Bob King’s New UAW Strategy

What is happening behind the scenes of the labor movement and the UAW’s attempt to build up its core rank-and-file membership? My sources and my experience with the unions are telling me what is happening. In my former career, I was a high ranking union official and got to know Bob King, Richard Bensinger, Richard Trumka and a host of other “union players” very well. Based on this knowledge, I am seeing the beginnings of a whole new union experience that management leaders need to be aware of if they wish to stay ahead of the unions. Read More “Behind the Scenes:”

On August 27, 2010, the NationalLabor Relations Board (NLRB) unleashed another weapon to the union arsenal. The NLRB ruled that “bannering” did not violate the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA) and created another “legal” means for unions to put pressure on their targets. So far, in 2011, unions have proved that this is a missile they have no problem firing. Read More “Bannering Tactics and How to Defend Yourself”

The hourly compensation cost for labor, including benefits and retirees’ costs, at the Big Three is has been reported to cost the automakers $73 per hour, compared with $44 perhour at a Toyota factory with American workers in the U.S. The outdatedunion expectations are another factor why the Big 3 auto companies are losing billions of dollars. The UAW has held fast and hard not to give the needed concessions that might save the very companies that help themsupport their families from going bankrupt. Read More “Auto Bailout Failure Sets Up Union Battle”

In New York, much like across thecountry, the battle continues with the State Nurses Associations and SEIU/1199. In a time when unions preach that unity is utmost importance and utilize the manta, “united we bargain, divided we beg”, the SEIU is striving to conquer all of healthcare even if that means “raiding.” Raiding is a growing trend (in both healthcare and non-healthcare settings) within the unions, in which a rival union pushes for the decertification of an incumbent union in exchange for a chance of representation of the workforce. Read More “August 2008”

With the election cycle heating up, the supporters of the once defeated HR800 (card check) Bill are building up steam to push this legislation forward with a renewed vigor.The AFL/CIO has never stopped building their grassroots support and hasbeen recruiting volunteers on a national level. Recently John Sweeney took over 3,000 of these supporters to Washington D.C. to shore up theirsupport and to demonstrate to the politicians that they are being watched and will be held accountable if they chose not to support the passage of this bill. Read More “As The Election Heats Up”

It seems every 6 months or so we are getting news of another union merger or organizing agreement betweenunions. This time, it is the California Nurses Association (CNA)/National Nurses Organizing Committee, United American Nurses and Massachusetts Nurses Association who have agreed to merge. Read More “Another Super Union”

How Unions Factor in the “Occupy Wall Street” Protests

“The folks that control this country care about one thing… how the stock market goes what the bond market does… how the bonuses goes. We have a very simple strategy: Read More “Anger, Frustration and Unrest:”

2014 is off to a fast start with the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB)
Read More “An Intriguing Year for Big Labor in 2014”

I was sitting at my computer the other day reading about the strike at Verizon and looking at the videos and pictures of the “chaos” on the streets. It took me directly back to my days when I was working as a national strike coordinator with the union. I realized that many people don’t really understand the complexity of a strike. Have you ever asked yourself what kind of manipulation takes place to convince 45,000 workers to walk away from their company to go on strike? With over 20 years of working inside the union movement, I had the opportunity to spend some of these years working as a strike coordinator. Read More “An Insider’s View into the Anatomy of a Strike”

And a Preview of What Is to Come

The “quickie” election countdown hasconcluded and the rule should be considered permanent. April 14, 2015 arguably witnessed the most sweeping changes ever implemented by the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) since labor law was transformed byits very creation.
Read More “A Former Union Official’s Perspective on the Quickie Election”