A Union Tactic that Truly Stinks...

Some would argue that unions are getting more and more creative in their tactics.  Others would say that union tactics like real coffins and faux corpses are offensive.  But some union tactics, like this one, just stink...(literally):

A downtown hotel that has been the site of a labor dispute for more than seven years alleges in a lawsuit that members of the union representing the hotel's striking workers sent cow manure in heart-shaped packages to scientists to discourage them from attending a convention there.

In the lawsuit, filed Wednesday in federal court in Chicago, the Congress Plaza Hotel, 520 S. Michigan Ave., claims that members of the Unite Here Local 1 sent a heart-shaped package containing cow manure to scientists scheduled to attend a convention at the hotel. The tactic was used to discourage the scientists from attending the convention. The suit did not state when the incident occurred.

Union employees at the hotel went on strike in June of 2003 and that strike continues to this day. The hotel, according to the suit, "continues to adhere to the terms and conditions of the most recently expired collective bargaining agreement while engaging in negotiations with (the union) for a new bargaining agreement."

More here.

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“I bring reason to your ears, and, in language as plain as ABC, hold up truth to your eyes.” Thomas Paine, December 23, 1776

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UPDATED: Steelworkers Plead with Public: Please don't cross our picket lines...

For nearly four months now, the United Steelworker-represented driving instructors in Ontario (Canada) have been out on strike. 

By putting a stranglehold on wannabe drivers' ability to get their license for three months, the government contractor DriveTest partially opened several centers on November 12th.

Unfortunately for the union strikers, the public isn't paying much attention to the striking Steelworkers.

United Steelworkers member Herb Daniher said they have a legal right to strike and people should respect that picket line by not crossing it.

Despite Daniher asking the public not to cross, people continued to make their way inside the testing centre on Memorial Avenue. Striking workers continue to patrol the walkway and protesting the staffing structure of the business.

Roberta Taylor, an employee, said she feels the side of the striking workers is lost on the public.

This video is from the beginning weeks of the strike.



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Note: This article has been updated following a reader pointing out that DriveTest is a contractor of the government, not the government itself.  Thanks, Justin!

Is the Machinists' Union a Threat to U.S. National Security?

Can a union become a threat to national security?

Quite possibly, if it engages in a strike during a time of crisis.

Well, on June 9th, hundreds of members of Local 898 of the International Association of Machinists (IAM) went on strike against their employers--private contractors at Vance Air Force Base.

This labor dispute, according to UPI, has caused the Air Force to suspend flight operations at the base.

While America is currently not under attack (that we know of), imagine if an incident like 9/11 were to occur and the Air Force could not scramble the jets to intercept hijacked aircraft.

What then?