17-34-1

'nuf sed

The starving beast

Liberal Princeton University economist, Paul Krugman posted a recent column about what to do about deficits now that "starve the beast" has apparently reached a dead end. More after the jump

ARRA creates jobs

The Congressional Budget Office (CBO) has issued a report on the effect of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. (ARRA), and the news is surprisingly good given the the bashing it has taken. Here is the table from page 8.

7.2% and falling

This Washington Times opinion piece by free trader Daniel Griswold makes a rational argument for the irrelevance of labor. Long on opinion, short on citation of factual support.

Bigger is better

Union density matters, that is. This BeyondChron piece dramatically exhibits the external pressure union activists can put on employers to encourage them to "cooperate" in the process of their employees "selecting" union representation in the major hotels in San Francisco. More after the jump

Demons of stupidity are winning

I have been increasingly troubled by the unreasoned discourse which has politicized so many issues. Nowhere is that process more evident that in matters relating to organized labor. This point is underscored in Kevin Williamson's NRO piece about ACORN, the SEIU, and the Republican oversight report released last week which does a fine job of detailing certain abuses before, as Williamson writes, "the authors slopped the report up with tangential complaints and grossly exaggerated claims about ACORN’s role in the housing bubble." More after the jump:

Where yat, unions?

The Washington Post has a pretty even-handed piece on the status of the labor movement.

Get Smart, please!

The FBI is investigating whether school officials broke federal wiretap or computer-intrusion laws when they remotely accessed student's laptops and allegedly spied on student activities in their home.

A Futurama

"How a New Jobless Era Will Transform America," is an important and interesting read, and transformation is not a good thing.

Tax on Cadillac plans affects non-union workers too

The AFL-CIO blog claims a new study shows the excise tax on "Cadillac" health plans would affect significantly more non-union workers than union workers. The underlying study released by the University of California, Berkely Center for Labor Research and Education is here.

Big theacher is watching

It seems a public school has disciplined a student for conduct occurring in the students home. The evidence of the improper conduct was a web cam picture taken on the school issued laptop. Ho Hum you say, no different than that compromising Facebook post? Hang on, this ain't dog bites man. More after the jump

Rhetoric and characterizations

Negotiating away pension benefits in collective bargaining is now called theft by the Machinists' union.

Play ball!

John Phillips picks up on a NYT article concerning the long-term positive effects of young girls playing team sports. Bottom line, they are likely better and healthier employees. My anecdotal evidence confirms this. My three daughters all played team sports from age 5-high school. I may be biased, but I think they are better employees, healthier and happier because of it.

Unions key ingredient in recipe for electoral disaster

Be vewy, vewy afrwaid, if you are a Democrat.

Shame!

Sometimes hypocrisy smacks down the hypocrite. By flaming a "pile on" the SEIU mentality, this blogger cannot see she is engaging in the very shameless exploitation that she claims the SEIU is doing. More after the jump

Profits soar for health insurers in 2009

McClatchy reports an interesting overview of how the big health insurers are weathering the downturn. Best zinger, industry analyst Sheryl Skolnick, a senior vice president at CRT Capital Group, notes "There is no way that as long as these businesses are publicly traded, they can have the best interest of their customers at heart."

EEOC tagged with defendant's attorney fees

A federal judge in Iowa has ordered the EEOC to pay an employer $4.5 million dollars in attorney fees for a poorly investigated and poorly prepared suit against an Iowa trucking company. The court found the award justified, in part by the burden imposed on the court.

Teamsters win airline unit election

8000 Fleet Service workers at Continental Airlines have voted to be represented by the Teamsters' union. The Teamster press release is reported here.

Doomed, but not forgotten

WaPo columnist Harold Meyerson penned a pessimistic piece postulating potential passage of labor reform has for the forth time been doomed by dallying Democrats. I think he's right. EFCA is certainly dead. Whether reform occurs by legislation or NLRB action remains a long shot. Hand-wringing about recess appointment of Craig Becker draws ire and comparison to Bush appointments.

Major work stoppages down in 2009

The Bureau of Labor Statistics released its data on major work stoppages in 2009. During 2009, fewer strikes and lockouts involving over 1000 workers (5) occurred than in any year since records have been kept (1947). This continues a trend that began in the late 1970’s and parallels the rapid decline in union membership during the same period. The New York Times has a graphic of the decline.

