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Comments

1. #1
   On July 19th, 2011 at 5:05 pm, Flyoverman said:

   We saw this same cycle occur at the state level where embattled incumbent governors in Iowa, Illinois and Massachusetts either issued executive orders encouraging state agencies to require PLAs or used other methods to encourage the use of government-mandated PLAs on high profile construction projects with the obvious intent of currying favor with the construction union bosses.

   Iowa’s Governor Branstad could serve as the RINO poster child for the GOP.

2. #2
   On July 19th, 2011 at 5:05 pm, AmericaFirst said:

   The new San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge was made in China and shipped here.

   “California officials say the state saved hundreds of millions of dollars by turning to China.”

   Bridge building is exclusively Big Union Labor.

3. #3
   On July 19th, 2011 at 5:08 pm, peteee said:

   we wonder why it costs so much for anything any level of government does. when they make the labor get paid the most money, the run up the cost of doing business. i am all for a contract setting detailed specifications of what needs to be done. but also specifying the pay and bene’s of the workers goes too far. unions should be prevented from and political donations of any kind!!!

4. #4
   On July 19th, 2011 at 5:17 pm, Yumpin Yoda said:

   Well, this IS the Chicago way…..been that way for decades. You don’t get contracts from City Hall unless you’re with the union.
   Want to make a movie in Chicago? They will only let you if you use union workers. You hardly ever see a movie made there anymore.
   What about the Hotel/Motel and Entertainment areas…yup, all union (can we say SEIU) and therefore really high prices AND your favorite state and local taxes to jack up the prices even more.

   And if all of that isn’t enough, their Dem. governor and state reps increased the income tax by 67% last year and are currently driving business and individuals to places like Indiana and Wisconsin.

   Now, I wonder where they got the idea to do that in the other 49 states?
   Maybe somebody from Chicago?
   Nah!

5. #5
   On July 19th, 2011 at 5:19 pm, hawkeye54 said:

   Well, this IS the Chicago way…..been that way for decades. You don’t get contracts from City Hall unless you’re with the union.

   Moved it from Chicago City Hall to the White House and the minnions are spreading it nationwide.

6. #6
   On July 19th, 2011 at 5:24 pm, DanMan said:

   We once took a construction job in Texas that had some really crazy quotas and requirmements in the contract. Turns out CalPERS (Ca. Publi Employees Ret. System) was in investor in the development and had the power to do this. We almost turned it back until the engineering firm administering the contract told me to ignore the yellow pages in the contract. Yes, the CalPERS mandates were printed on special yellow paper.

7. #7
   On July 19th, 2011 at 5:25 pm, Hangfire said:

   Here in Hawaii, if you want something built on budget and on time, you hire someone from the mainland.

   I’d swear that the volcanoes here were made by union workers, so omnipresent is union corruption.

8. #8
   On July 19th, 2011 at 5:27 pm, Marshall_Will said:

   These demands are showing up at the ballot box in places like Chula Vista and San Diego County in California, where voters overwhelmingly approved ballot initiatives banning government-mandated PLAs on local projects. In places like Iowa, Maine and soon Michigan,

   It doesn’t get any more encouraging than that. Other than all being Americans, that disparate group has almost nothing in common.

   Other than being tired of getting raked over the coals?

9. #9
   On July 19th, 2011 at 5:29 pm, Yumpin Yoda said:

   On July 19th, 2011 at 5:25 pm, Hangfire said:

   Mauna Loa and Mauna Kea, proudly displaying the Union Label.

   My next trip to Kona will give me a whole new perspective.

10. #10
    On July 19th, 2011 at 5:33 pm, rambler said:

    Unions are industrial thuggery. Getting rid of the union model is way over due.

11. #11
    On July 19th, 2011 at 5:44 pm, Marshall_Will said:

    As Portlanders, we documented while the Housing Boom collapsed how urgently developers came out of the woodwork w/ “must have projects” all tied to public funding in some way shape or form.

    I like to call them “tide me over until the Recession clears” projects. The very same developers hundreds of millions in arrears on loans to local banks.

    This flotsam and jetsam bubbles to the surface at the end of every boom! And of course the pitch is always, “providing living wage jobs!” thru the PLA of course. Guess we have to add that to The Cycle.

12. #12
    On July 19th, 2011 at 6:19 pm, zorro said:

    It’s also time to call union-backed Republicans out for supporting these rackets.

    Yep, time to clean house.

13. #13
    On July 19th, 2011 at 6:29 pm, SkyePuppy said:

    I stopped at a Fresh N’ Easy Sunday afternoon, and there were two guys standing in front near the door. One of them asked me if I wanted to support workers. I recognized the code word for unions and said, “No, thank you.” (My mama raised me to be polite, or I might have said something else.)

