Comments on: USA Unions Surviving? 2007 report http://chriswhiteonline.org/2008/09/usa-unions-surviving-2007-report/ Blogging from a life-long unionist Sat, 04 Feb 2012 22:41:03 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3 By: chriswhite http://chriswhiteonline.org/2008/09/usa-unions-surviving-2007-report/comment-page-1/#comment-17 chriswhite Sat, 27 Sep 2008 03:16:44 +0000 http://chriswhiteonline.org/?p=192#comment-17 Yes fair comment Jimmy. I was predominantly meeting the SEIU leadership, so reporting their discussions. I also met member activists who shared your view. I am yet to do my 2008 march report, when again obviously different union reports meeting again some SEIU leaders in Washington but different views from miltant members. I also heard two sides of a debate on politics in the health industry, Stern's position understandably more aligned to 'partnership' with employers; the Nurses union had a differing view; so there is much debate within the US unions over health policy...it will be interesting with an Obama Presidency. Thanks Carlos. I am writing for an Australian audience. I will put up a march 2008 quite optimistic report that not only will the Democrats win, but that significant new strategic directions for the US turning against the Republicans. The five main issues (then) were the environmental crisis and global warming with many positive 'green' policies to be implemented; the crisis in health care responded to with new basic guarantees for working families; the War in iraq with a huge anti-war sentiment see at least a wind-down; the the position of workers not being able to bargain for better wages and consitions and labour law supporting employer anti-union policies to be reversed; and the economic financial crisis was starting to impact into working families and with many moreredundancies...now of course today much worse with the bail-out of Wall st bankers necessary but under criticism for not protecting ordinary people.Interesting times... Yes fair comment Jimmy. I was predominantly meeting the SEIU leadership, so reporting their discussions.
I also met member activists who shared your view. I am yet to do my 2008 march report, when again obviously different union reports meeting again some SEIU leaders in Washington but different views from miltant members. I also heard two sides of a debate on politics in the health industry, Stern’s position understandably more aligned to ‘partnership’ with employers; the Nurses union had a differing view; so there is much debate within the US unions over health policy…it will be interesting with an Obama Presidency.

Thanks Carlos. I am writing for an Australian audience. I will put up a march 2008 quite optimistic report that not only will the Democrats win, but that significant new strategic directions for the US turning against the Republicans. The five main issues (then) were the environmental crisis and global warming with many positive ‘green’ policies to be implemented; the crisis in health care responded to with new basic guarantees for working families; the War in iraq with a huge anti-war sentiment see at least a wind-down; the the position of workers not being able to bargain for better wages and consitions and labour law supporting employer anti-union policies to be reversed; and the economic financial crisis was starting to impact into working families and with many moreredundancies…now of course today much worse with the bail-out of Wall st bankers necessary but under criticism for not protecting ordinary people.Interesting times…

]]> By: Carlos Jimenez http://chriswhiteonline.org/2008/09/usa-unions-surviving-2007-report/comment-page-1/#comment-16 Carlos Jimenez Fri, 26 Sep 2008 21:53:18 +0000 http://chriswhiteonline.org/?p=192#comment-16 I got to glimpse over your amazing and truly thought provoking piece on your experiences while here in the US. I wish I had more time to respond, we have a little economic situation going on right now.... but rest assured I'll share this with my peers and will at some point give more and better feedback. Only comment I wanted to make is that reading this, while it includes alot of questions and seemingly scary points, gives me hope that we're headed in the right direction. I got to glimpse over your amazing and truly thought provoking piece on your experiences while here in the US. I wish I had more time to respond, we have a little economic situation going on right now…. but rest assured I’ll share this with my peers and will at some point give more and better feedback.

Only comment I wanted to make is that reading this, while it includes alot of questions and seemingly scary points, gives me hope that we’re headed in the right direction.

]]> By: Jimmy Higgins http://chriswhiteonline.org/2008/09/usa-unions-surviving-2007-report/comment-page-1/#comment-10 Jimmy Higgins Fri, 26 Sep 2008 00:19:10 +0000 http://chriswhiteonline.org/?p=192#comment-10 Stern is a fake and a fraud, crushing dissent and democracy in SEIU and selling out members rights to corporations. See www.seiuvoice.org for info on the democracy movement in SEIU Stern is a fake and a fraud, crushing dissent and democracy in SEIU and selling out members rights to corporations.

See http://www.seiuvoice.org
for info on the democracy movement in SEIU

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