Corps blaming prof sues LSU

LSU professor sues for retaliation and violation of his free speech rights. Ivor van Heerden claims his firing resulted from his criticism of the Corps of Engineers, including its culpability for Katrina levee failures. Suit is filed in state court. Good move by the Plaintiff's counsel. I don't see this surviving summary judgement in federal court.

Rates of return surprise

Somethings surprise you on a level that you wonder. But when surprise combines with simple explanation for surprising result, you wonder how you missed it. The surprise: investment rates of return in defined benefit plans beat defined contribution plans (including 401(k) plans), and have done so over a long period of time.

Enhancing Ledbetter

John Phillips has a concise summary of the Paycheck Fairness Act here. It is soon to get front burner treatment.

52-33 no cloture on Becker

Senate refuses to invoke cloture on the nomination of Craig Becker to the NLRB, 52-33. Fifteen no voters including Saints fans Vitter and Landrieu.

Becker cloture vote today

A cloture vote on the nomination of SEIU attorney Craig Becker is set for today. Congressional Quarterly has details.

31-17

Hell hath frozen

Pigs are flying

Buddy D is dancing in a dress in the promised land.

Bless you boys, and may God bless Saints fans all over the country!

EFCA by appointment

The nomination of SEIU attorney Craig Becker was voted out of the Senate HELP Committee on a 13-10 straight party line vote.  In October, before the McCain hold on the nomination, two Republicans voted for Becker. Some echo chamber writers, (linked article removed) displaying a limited understanding of NLRB workings, rail against Becker and claim his appointment will result in implementation of card check recognition and mandatory arbitration of labor agreements. There are many valid reasons to oppose Becker if you are adverse to the labor position. There is little doubt seating Becker and President Obama's other two nominees would tilt the Board away from its Bush Board pro-management leanings. However, elimination of secret ballot elections and imposition of mandatory arbitration would require an amendment of the Act.

Unemployment falls to 9.7%

Unemployment dropped from 10 % to 9.7% according to figures released today by the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The bad news, almost all of the decline is attributable to the removal of 378,000 persons for the category "unemployed due to job loss" into the category "Permanent job losers."

Restaurants beware

Labor Notes reports a new multi-city initiative to "transform" the largely non-union restaurant industry. The Restaurant Opportunities Center (ROC) is not a union, but it is supported by UNITE HERE locals. It also engages in supporting workers rights. New Orleans is one of four cities targeted by ROC, which has an office on Canal Street. The organizations current target is the owner of Tony Moran's and Old Absinthe House.

NFL 2011--Lockout?

NFLPA warns players to prepare for a possible lockout in 2011. One reason - - the TV deal pays the NFL $5 Billion even if no games are played according to Players Association Executive Director DeMaurice Smith.

Social Media Policies

Been thinking of creating a social media policy? Here is a collection of 144 (and growing) from some sophisticated employers.

Facebook and Subpoenas

A Facebook attorney spoke at a recent legal technology conference providing details of its aggressive resistance to requests for user's Facebook account information. Both providers as well as persons seeking information from providers with electronic data need to understand the Stored Communications Act.

Few know about EFCA, but hate it if they do know

The U. S. Chamber of Commerce has released a new survey which purports to reflect the public's views on card check and unions. I'm sure the smart people on both sides will find things to disagree about in the survey's findings. To me there are two very interesting points. First, overall support for organized labor has dropped dramatically since 2008. Second, a whopping 70% of those surveyed had heard *nothing* about EFCA.

Requiem for labor reform

Steve Early, longtime labor activist, has penned a dire evaluation of the prospect of labor law changes, and the history of the Democratic Party letting labor down.

Trumka predicts

The Hill reports AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka predicted yesterday that both EFCA and healthcare reform would pass in 2010. Taken at face value, a prediction by a labor leader that card check will pass appears more like whistling past a cemetery than likely to occur. But Trumka's actual remarks did not refer to EFCA, rather he predicted "labor reform" would pass. If labor revises its agenda to push quicker elections,  stiffer penalties for violations and union access to employees at work, Mr. Trumka could be correct.