    Inside, an employee handed me a flyer with a $5 off coupon on one side and an explanation on the reverse, saying that the protesters outside (actually, they were surprisingly pleasant for union-paid goons) were trying to unionize the employees, who had already decided against unionization. I told the guy, “I’m not a Commie, so I didn’t talk to them.”

    This was in San Diego County, home of more military people than anywhere else in the country. Let’s hear it for freedom from the tyranny of unions and their bottom-dwelling enablers!

14. #14
    On July 19th, 2011 at 6:36 pm, cabrerski said:

    On July 19th, 2011 at 6:29 pm, SkyePuppy said:
    One of them asked me if I wanted to support workers. I recognized the code word for unions

    Last time I was asked that, I replied:
    “I always support the workers of this country, too bad the unions don’t”. Reactions vary but sometimes I get a real maniac whose face turns red and he starts gnashing his teeth. I like that reaction because I also support cardiologists and dentists.

15. #15
    On July 19th, 2011 at 6:57 pm, Truesoldier said:

    Here is some interesting facts about construction and government.

    The Empire State Building was built in 1931. It took 1 year and 45 days to complete and cost $24,718,000 to build nearly half the expected cost because of the Great Depression).

    This September marks the 10th Anniversary of the Spetemeber 11th attacks that brough down the WTC. What has been accomplished in these 10 years?

    Only this.

16. #16
    On July 19th, 2011 at 7:10 pm, ITookTheRedPill said:

    The unions are the public face of the Communist Party USA

17. #17
    On July 19th, 2011 at 7:11 pm, Truesoldier said:

    Here is another prime example of government construction waste:

    So far, taxpayers have paid more than $377 million on studies, planning, buying properties and a small amount of construction. Roughly $20 million has been spent on preparing for tolling. Citizens of Seattle chipped in more. Seattle spent another $1 million for additional studying. All of it totals to $398 million tax dollars spent so far.

18. #18
    On July 19th, 2011 at 8:02 pm, T-Bone said:

    Cash starved labor organizations? Yeah, because they take all the money from the members and give it to the Democratic party. Its a shakedown.

    The union members just assume it is going to politicans who will help shape laws that benefit them. They never factor in that it is really just going to help redistribute wealth which includes theirs.

19. #19
    On July 19th, 2011 at 8:28 pm, Retiredtopo said:

    Yeah damn it $7.25 an hour is way too much money for the average worker.

20. #20
    On July 19th, 2011 at 8:28 pm, Truesoldier said:

    On July 19th, 2011 at 8:02 pm, T-Bone said:

    Cash starved labor organizations? Yeah, because they take all the money from the members and give it to the Democratic party. Its a
    shakedown.

    No kidding, they ought to have to list all the union dues (minus operating costs) as in kind contributions to the DNC.

21. #21
    On July 19th, 2011 at 8:36 pm, Hangfire said:

    On July 19th, 2011 at 8:28 pm, Retiredtopo said:

    Yeah damn it $7.25 an hour is way too much money for the average worker.

    Sniper!!!!!!

    Everybody take cover!!!!!!!

22. #22
    On July 19th, 2011 at 8:38 pm, OK_Loyalist said:

    On July 19th, 2011 at 8:28 pm, Retiredtopo said:

    STFU and drink your vodka comrade!

23. #23
    On July 19th, 2011 at 8:43 pm, Yumpin Yoda said:

    On July 19th, 2011 at 8:28 pm, Retiredtopo said:
    Yeah damn it $7.25 an hour is way too much money for the average worker.

    Based upon the pitiful workers I have seen in the last couple of years, you are so right topo, it’s too much.

    But hell, join a union, demand more and work less – that’s your right as a slave to the Obamanation.

24. #24
    On July 19th, 2011 at 9:44 pm, hunter said:

    Iowa’s Governor Branstad could serve as the RINO poster child for the GOP.

    I take great offense to that comment. I am a proud citizen of Nebraska, and I kindly would like to remind you of Chuck Hagel. I believe our RINO beats your RINO. No offense intended though!

25. #25
    On July 19th, 2011 at 9:51 pm, cabrerski said:

    On July 19th, 2011 at 8:28 pm, Retiredbozo said:
    Yeah damn it $7.25 an hour is way too much money for the average worker.

    It is the minimum wage, not the average wage. It is one of the many incentives that people use as motivation to advance in the labor force.
    I know I am probably wasting my time here, but you should really read Thomas Sowell’s work. Interestingly, Dr. Sowell is a self-described former Marxist. Maybe you could relate.

