Union v. Union: IBEW calls out Cannibalistic Carpenters in St. Louis

Sometimes, cannibals get into fights over the same piece of meat.

The International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers is launching a sweeping campaign to convince St. Louis Carpenters Local 57 to stop performing electrical work that undercuts union standards of quality, safety and wages.


Billboards have been mounted in several locations, and the message can be seen and heard in radio and print ads this week. A unity rally June 15 drew more than 1,000 members from several craft unions to hear national leaders of the IBEW and other trades.

We posted on this fight back in April.

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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

For more news and views on today’s unions, go to LaborUnionReport.com.

IBEW issues threat to sue...even its own members?

We cannot show you the logo that we're writing about (you can see it here though).  You see, its union owners are getting hypersensitive about anyone, including the union's own members, from using its logo.

In a post earlier this month, the IBEW international issued the following warning about unauthorized use of its logo:

But it is in the interest of the membership that the International Office retains sole ownership and usage of the logo to protect members from confusing information and to maintain the integrity of this treasured symbol.

The IBEW retains the prerogative to initiate legal action against anyone using the IBEW logo without permission. 

Even though we think the logo could use a face lift (maybe a picture of a rat and some picketers?), the IBEW's warning is duly noted...
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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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For more news and views on today’s unions, go to LaborUnionReport.com.

Two Rats Don't Make a Right: Carpenters' Covet IBEW's Work

Two brothers, one's a carpenter, the other is an electrician.

Both work in the same neighborhood and, over time, the carpenter notices that his brother, the electrician, seems to always have a smile on his face.

One day, as the carpenter is working on a house next to where the electrician is working, the carpenter looks out the window and sees the electrician's wife bringing her husband's lunch to the jobsite and he covets the electrician's wife:

A quiet, long-simmering feud between two prominent St. Louis labor organizations erupted openly this month in a torrent of insinuations, veiled threats and acts of vandalism.

Tension between the I nternational Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 1 and the Carpenters' District Council of St. Louis is so intense that the two unions have been summoned to a meeting to air and perhaps resolve their differences.

The meeting, jointly called by the general president of the United Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners of America and his counterpart in the Washington headquarters of the IBEW, will be May 3 at a hotel near Lambert-St. Louis International Airport.

A resolution can't come quickly enough for Duke Northcutt, one of 200 contractors affiliated with Associated Electrical Contractors Local 57, the start-up chartered 18 months ago by the carpenters union to provide area construction clients with an alternative to the 4,000-member Local 1, the nation's first and oldest IBEW bargaining unit.

A longtime employee of Reinhold Electric, Northcutt arrived at work on April 7 and discovered the numbers "57" spray-painted, with a slash through the numerals, on the white facade of the electric parts distributorship Reinhold operates on Lemay Ferry Road in Affton.
St. Louis County police later noticed vandals had also tossed rocks through the $20,000 sign that Reinhold erected outside the business two months ago.

A county police spokesman said the department was actively investigating two acts of vandalism against Local 57 contractors.

Now that's 'brotherhood!'
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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

Follow LaborUnionReport on Twitter.

For more news and views on today’s unions, go to LaborUnionReport.com.

After 15 years, NYC sewage workers get a raise

Talk about a crappy deal (sorry, we couldn't pass that up)...

The AFL-CIO is bragging about this:

SETTLEMENTS

Multiple, New York City: 1,100 New York City sewage workers receive their first wage increases in 15 years, after two unions ratified new contracts. Some 200 plant managers, represented by Electrical Workers (IBEW) Local 3, had been without a contract since 1995 and will receive an increase of 83 percent. About 800 members of AFSCME Local 1320 had been without a contract since 2002 and will receive increases of between 43 percent and 63 percent.

Even if the wage increases were 100%, there's nothing here to indicate retroactivity.

One question that goes unanswered: How much will their union dues go up?
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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

Follow LaborUnionReport on Twitter.

For more news and views on today’s unions, go to LaborUnionReport.com.

Despite interlopers and IBEW eggmen, Harry's still having a helluva time with the polls

Slightly more than a month ago, Harry Reid, that effervescent noxious Nevada senator, welcomed the possibility of third-party candidates in order siphon votes from his GOP opponent(s) and, therefore, deny his defeat.

Problem is, interlopers and IBEW eggmen haven't helped Harry one bit, as evidenced here:

 

U.S. SENATE RACE: Poll: Reid loses full ballot test: Third-party, nonpartisan candidates have little impact 

U.S. Sen. Harry Reid must pick up far more support from crossover Republicans and independents to win re-election, according to a new poll that shows him losing to the GOP front-runner in a full-ballot election with eight contenders and a "none of these candidates" option.

The survey of Nevada voters commissioned by the Review-Journal shows Reid getting 37 percent of the vote compared with 47 percent for Republican Sue Lowden, who would win if the election were today, while the slate of third-party and nonpartisan candidates would get slim to no backing.

[snip]

"The bottom line is that adding all these minor candidates won't really bleed support away exclusively from the Republican," Coker said. "They're not really bleeding much support from either candidate, Reid or Lowden, and if they do siphon off votes, it'll probably be about half and half."

All Harry needs now is some butter, 'cause he's toast.
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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

Follow LaborUnionReport on Twitter.

For more news and views on today’s unions, go to LaborUnionReport.com.

