Whoever could have seen THIS coming?
Pelosi appeals to the Department of Justice to allow Hearst to violate anti-trust laws in the name of keeping ‘news’ alive:
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2009/03/16/MNIA16GCBO.DTL&tsp=1
In the first round of negotiations between Hearst and the Unions, I urged that Hearst not only show us the specific savings that would be realized in their draconian union-busting amendments to our contract, but that they open their books to us (Hearst is a private company, not publically owned, and has to show their books to no one – questionably even the IRS) to allow us to see this “more than a million dollar a week loss” they were claiming.
The request was denied.
That night at the membership meeting, I suggested to the membership that Hearst was in fact NOT losing money at all – they were simply seeing diminishing profits. The claim of crushing losses was nothing more than fear mongering and positioning. If they could scare the union into submission, and scare the dept. of justice into allowing them to gain a monopoly in The Bay Area – or allow Media News Group (of whom they have part ownership) to have a monopoly, then all would be lovely at San Simeon.
I was not only pooh poohed by the room, I was later chastised by the rest of the Guild Executive Committee and told to either walk in lock-step with their party line or just keep my mouth shut altogether.
I resigned my position.
No sooner had the Union surrendered to Hearst’s tactics, than that paragon of legislative integrity, Nancy Pelosi, began her role as Hearst’s latest stooge, and began appealing for anti-trust exemptions.
The sad thing is, to whom do we turn to expose these crimes? The Chronicle? The corporate media? Congress?
Randy Shilts (a former and deceased Chronicle reporter) asked the question in his ground-breaking expose on AIDS, “And the Band Played On”: ‘When doctors become bankers, to whom will we turn for our healthcare?’
And when the 4th estate becomes one with our government, to whom will we turn to expose their conspiracy?
The blogosphere.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
Ouch!
ReplyDeleteIBEW has also taken the side of railroad management, and sold its members benefit up the old muddy river...They lost sick leave about 8 years ago, and the UP took the opportunity to take the money they owed labor away as well. Not a word from the IBEW, just a "grin and bear it" nod.
I'm particularly worried that Union members may be looking at a reduction in pensions.
Sadly, members are as culpable as Union leadership. They trade time with managment, yield to flagrant breaches in the contract, and then have the odacity to bitch that the Union does nothing for them.
I think you may be pissing in the wind with this cause. Labor's apathy is mind numbing. Corrupt leaders, including Senator Pelosi, goes unnoticed, and the head shaking from the few rank and file, is pitifully inocuous.
Way to go! I belive that if more Union members would do that and stand up for their right to know that they would be better off.
ReplyDeletei heart you wally.
ReplyDelete