26. #26
    On July 19th, 2011 at 10:39 pm, BK said:

    Iowa’s Governor Branstad could serve as the RINO poster child for the GOP.

    The governor is a true blue republican.

    The GOP is RINO.

27. #27
    On July 19th, 2011 at 11:56 pm, Truesoldier said:

    On July 19th, 2011 at 8:28 pm, Retiredbozo said:
    Yeah damn it $7.25 an hour is way too much money for the average worker.

    Yeah, cause raising the minimum wage really raises the standard of living…..oh wait, no it just raises the poverty level.

28. #28
    On July 20th, 2011 at 10:26 am, xler8bmw said:

    I believe there is a bill in to repeal the Davis Bacon Act that proliferates this stuff.

29. #29
    On July 20th, 2011 at 11:22 am, hawkeye54 said:

    Yeah damn it $7.25 an hour is way too much money for the average worker.
    Yeah, cause raising the minimum wage really raises the standard of living…..oh wait, no it just raises the poverty level.

    Yeah, and in most cases, for unions, bumping up the minimum wage generally bumps up union wages to further raise the living standard of union members. Which is why unions always advocate regular raises in the minimum wage.

    Sweet!

30. #30
    On July 20th, 2011 at 11:23 am, hawkeye54 said:

    Yeah damn it $7.25 an hour is way too much money for the average worker.
    Yeah, cause raising the minimum wage really raises the standard of living…..oh wait, no it just raises the poverty level.

    Yeah, and in most cases, for unions, bumping up the minimum wage generally bumps up union wages to further raise the living standard of union members. Which is why unions always advocate regular raises in the minimum wage.

    Sweet!

31. #31
    On July 20th, 2011 at 11:23 am, hawkeye54 said:

    Yeah damn it $7.25 an hour is way too much money for the average worker.
    Yeah, cause raising the minimum wage really raises the standard of living…..oh wait, no it just raises the poverty level.

    Yeah, and in most cases, for unions, bumping up the minimum wage generally bumps up union wages to further raise the living standard of union members. Which is why unions always advocate regular raises in the minimum wage.

    Sweet!

32. #32
    On July 20th, 2011 at 1:22 pm, headbodyandtail said:

    I believe workers should be allowed to unionize if they determine it is in their best interest. However, if they decide to unionize, they should have to compete on completely level footing with the non-unionized. The fact of the matter is that unionized labor costs more, so they should be forced to do superior work to justify the increase in price. Let the market, not politicians, decide whether unionized or non-unionized labor is better.

33. #33
    On July 20th, 2011 at 1:26 pm, headbodyandtail said:

    I believe workers should be allowed to unionize if they determine it is in their best interest. However, if they decide to unionize, they should have to compete on completely level footing with the non-unionized. The fact of the matter is that unionized labor costs more, so they should be forced to do superior work to justify the increase in price. Let the market, not politicians, decide whether unionized or non-unionized labor is better.

34. #34
    On July 20th, 2011 at 1:28 pm, headbodyandtail said:

    I believe workers should be allowed to unionize if they determine it is in their best interest. However, if they decide to unionize, they should have to compete on completely level footing with the non-unionized. The fact of the matter is that unionized labor costs more, so they should be forced to do superior work to justify the increase in price. Let the market, not politicians, decide whether unionized or non-unionized labor is better.

35. #35
    On July 20th, 2011 at 3:16 pm, UglyBagOfMostlyWater said:

    On July 20th, 2011 at 1:28 pm, headbodyandtail said:
    I believe workers should be allowed to unionize if they determine it is in their best interest. However, if they decide to unionize, they should have to compete on completely level footing with the non-unionized. The fact of the matter is that unionized labor costs more, so they should be forced to do superior work to justify the increase in price. Let the market, not politicians, decide whether unionized or non-unionized labor is better.

    You just highlighted the biggest failing of organized labor. Labor unions have bribed governments into allowing them to create vertical workforce monopolies — if you’re an electrician, your only option is the IBEW local.

    I’ve really got no issue with collective bargaining. After all, labor unions wouldn’t exist if employers at some point in our history hadn’t treated people as if they were sub-human, so there is some usefulness there. However, why is the AFL-CIO granted hegemony when it comes to labor? If I wanted to organize my co-workers into one bargaining block, we would have no collective bargaining rights unless we were to join one of the government-mandated mafias.

    One day I’d love to make a Dem answer why politicians and union bosses can do things that would land someone in the private sector in jail.

36. #36
    On July 20th, 2011 at 4:07 pm, headbodyandtail said:

    Sorry for the triple post, slow internet at work.