe experts and found to be a forgery. It's going to get interesting.
I know he realizes the hole he's dug into, but yet, the scoundrel dogmatically plows his socialist field of dreams of spend, spend, spend like there's no tomorrow and demands congress raise the debt ceiling. Over his shoulder, a half a world away, socialist countries like Greece, Portugal and Spain are tanking.
These days the union should be happy Boeing even added union jobs. Boeing could have said screw you to the union, never said anything and built the factory and hired 3000 non union workers in South Carolina. Then I think the unions would have had something to complain about. gardeningblog
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