> But how does it happen that a Stern protege even entertains
> the idea of spending $10,000 of union money for time spent in an elite smoke
> filled room, much less acts on it? Is this part of the partnership with
> companies plan? That's a serious question.
A serious question deserves a serious answer: of course. Everything SEIU does is part of our nefarious scheme to partner with capital and prevent the working class from developing its incipient revolutionary character. For instance in OH -- site of the recent attempt, busted by CNA, to cut a sweetheart deal with CHP -- SEIU is pushing mandated paid sick days via ballot initiative. (See the two stories appended below that somehow didn't make the editorial cut for this list.)
But wait -- don't employers and now the Governor oppose this initiative? Yes, but herein lies the evil genius of SEIU's plan: the employers and their lackeys in the state don't even realize what's in the best interested of the continued reproduction of their own exploitative economic syste. Workers can't get too immiserated, or they'll spontaneously revolt. So SEIU has to do this hard work for them via meaningless palliatives, even against employer opposition.
So don't forget to keep repeating this truism: SEIU is bad for the working class. Lather, rinse, repeat.
http://www.cleveland.com/news/plaindealer/index.ssf?/base/news/1219307484150810.xml&coll=2
Strickland fails to negotiate deal on sick-leave proposal Thursday, August 21, 2008 Mark RollenhagenPlain Dealer Bureau Chief Columbus- Gov. Ted Strickland's effort to negotiate a compromise to keep a controversial sick-leave proposal off the November ballot ended Wednesday without a deal.
Strickland spokesman Keith Dailey said business leaders and representatives of the Service Employees International Union could not reach a compromise "acceptable to a sufficient portion of the business community."
"The critical mass was not there," Dailey said.
The proposal pushed by the SEIU and others involved in Ohioans for Healthy Families would make Ohio the first state to require businesses with 25 or more employees to provide full-time workers with seven paid sick days a year. Part-time workers would receive a pro-rated amount. Workers would be able to take sick leave in one-hour increments.
Several business groups, including the Ohio Chamber of Commerce and the National Federation of Independent Businesses/Ohio, have vowed to campaign against the measure, calling it a government mandate that would harm businesses and the state's economy.
Republican legislative leaders have called the proposal a job killer.
Strickland is also concerned about the measure's impact on businesses.
The measure is popular with voters in recent polls and both Ohioans for Healthy Families and the opposing business groups plan to spend millions on advertising this fall to try to sway voters.
Both sides have asked Strickland to support them, but the governor has not yet said whether he will campaign for or against the proposal.
To reach this Plain Dealer reporter:
mrollenhagen at plaind.com, 1-800-228-8272
http://blog.dispatch.com/dailybriefing/2008/08/strickland_wont_support_sick_d.shtml
Strickland won't support sick days mandate Gov. Ted Strickland and Lt. Gov. Lee Fisher said they will not back the sick days mandate that has been pushed to the November ballot by one of their major union supporters, the SEIU.
"We cannot support the paid sick-day ballot initiative," they said in a joint statement. "While we would hope that all Ohio businesses would make paid sick days available to their employees whenever possible, we believe that this initiative is unworkable, unwieldy and would be detrimental to Ohio's economy, and we will be opposing it and asking Ohioans to oppose it as a result."
Dale Butland, spokesman for the coalition pushing the issue, responded: "We like the Governor and respect him immensely. But on this one, we think he's wrong.
"In our view, the Healthy Families Act is not only workable, but absolutely necessary for the 2.2 million Ohioans without paid sick days who work hard, play by the rules, and don't want to lose a job or a paycheck simply because they or their family members occasionally get sick."
Strickland was unable to work out a compromise with business and union leaders over the ballot initiative, which would require every business with 25 or more employees to offer seven sick days to full-time employees. Business groups, particularly those representing small business, said that any proposal with even one mandated sick day was unacceptable. They and GOP leaders have called the issue a "jobs killer" and welcome the governor's support.
"We have a popular governor and strong legislative leaders that are all now united, and we have a united business community," said Ty Pine, legislative director for the National Federation of Independent Business/Ohio. "It will increase the dynamics of our ability to message to voters."
Butland blamed business leaders for failing to find a compromise, calling them "hypocritical ideologues who oppose allowing anyone but themselves to earn such a benefit."
Strickland spokesman Keith Dailey said decisions haven't been made about whether the governor will appear in TV ads opposing the issue or how aggressively he will campaign against it.
But Dailey argued that having the governor and lieutenant governor -- who also is the state's development director -- publicly opposing the issue and urging voters to reject it is a very clear stand.
"I think he has made a very strong statement that will reverberate over the course of this campaign," Dailey said.