Teachers unions have contributed over $1.3 million to ACORN

By Kevin Mooney The Washington Examiner Sep 12 2009

Teachers unions have contributed over $1.3 million to ACORN and its affiliates, since 2005, according to U.S. Labor Department financial disclosure forms.

But there is no guarantee that the $1,333,112 million in donations from the National Education Association (NEA) and Teachers AFL-CIO unions are actually being used for their stated purposes, according to present and former Association of Community Organizers for Reform Now (ACORN) officials.

Some of the larger donations include $100,000 from the NEA in 2008 and $200,000 in 2007 for political activities. The Teachers AFL-CIO Local Union 2 contributed $406,730 in 2008, $457,778 in 2007, and $346,300 in 2006 for representational activities.

Now that ACORN staffers have been caught on video helping a man and woman posing as a pimp and a prostitute acquire illegal home loans to set up a brothel it is imperative that these organizations reconsider their support, said Ron Sykes, treasurer for ACORN’s Washington D.C. branch.

Both the NEA and Teachers AFL-CIO advertise as strong advocates for children. ACORN staffers in Baltimore were caught on video instructing James O’Keefe, the undercover filmmaker, and his partner Hannah Giles how they could falsify documents and obtain benefits for 13 “very young girls” from El Salvador.
Sykes and other insiders are now active with ACORN 8, a whistleblower group of present and former officials with the group who have repeatedly called for greater accountability and transparency on the part of ACORN’s leadership.

ACORN 8 activists claim the national leadership maintains centralized control over financial transactions through Citizens Consulting Inc. (CCI), a New Orleans based non-profit. Federal tax documents show links between ACORN affiliates and CCI.

“They’re corporate gangsters,” said Sykes. “This episode with the video shows they really have no scruples and the teachers unions and anyone else making donations need to become aware of what’s happening and what this could mean for young people. I also find it interesting that one of ACORN’s campaigns was for immigration. Apparently, if they don’t get the legislation they want they will use any means necessary to get people into the country.”

Although ACORN moved quickly to the fire the workers, the real blame and responsibility should rest with the leadership and with the national board, said Michael McCray the spokesman for ACORN 8.

“There’s a drastic need for an investigation and a forensic audit,” McCray said. “Until this happens, any funding for ACORN should be withheld. A lot of people on the right would like to see ACORN shut down but that’s not our position. We favor reform.”

How Brown County School Leaders Contracts Compare

How Brown County School Leaders Contracts Compare

School Superintendent Will Be Paid After He Leaves

Jun 20 2008 - Fox News: http://www.myfoxnewisconsin.com/

GREEN BAY -- Green Bay School District superintendent Dan Nerad will soon be starting a new job in Madison, but he'll still be getting a Green Bay paycheck -- for the next three years. It's all part of the district's "emeritus" program. FOX 11's Robert Hornacek has balanced coverage on the payout, the program, and why some say it should be reviewed.

Dan Nerad spent, 33 years in the Green Bay School District, the last six as the superintendent. He is stating his new job as superintendent in Madison in less than two weeks. In Madison, Nerad will be paid $198,500 a year. Despite the new job, Green Bay will pay Nerad more than $51,184 a year for the next three years.

The Emeritus program started in Green Bay in the 1970's. For teachers and administrators, at least 55 years old, and have spent a certain amount of time with the district qualify to be paid one years salary when they leave. Payments are spread out 3-5 years and are separate from the state pension plan. In return for the payout the former employee agrees to work 10 days per year for three years.

The program is designed to save taxpayers money. It's designed to allow experienced teachers who are at the top of the salary schedule to retire, and then the district is able to realize a savings by hiring new teachers at a much reduced salary. Does the program save taxpayers money?

In 2008:

53 teachers retired but will still be paid under the emeritus program. The cost is $1,000,140 per year for three years. Also in 2008 four administrators retired. At a total cost of $128,500 per year for three years under the program. The entire emeritus program has 188 participants and will cost taxpayers $3,941,727 for the 2008-2009 school year.

Early retirement programs are common in school districts throughout Wisconsin. But many are actually more generous than Green Bays, by paying not only retirees salary, but also paying for their health insurance.

