The right wing never ceases to amaze me. If a group of workers get together and demand better hours, better working conditions and decent wages for a days work it is called a union, and the employer will do anything possible to prevent the formation of that union. The employer will lie, intimidate and fire people just for organizing.
Now on the other hand it appears to be just fine for industry groups to organize and fight employees to prevent them from organizing. So if you are anti-union it is okay to organize and demand that the government not allow your employees to organize.
Case in point, RILA (Retailers Industry Leaders Association). They send me press releases, evidently having no idea that I am a wild-eyed union supporter and son of a union thug. For the most part, I ignore them, but of late, they have kinda pissed me off as I have worked retail in my life and I know that it is a hard and thankless job. You have management constantly on your ass to move faster and customers who treat you like dirt—all for low pay, lousy hours and little to no benefits.
In press release one from RILA, dated 8/30/11, we have this statement:
The Retail Industry Leaders Association (RILA) criticized the decision made earlier today by the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) to adopt a new approach for determining what constitutes an appropriate bargaining unit in health care facilities other than acute care hospitals (which are covered by the Board’s Health Care Rule).
"Today's decision from the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) is misguided and counterproductive. At a time when businesses, small and large, are struggling and millions of Americans can't find work, the NLRB is pursuing an agenda that undermines the very job growth our economy sorely needs.
“The decision on the Specialty Case is just part of the NLRB's job killing, labor agenda. The President and Congress need to intervene and rein in this out of control agency."
So....the NLRB doing its job makes it an out of control agency. Let us move on to press release two from RILA dated 10/5/11:
“RILA applauds Chairman Kline for his commitment to protecting the rights of employees and employers. This commonsense legislation is necessary because of ill-conceived actions taken by the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB), actions that jeopardize exiting jobs and future job creation,” said Bill Hughes, senior vice president of government affairs. “We urge for the speedy consideration and passage of this important legislation.”
The legislation will guarantee basic protections for workers and employers including the right to a fair election process and the opportunity to make a fully informed decision in a union election. The legislation will also protect existing rules that determine what constitutes a bargaining unit and it will safeguard workers’ privacy by allowing workers to decide what personal information is provided to a union during an election.
Job-killing, blah, blah, blah, fair elections, blah, blah, blah, informed decision...what a bunch of lying two-faced jerks. RILA does not give a flying intercourse at a rolling pastry about employees making a fully informed decision about joining or not joining a union. They want to present one side and one side only—and it ain't the union's side.
In the press release of 10/6/11, they are whining about retail thefts being up. No shit. No one has money, people are desperate. So it is not out of the realm of possibility that retail thefts are up...don't really need a press release to tell me that.
On to 10/7/11: RILA just loves Senator Thune (R-SD), who is evidently their bought and paid for lap-dog:
The legislation comes in response to efforts by the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) to mandate employers to post notifications that amount to nothing more than union advertisements.
RILA would like to thank Senator Thune for taking action today to protect the rights of both employees and employers. This sensible legislation will put a stop to the destructive bias by the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) whose federal overreach puts the administrations’ special interest allies ahead of American businesses and workers.
“Recent actions by the NLRB undermine the very job growth our economy desperately needs and jeopardizes the future of millions of Americans. We ask lawmakers to act swiftly to pass this important legislation and protect our workers and our economy.”
Now, I am not sure how requiring an employer to post a notice about employee rights (basically laws that are on the books) is a "union advertisement."
Of course these asshats are not done...the press release from 10/12/11:
“The recent actions by the NLRB are a blatant federal overreach that put both workers and employers at risk at a time when they can least afford it and the economy is struggling to recover,” said Kelly Kolb, vice president of government relations.
“These regulatory threats fly in the face of the President’s commitment to review government regulations so that we can fix any rules that are an unnecessary burden on businesses. The Workforce Democracy and Fairness Act would put a stop to these harmful policies, protect the rights of workers and employers and allow business leaders to focus their efforts on growing the economy and creating jobs,” Kolb concluded.
What a bunch of bullshit...the NLRB is doing its job! God forbid employees get equal footing to the employer. Groups like RILA are fronts for the 1% to prevent the 99% from being able to get ahead. They do not care about fairness in the workplace all these bastards care about is the almighty dollar.
Here is a list of RILA members...I suggest you contact them and let them know what you think of their group—looks like I will buying a lot more locally (I am sure going to miss Apple products though).