America at a Crossroads
For too long now the tail has been wagging the dog instead of the other way around. Now the day of reckoning is upon us. Unions who now represent less than 12 % of the work force and less than 7 % of the private work force, based on last year’s statistics, have used union members’ dues to further their own agenda through political subterfuge (see Union Membership Takes Another Blow).
Despite underfunded union pensions, financial statements in the red and bleeding balance sheets, big labor bosses continue to pour money into Democratic coffers to elect politicians, who in turn will deliver coveted bills such as “card check,” appoint radicals such as Craig Becker to the NLRB to rewrite regulations that favor big labor’s attempt at EFCA Through the Backdoor, or continue the assault on local, state and federal governments by approving collective bargaining for more public employees such as the TSA. It doesn’t seem to faze big labor that the United Sates is almost 14 trillion dollars ($14,000,000,000) in debt, and that a large percentage of the states either face insurmountable debt or have become technically bankrupt due to public unions. It is unconscionable that big labor, liberal Democrats and the White House seem intent on pressing their social justice agenda despite the fact the nation is on financial life support and the American people spoke collectively in the November 2010 elections to reduce spending and deficits. Perhaps they simply cannot comprehend the looming disaster due to their inexperience in running a true business that produces revenues through legitimate sales efforts, rather than being parasites living off company employee dues or taxes from the American public.
Luckily, there are certain elected officials, such as Governors Scott Walker, Chris Christie and Nikki Haley that have heard the American people and are moving swiftly to accommodate their mandate. Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker, a true hero, has shown the intestinal fortitude to lead the pack in a state that for all intents and purposes was the birth place of public unions. Despite the fact that Voters Think They’re Far More Eager To Cut Spending Than Politicians Are, response from the Gasping Dinosaurs is typical. They have set their membership to hold demonstrations, picketing and hand billing as well as visiting elected officials homes, all of which are designed to intimidate elected officials, along with a massive work interruption by Wisconsin teachers (See 40% of Madison Teachers Call in Sick; Massive Protest in WI Capitol Building), and paid union organizers are designed to overwhelm the state and effectively achieve gridlock until Governor Walker relents and backs off the new law. These are the same ruthless tactics experienced by EMS as related in The Devil at My Doorstep when the SEIU attempted to bludgeon EMS into signing a Neutrality Agreement. If that is not enough, the Democratic National Committee has established call centers to organize demonstrators and cowardly democratic lawmakers fled the state to avoid Thursdays’ vote in order to provide big labor the opportunity to apply even more pressure on the Governor to back down (see Cowardly Dems Flee Madison). Big labor and their Democrat cronies do not understand civil discourse and refuse to debate openly. In typical fashion coercion is their only tactic.
Over the past 40-50 years, big labor has directly contributed to the demise of the steel, auto and other industries due to its inability to comprehend global competition, and its use of gun-to-the-head tactics to force private industry to capitulate to big labor demands (See Paul Hollrah, Death by the Hand of Labor.) As the Union Fight Heats Up in Wisconsin, big labor clearly indicates its primary focus is on defending its public sector monopoly and increasing activity against private industry as described in the SEIU and Its Corporate Campaigns, particularly the health and service industries in an effort to simply survive, even if means the death of a nation.
There are approximately 300,000 unionized public workers in Wisconsin, which represents roughly 6% of the state’s population. That 6% is holding the remaining 94 % of the population hostage due to the selfish tactics of big labor and the misinformed and/or blatantly selfish people it incites. Most of the demonstrators would be home or at work doing their jobs if not for union propaganda. Case in point, last week in Indiana, teachers demonstrated at the Indiana State house over impending charter school and collective bargaining legislation. While listening to coverage by a local radio station, the courageous husband of a teacher called in and exposed the union. He explained his wife had been sent a list of union bullet points against the legislation that in his words were full of half truths. His wife believed them and joined the demonstration. These are the typical union tactics, identical to what EMS experienced as described in The Devil at My Doorstep that a lot of union rank and file are naïve enough to believe. Tactics to which the general population is either oblivious or finds unbelievable.
People must understand this is politically motivated as the unions need Democrats in power, and Democrats need strong unions to provide the funds through membership dues to stay in power. This is about survival of two Dinosaurs who must revert to coercion and deception to survive because they have nothing to sell. The American people have spoken at the polls and in surveys that they want spending cut. The die has been cast and the decision now is whether these two Dinosaurs survive or America survives. It appears the American people have overwhelmingly voiced their opinion.
It is now in the hands of Governor Walker and his colleagues. If they cave to the pressure and relent, God help the United States. It could begin the domino effect that destroys the greatest nation the world has ever experienced and the world’s last great hope for true human progress. Death by the Hand of Big Labor.
About the author: David A. Bego is the President and CEO of EMS, an industry leader in the field of environmental workplace maintenance, employing nearly 5000 workers in thirty-three states. Bego is the author of “The Devil at My Doorstep,” based on his experiences fighting back against one of the most powerful unions in existence today.