All workers have right to unionize

Guest column: All workers have right to unionize
Mike Williquette 4/1/2008 Press Gazette

Ever since the employees of the Oneida casino contacted Teamsters Local 662 about forming a union at the casino, a virtual horde of people have come out of the woodwork to offer their opinions on unions. The employers have hired advisers to come in and try to convince the workers that unionizing would be bad for them, and the Green Bay Press-Gazette printed anti-union columns by Mick Hager three weeks in a row.

I wonder where all these people were when the workers' wages were frozen by the employers for the last 10 years. Why is it that there is so much concern for the workers at the casinos now? Could it be that with a union, the employers now will be forced to bargain with their workers collectively over wages, working conditions and benefits?

Organized labor has fought hard for generations to bring us the Fair Labor Standards Act, child labor laws, Workers Compensation, minimum wage laws, the 40-hour work week, paid holidays, Social Security, civil rights and Medicare benefits. None of these were voluntarily given up without a fight from corporate America.

Unions set a higher standard of living in America that the unorganized will never reach. When people are paid higher wages, it stimulates the economy. Ask anyone if they would rather have a union or a non-union job, and most will say union.

People who are represented by a union have many more rights than those who are not represented. The National Labor Relation Board protects union workers' rights. Individuals requesting help from the NLRB will first be asked if they have a union; if no union is present, there isn't much the Labor Board can do for them.

The bottom line is this: Employers who threaten their employees for organizing are breaking the law. Employees have rights afforded them under the National Labor Relations Act and are protected by such laws.

The history of organized labor's fight for workers' rights is not taught in today's classrooms, but it should be. Many men and women have died for these rights to bargain collectively with employers. Don't let anyone tell you that you don't have that right.

* "If I were a worker in a factory, the first thing I would do would be to join a union." President Franklin D. Roosevelt

* "The right to join the union of one's choice is unquestioned today, and is sanctioned and protected by law." President Harry S Truman

* "Today in America, unions have a secure place in our industrial life. ... I have no use for those regardless of their political party who hold some vain and foolish dream of spinning the clock back to days when organized labor was huddled, almost as a hapless mass. Only a fool would try to deprive working men and women of the right to join the union of their choice." Dwight D. Eisenhower

* "All that harms labor is treason to America." Abraham Lincoln

Mike Williquette is business agent of Teamsters General Local 662 and public sector chairman of Joint Council 39. E-mail: teamsters662gb@new.rr.com.

Job Classes

An area that continues to raise questions as well as hardships is the differences between the Custodian II and Custodian III job classes.

Supervisors as well as other administration and the union are aware that this is something that should be looked into.

A hardship scenario that stems from this is when an employee applies for a position, (in a different class or even just another building) and doesn’t get it.

This leads to friction between whoever was awarded the position, and who didn’t get it.

The duties and responsibilities between the Custodian II and III are nearly transparent to the employees and appear undefinably different (or at least inconsistent) even to supervisors.

Which begs the question, (one brought up many times to the union) why is there is such large pay difference between the two?

It would seem logical to try and dissipate that pay difference if for no other reason than to help foster a more harmonious working relation.

Another suggestion is to award positions solely on the basis of seniority.

Presently they are awarded based on qualifications.

Since everyone has their own take on who is qualified, this is what leaves the door open for later hardships. That door can be an open-and-shut case leaving no other false expectations, if changed to work off seniority.

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To all Custodians

Before our negotiation team went to the District back in September 2005. We were given a survey. On the back of the survey was a spot for additional comments/concerns. At least 3 custodians asked to have the job class of the Custodian III increased.

Having the job class increased was brought up at the April 30, 2005 general membership meeting. The union president and some members of the negotiation team agreed that "this is something that should be looked at."

Please have a look at the information below. This is from our contract, Page 17 of the 2002-05 contract. Please note the large gap in the job class in the custodial department.

The president suggested that this be brought up with the custodial department's supervisors. They both insist that reclassification is something for Human Resources. This is the all to typical pass the buck tactic. It seems to me, the union, the department's supervisors, and human resources will all have to work together on this.

My suggestion is persistence. If you would like to see something be done about this then bring the issue up often, with a multitude of different of people. Bring it up at every union meeting, plant the word with the union rep in each building. Make sure as many members as possible write this in on the upcoming pre-negotiations survey sheets.