Union Salts vs. Union Moles: IBEW Updates Members on 'Union Salting Possibilities'

As background to this post, a Union Salt is a union member who applies for employment at a non-union business for the express purpose of unionizing that employer.  While the practice has been more widely used in the construction industry, the practice has morphed in recent years to include other industries and "union moles".  Unlike union salts, who are typically existing union members, union moles may or may not be union members but are, nevertheless, usually being paid by a union to infiltrate and unionize a company from within.

As the hallucinogenically-named Employee Free Choice Act has befallen hard times, President Obama's unilateral recess appointment of union radical Craig Becker (aka "the human card-check") to the National Labor Relations Board makes this post by IBEW, Local 363 particularly relevant:

[Posted in its entirety, should the delete button accidentally be hit over at the IBEW hall.] 

MONDAY, APRIL 5, 2010

Update On West Point Salting Possibilities

Thank you to all of our members who contacted Tradesource in response to our posting about them hiring for West Point. Please keep yourself current with them for any other upcoming work in our area. However, we have information that says they will NOT be hiring for West Point.

Professional Electric - the Norwood, Massachusetts contractor that has the West Point Prep School and the West Point Motor Pool Facility seems to be now hiring DIRECT.

We are asking our members to apply directly to Professional Electric. The following is their contact information:

Professional Electric
100 Access Road
Norwood, Massachusetts 02062
Tel: (888)732-3532 or (781)769-7767

Website: www.pecofct.com We have found that this site is currently temporarily out of service but you can check back on it periodically to see if you can apply online

For now -apply via telephone call - Ask if you can email or fax your resume or information, Ask if they have an application that they can provide to you by email or regular mail.

As always, please keep the union hall updated on your efforts to be hired with this company. If you feel that you have a chance to get hired or move further into the hiring process after you have called - please call Organizer John Sager at (845) 216-7021.

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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

Follow LaborUnionReport on Twitter.

For more news and views on today’s unions, go to LaborUnionReport.com.

No Comment: Unions Upset With 'Human Train Wreck' Eric Massa

In less than a month, Democrat Eric Massa has gone from relative obscurity to shock and speculation, then short-lived notoriety, and, finally, the ignominious FUBAR of what Democrat strategist Bob Shrum is calling a "human train wreck."

It's not a particularly good way to spend one's 15 minutes of fame but, it is politics after all and, so often, pols' careers end with a *SPLAT.*

Poor, unfortunate Democrat Eric Massa.  He's been caught with his hands (reportedly) in on the proverbial staff cookie jar, forced to resign, which has led him to admit and deny the groping (read more about "Massa Massages" here), boast complain of a nude confrontation with Rahm Emmanuel, a White House conspiracy, a waste of Glenn Beck's audience's time and, now, he's got his union donors to face.

Over the course of Massa's short political career, unions have given the staff-groping pol $538,000 of their members' money and they're none too pleased at the waste.

"[P]eople say Washington politics is a freakshow, and Eric Massa is writing a whole new chapter," said CNN senior political analyst David Gergen.

So, where does this leave Massa's legion of bankrollers who supported him during times less lascivious?

Alternately disappointed and angry, with an undercurrent of bamboozlement.

Some say they believe Massa should consider donating or returning his remaining campaign funds, which through December totaled nearly $644,000. Others want no part of such discussion – or Massa himself.

Jim Spellane, media director for the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, said his organization is experiencing some "buyer's remorse" regarding its $34,500 in contributions to Massa.

The International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers PAC first decided to donate to Massa "in consultation with the local level" of its organization, Spellane explained.

"The goal was to elect those who supported the issues of working people," he said.  But Spellane declined to comment on whether he believes Massa should refund that money – the largest total contribution to the embattled politico by any single PAC.

Other PACs and organizations that had once supported Massa with five- and six-figure donations are completely disinclined to now discuss their association with him.

"We have no comment on any of that," said Paul Doell of the American Maritime Officers PAC, which has donated $10,000 to Massa this election cycle.

It just goes to show when you cross paths with a human train wreck, there's bound to be carnage.
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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

Follow LaborUnionReport on Twitter.

For more news and views on today’s unions, go to LaborUnionReport.com.

A NOISY IBEW PROTESTS OUTSIDE AT&T HQ

On Friday, on Day 89 without a new contract and apparently with nothing better to do, a bunch of IBEW members made a bunch of noise outside of AT&T's offices.

Today would be Day 90.

We wonder, did the noise help get a contract? Or, will there be a bunch of members with hearing problems?

Here's the video:



For some reason, today's union bosses think that noisy protests make some sort of point (rather than asses of themselves and their members).

Update on Union Pensions: Officers Funds Flush as Rank & File Suffer

Following our post below wherein we described the sorry state of union pensions, the following article was forwarded to us.

The Washington Examiner is reporting that:

Pension plans for union officers remain healthy and well-funded even as rising liabilities threaten to consume the savings of their rank and file counterparts who participate in different funds within the same labor organization, according to a Hudson Institute study.

This disparity became evident from a sample of the 21 largest union and staff pension plans from the same organizations. They are: The Service Employees International Union (SEIU), UNITE-HERE, the United Steelworkers, the United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW), the Plumbers and Pipefitters, the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW), the Sheet Metal Workers and the Bakery, Confectionary, Tobacco Workers and Grain Millers International Union.

“This issue of rank and file pension plans being funded less than the officer pension
plans is extraordinarily serious and shows a great moral failing on the part of the unions,” said Diana Furchtgott-Roth, a senior fellow with the Hudson Institute who authored the study.

Read the entire article here.

Hat-tip to Bret Jacobson