Pico and ME • Aug 29, 2011 12:24 pm
The background, if you don't remember, is that after a protracted fight in which Democratic lawmakers fled the state, Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker, a Republican, managed to pass a law that stripped public employees of their collective bargaining rights.
The bill he signed would still allow state, municipal and school workers to bargain over their wages, but any raises beyond the rate of inflation would require a voter referendum. The repeal of most collective bargaining would not apply to unions representing local police, firefighters and State Patrol troopers. In addition, the law would solve part but not all of the state’s immediate budget shortfall, require public employees to pay more for pensions and health insurance, give Walker broad authority over health care programs for the poor and turn 37 civil service jobs into political appointments.
Sun Tzu wrote:
II-Waging War; 15. Hence a wise general makes a point of foraging on the enemy. One cartload of the enemy's provisions is equivalent to twenty of one's own, and likewise a single picul of his provender is equivalent to twenty from one's own store.
Traditionally, Labor Day is celebrated by most Americans as the symbolic end of the summer. In high society, Labor Day is (or was) considered the last day of the year when it is fashionable for women to wear white.[4]
In U.S. sports, Labor Day marks the beginning of the NFL and college football seasons. NCAA teams usually play their first games the week before Labor Day, with the NFL traditionally playing their first game the Thursday following Labor Day. The Southern 500 NASCAR auto race was held that day from 1950 to 1983 in Darlington, South Carolina. At Indianapolis, the National Hot Rod Association hold their finals to the U.S. Nationals drag race. Most school districts that started summer vacation in mid june will resume school near this day (schools that had summer begin near memorial day will have already been in session for about 3 weeks).
But just think! We got a day off!!! Presidents day has been hijacked as just another day off. I don't see your point.Happy Monkey;753612 wrote::rolleyes:
You might have been able to make a point if your "more than that" hadn't been a bunch of unrelated stuff that used a convenient three-day weekend.
You might as well say that people shouldn't highjack Presidents' day by talking about history and ignoring all of the good deals you can get on mattresses.
The first Labor Day in the United States was observed on September 5, 1882, by the Central Labor Union of New York[1] It became a federal holiday in 1894, when, following the deaths of a number of workers at the hands of the U.S. military and U.S. Marshals during the Pullman Strike, President Grover Cleveland put reconciliation with the labor movement as a top political priority. Fearing further conflict, legislation making Labor Day a national holiday was rushed through Congress unanimously and signed into law a mere six days after the end of the strike.[2] The September date originally chosen by the CLU of New York and observed by many of the nation's trade unions for the past several years was selected rather than the more widespread International Workers' Day because Cleveland was concerned that observance of the latter would stir up negative emotions linked to the Haymarket Affair, which it had been observed to commemorate.[3] All U.S. states, the District of Columbia, and the territories have made it a statutory holiday.
So how does that support the action to prevent participation?Happy Monkey;753618 wrote:It is not highjacking to talk about what the holiday is actually about.
Presidents' Day is about presidential history. It is not highjacking Presidents' Day to talk about presidents, even if you ignore all of the mattress sales.
Labor Day is about the Labor movement (I note that you didn't link to the article you quoted, as it makes that point pretty explicitly). It is not highjacking Labor Day to talk about labor unions, even if you fail to mention the proper season to wear white clothing.
But yet they can't work without them. So again, how does that support the fact that Labor Day is a National Holiday, supported by taxpayer dollars, regardless of political affiliation and how can a single political party prevent participation in a national holiday. Why couldn't all blacks just say we don't want any white people to participate in MLK day because they are not black? White people would have to work, all black people get the day off....Happy Monkey;753622 wrote:The Wisconsin Republican Party made it pretty clear that they do not want Labor to participate.