And please bring this up during you next evaluation. I think the first part is to have the above group work on a revised accurate job description This seems to me to be a prerequisite for accurate and meaningful evaluation. Reworking the job description will also go hand in hand with creating an accurate wage and salary survey, and an new equitable wage and salary structure.

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The initial starting steps and class along with job descriptions where probably derived over 20 years ago. The responsibilities have changed, but the pay step/class and job descriptions really haven't.

Job descriptions clarify who is responsible for certain tasks, and help the employee understand the specific responsibilities of the position. Job descriptions are also helpful to applicants, supervisors, and personnel staff at every stage in the employment relationship. Accurate job descriptions are a prerequisite for accurate and meaningful evaluations, wage and salary surveys, and an equitable wage and salary structure.

The number of shared responsibilities has increased between the various custodial positions, yet the pay differences between these positions keeps spreading further apart due to a system of percent based wage increases.

Union misrepresentation

Having known she was part to initiating some disciplinary actions in 2004-2005 against an employee and then had the nerve to also act as a union representativefor that same person.

Once again there was little support from the Uniserv on this, as they advised not to circulate the petition while employees are on the clock.

"It is outside of my responsibilities and authority to become involved in local governance issues. Thus, I believe it would be inappropriate for me to advise you on issues regarding who should or should not be representing your local's interest."

This never did get circulated, but really should have.

To: The De Pere Educational Support Personnel Association Members

The undersigned association members feel our current president and grievance chair person, Janice C******* has failed in her duties to uphold the purposes of the union bylaws and her duty of fair representation.

Specifically we are no longer confident in her ability to aid and assist members and have been witness to conflicts of interest that have led to negligence of her duty of fair representation. We fell she puts our association in jeopardy through her repeated irresponsible behavior.

Furthermore;
-She was elected Sat June 7th, 2003. Bylaws dictate that officers serve for two years, and may be re-elected without an interviewing term. At our last general membership meeting at the end of the last school year we should have had an election of officers.
-During the process of developing the support staff evaluation from Janice claimed to have sought out and brought forward feedback from unit members to a committee consisting of administrators, supervisors, and herself. To the best of our knowledge this is a false claim.

The undersigned

Wages don't keep up with cost of energy

Real hourly pay for all workers down 0.6%
By Brian Tumulty Press-Gazette Washington bureau August 29, 2006

WASHINGTON — Inflation in general and higher energy costs in particular have wiped out wage gains among manufacturing workers since the end of the last recession in 2001, according to the National Association of Manufacturers.

The association said Monday that inflation-adjusted wages of manufacturing workers fell 1.7 percent between 2001 and last month, while real hourly wages for all types of workers fell 0.6 percent.

The association's report — released a day before the more comprehensive annual Census Bureau report on income and poverty — framed the wage problem in terms of national energy policy.

At Hudapack Metal Treating Inc., which operates two factories in southern Wisconsin and another in a Chicago suburb, president Gary Huss said rising natural gas prices have all but eliminated his ability to pay bonuses to his 170 employees.

"I don't have the cash to do it regularly right now," Huss said, adding that he still tries to provide a modest annual wage increase.

The National Association of Manufacturers is calling on Congress and the Bush administration to enact a "Manhattan Project" to develop new energy technologies such as coal gasification.

"Over the past year, energy prices have risen 23 percent due to increased global demand, limited domestic supplies, natural disasters and global instability," John Engler, the association's president and chief executive, said at a news conference.

Manufacturing employment rose only 17,000 in the 12 months that ended last month. Employment on the factory floor among production workers increased by 170,000 jobs, however, and was boosted by gains in export-oriented sectors such as computers and electronic products and aerospace. Most gains were offset by losses among nonproduction manufacturing jobs, which David Huether, the association's chief economist, said could be due to consolidation efforts and outsourcing.

Liberal economists have pointed to rising corporate profits and the continued growth in income inequality as contributing factors to the decline in average wages when inflation is taken into account.

Dean Baker, co-director of the Center for Economic and Policy Research, agreed with the association's analysis. "Real wages would be rising modestly if not for rising energy prices," he said.

But Baker said "the other part of the story" is the widening of income inequality that dates back to the early 1980s and halted only during the late 1990s.

Even among manufacturing workers there is an income gap, with higher skilled workers getting wage increases that have outpaced inflation while low skilled workers have not, according to the manufacturers group.