No, what they said was they are no longer in charge and can no longer screw the taxpayer at the expense of more needed programs. They can no longer hold the average taxpayer hostage and get benefits that 99% of the rest of working stiffs can't get. They will now have to pay their way like the rest of the state. The gravy train ends and the average tax payer no longer has to support their publicly supported lifestyles.... I see no problem in that.Happy Monkey;753622 wrote:The Wisconsin Republican Party made it pretty clear that they do not want Labor to participate.
Some political candidates like to take part in community parades. But some wonder if Labor Day parades in our area will be influenced by a decision in Wausau made by union organizers.
The Wausau group has said elected Republican supporters of Governor Walker's changes to collective bargaining will not be allowed in their parade.
Labor Day is a national holiday in honor of working people. And Fond du Lac's Labor Council plans to honor all working people at its Labor Day parade Monday.
“It's still a parade. It's not a political statement; it's not a partisan event,” said Mary Kunde, council secretary.
Kunde says she doesn't support Republicans who voted against collective bargaining, but she says that doesn't mean they should be banned from the parade. She says she disagrees with those in Wausau who want to exclude Republican politicians. But others say Wausau has the right idea.
“Either you're going to be with us or you're gonna be against us and obviously the vast, vast majority of the Republicans in the house and in the senate were against working families this year,” said Fox Valley Area Labor Council President Mark Westphal.
Westphal says if any Republicans who supported stripping collective bargaining rights wanted to come to the Neenah-Menasha Labor Day parade it puts on, he would consider banning them.
“It's time that we take a firm stand and recognize who our friends are and who our enemies are,” said Westphal.
Republican Representative Dean Kaufert is planning to participate in Neenah-Menasha's Labor Day parade, but he opposed Governor Walker's stance on collective bargaining. Still, he disagrees with what's happening in Wausau, and hopes it won't happen here.
“I probably wouldn't go, if they're gonna do that which I hope would never. There's gotta be an open dialogue,” said Kaufert. “What I see happening in Wausau, I think it's kind of ridiculous.”
But even with a difference in opinion, come Monday in Fond du Lac and Neenah-Menasha, all workers will be welcome in the parades
If there were a party advocating segregation, I would expect MLK day event organizers to disinvite them.TheMercenary;753623 wrote:Why couldn't all blacks just say we don't want any white people to participate in MLK day because they are not black?
White people would have to work, all black people get the day off....Wisconsin Republican politicians still get Labor Day off, if they like; don't worry. They just aren't invited to the photo-op mentioned in the article.
Sorry, that dog will not hunt (Bill Clit,on)... It is a public event that cannot occur with out tax payer support, police, fireman, EMT's, Traffic, City workers, all paid for on the non-political-non-denominational taxpayer dime....Happy Monkey;753630 wrote:If there were a party advocating segregation, I would expect MLK day event organizers to disinvite them.[quote]According to your formula of preventing a single political party from participation in the parade I would say yes, you have made that perfectly clear that it is ok.
[quote]Wisconsin Republican politicians still get Labor Day off, if they like; don't worry. They just aren't invited to the photo-op mentioned in the article.
Doesn't everyone contribute to the production of labor in some sense, no matter where you fall on the ladder?
Spexxvet;753702 wrote:... and I doubt that mercy would invite a muslim or a liberal for a boat ride (unless is was to dump their body).
Sundae;753710 wrote:When he is generalising, he hates liberals (have no idea about Muslims, I've never got that vibe). But when it comes to person-to-person I honestly believe him to be accepting, generous and hospitable.
Sundae;753710 wrote:I may be hopelessly naive, but I do not believe that to be true at all. Pretty much the opposite.
Merc sent me a book I expressed interest in, at his own cost. And I am pretty much as liberal as they come.
When he is generalising, he hates liberals (have no idea about Muslims, I've never got that vibe). But when it comes to person-to-person I honestly believe him to be accepting, generous and hospitable.
My apols if you weren't referring to Merc when you wrote mercy!
Oh, you mean like this.....Pico and ME;753729 wrote:His outrage moved others to more fully explain and defend the unions position. (And then of course showed how weak his argument is)
MILWAUKEE (Reuters) - The mayor of a Wisconsin town said on Tuesday a local labor council would have to reimburse the city up to $2,000 for a Labor Day parade if organizers exclude Republican lawmakers from attending.:lol: they should charge them double...
The move in Wausau, Wisconsin, came after a county labor official said last week that Republican politicians were not welcome at the event due to their party's stance against collective bargaining when state lawmakers voted to curtail it earlier this year.
Wausau Mayor Jim Tipple told Reuters on Tuesday that the decision to exclude elected Republicans "flies in the face of public policy."
"This is not a political rally, it's a parade, for God's sake," Tipple said, noting that taxpayer money is used by the city to pay for staging the event. Tipple's office is nonpartisan, and he claims no affiliation with either political party.
He said the annual cost of the parade, including insurance, setting up and taking down a stage, and police personnel, runs anywhere from $1,500 to $2,000 each year.
I would rather see the city let them have the permit without the support of the Taxpayer funded services.:p:Pico and ME;754082 wrote:I hope they pay the $2000...its a reasonable enough amount and totally worth it.
Every month, Thomas Villanova gets a $9,000 reminder of how lucrative it can be to serve as a union leader in Chicago.
The sum is part of a city pension that comes on top of the $198,000 annual salary he is paid to represent the interests of thousands of city workers.
Villanova last worked for the city in 1989 as an electrical mechanic with the Department of Streets and Sanitation, making about $40,000 a year. Yet in 2008 he was allowed to retire at age 56 with a $108,000 city pension. That's because, under a little-known state law, his pension was based not on his city paycheck but on his much higher union salary.
This kind of deal is available only to union officials who meet certain requirements, but a Tribune/WGN-TV investigation has uncovered documents that show Villanova violated state law when he applied for the pension and cast doubt on whether he truly qualifies for all that money.
TheMercenary;754091 wrote:I would rather see the city let them have the permit without the support of the Taxpayer funded services.:p:
I think that they have a skewed view of Labor represents. In the past all parades in this city have been non-partisan. It is only because of the recent events at the state level that this has risen to another level.BigV;754099 wrote:why mercy? because you'd like to see them ... what? fail? be unsafe? Tell me why please.
If I were mayor I would prohibit that. And they would still be using city property, uniforms, trucks, gas, etc, and such would not be allowed without the approval of the mayor.Pico and ME;754102 wrote:Remember though, the police and fire department were 100% behind the teachers union during the fight. Perhaps they would provide their services free of charge.
The contract required the school district to purchase health insurance from a company called WEA Trust. The creation of Wisconsin's largest teachers union -- "WEA" stands for Wisconsin Education Association -- WEA Trust made money when union officials used collective bargaining agreements to steer profitable business its way.
The problem for Hartland-Lakeside was that WEA Trust was charging significantly higher rates than the school district could find on the open market.
In the Hartland-Lakeside district, which faced a loss in state aid of $1.3 million, savings from staff contributions to pension and insurance yielded about $900,000. The district had reduced its budget through a reorganization effort the year before and also found $400,000 in other savings to replace the lost state aid.
Heading into the 2011-2012 school year, the district has been able to replace all retiring teachers (nearly 15 percent of the staff). In addition, Hartland-Lakeside has expanded its charter schools, and has put in place an innovative third and fourth grade virtual parent classroom. Enrichment opportunities for students, including extra support for students who need help, have been expanded, according to Superintendent Glenn Schilling.
Stephen Schiell, superintendent in Amery, says there’s no catastrophe in his district, either. “Next year will again be a challenge without the federal jobs money (federal stimulus money from the Obama administration) ... Not having to bargain with the union will make it easier to balance. Remember, we can always have our employees pay more for their benefits. The law does not have a cap.”
Read more: http://host.madison.com/news/local/education/blog/article_4d0c0d30-cdd7-11e0-93dd-001cc4c03286.html#ixzz1YLxJumVY