New PEW Report: Labor slips in public mind 2-2010

The new PEW research poll released this last Tuesday has labor slipping in the public's favor.

http://people-press.org/reports/pdf/591.pdf

the above link is the full survey
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This is from the overview: http://people-press.org/report/591/

Favorable views of labor unions have plummeted since 2007, amid growing public skepticism about unions’ purpose and power. Currently, 41% say they have a favorable opinion of labor unions while about as many (42%) express an unfavorable opinion. In January 2007, a clear majority (58%) had a favorable view of unions while just 31% had an unfavorable impression.

The latest nationwide survey by the Pew Research Center for the People & the Press, conducted Feb. 3-9 among 1,383 adults reached on cell phones and landlines, finds that favorable opinions of unions have fallen across demographic and partisan groups. Still, far more Democrats have favorable views of unions (56%) than do independents (38%) or Republicans (29%).

Last year, a Pew Research survey found a decline in the proportion of the public saying labor unions are necessary to protect working people, while more expressed concern about the power of unions. In April 2009, 61% agreed with the statement “labor unions are necessary to protect the working person,” down from 68% in 2007 and 74% in 2003. In the same survey, six-in-ten (61%) agreed that “labor unions have too much power,” up from 52% in 1999.
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Comment: this bodes ill for if the unions do not do a little Public Relations, their continued impact in politics is doubtful. Many in Missouri freely say that unions have out-lived their purpose and is now just another special interest seeking to bilk the public and its own members.

Problem two: when one hitches its wagon to another's star (like trying to cash in on say Obama's popularity there is a problem. Labor's popularity will slip when its "star" slips.

Making the compromise on healthcare to support "excise tax on healthcare benefits" has the appearence of back room deals and that was not a politically deft moment in labor's history. Of course, one could argue that unions were "tricked-bagged" into its support; but that argument is lame (although propably true in my opinion).

Fellow workers note: if you are going to play political games you must play by the fast and dirty rules of politics. Never let yourself get into a trick-bag position like a Hobson's choice situation. Hobson's Choice is a free choice in which only one option is offered. As a person may refuse to take that option the choice is therefore between taking the option or not; "take it or leave it". The phrase is said to originate from Thomas Hobson (1544–1631), a livery stable owner at Cambridge, England. To rotate the use of his horses he offered customers the choice of either taking the horse in the stall nearest the door or taking none at all.

Alas, so much of the positions of the political parties are Hobson Choices.

Another useful term to this argument:

Zugzwang (German for "compulsion to move", pronounced [ˈtsuːktsvaŋ]) is a term originally used in chess which also applies to various other games. The concept finds its formal definition in combinatorial game theory. It describes a situation where one player is put at a disadvantage because he has to make a move – the player would prefer to pass and make no move. The fact that the player must make a move means that his position will be significantly weaker than the hypothetical one in which it were his opponent's turn to move.

(many times in recient times Organized labor has had to make political moves which as a player it had to make a move. Alas, moves were counterproductive and other options should have been taken.)

Teabagger confromts Charles Jaco at HCan demonstration yesterday.

Alas, I did not make the H-Can demonstration on healthcare yesterday (twisted foot doing my version of the Winter Olympics); but the teabaggers and the media did make it.

The vid below is confrontation of Teabagger and Chanles Jaco:



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Alas, some of the teabaggers are upset with the term teabagging.


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This is a snip of Jaco show talking about some of the right wing folks in Missouri politics showing up a teabagger rally:



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Charles Jaco has excellent record of reporting on Fox news in St. Louis and on KTRS 550 AM in St. Louis, Missouri. Personally he does the finest job of covering healthcare and issues in the gateway metro area

Health, Money and Fear

this vid is from Healthcare-Now (676 folks). It deals with the reality of healthcare in America, a sad and tragic story. Alas, this story is known to most Americans because of the broken nature of healthcare in America.

Equally tragic is the inability of our politicans to address the problems.

starts with an ad
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http://www.healthcare-now.org/takeaction/books-and-videos/

old news AFL-CIO endorses single payer health care

This is old news. One could ask, What happened and why?

The latest AFL news is that they got deal with "excise" tax on healthcare benefit. That is a long, long way from single-payer medicare for all and something that will create political dissention among organized labor.

The major union opposing taxing of healthcare benefits is the Machinists, not the steelworkers.

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AFL-CIO ENDORSES SINGLE PAYER MEDICARE FOR ALL

In a unanimous vote, the AFL-CIO yesterday endorsed the Single Payer Medicare for All approach to healthcare reform as the "most cost-effective and equitable way to provide quality healthcare for all." The resolution caps a successful effort led by the Labor Campaign for Single Payer (LCSP), the Labor Caucus for HR 676 (a coalition of national unions) and the All Unions Committee for Single Payer Health Care to put the Federation on record rejecting private insurance and in support of a social insurance model for healthcare reform.
Over 70 resolutions were submitted to the Convention on this subject--more than on any other single issue in the history of the AFL-CIO. Submissions came from a diverse range of labor organizations including 5 national unions, 7 state labor federations and over 60 central labor councils. Yesterday's Convention actions came as a direct result of the mobilization efforts of hundreds of labor bodies, state federations, central labor councils and local unions.

The resolution passed shortly after President Obama addressed the Convention. The Convention also passed a resolution that set conditions for support of the main legislative proposals before the House and Senate but delegates were unanimous in their agreement that the private insurance industry was the biggest roadblock to real healthcare reform.
"We've had debate within our own movement," said United Steelworkers President Leo Gerard, who chaired the discussion,"But what unites us is greater than what divides us."

The single payer resolution charts a clear course for the future by stating that, "Whatever the outcome of the current debate over health care reform in the 111th Congress, the task of establishing health care as a human right, not a privilege, will still lay before us." It supports current single payer legislation including the HR 676 Medicare for All legislation introduced by Congressman John Conyers.

Yesterday's vote capped several days of enthusiastic organizing at the Convention. Many delegates wore stickers and buttons in support of single payer. On Monday night, hundreds of delegates attended a reception sponsored by the LCSP and the Labor Caucus. Several national union presidents spoke at the gathering including USW President Leo Gerard and Mineworkers President Cecil Roberts. LCSP Board Members Donna Dewitt,President of the South Carolina AFL-CIO, and Jos Williams, President of the DC Metro Labor Council also spoke. CNA/NNOC Executive Director Rose Ann DeMoro introduced special guest Michael Moore. After the reception, over 1,000 delegates and guests marched through Pittsburgh to a movie theater to watch the U.S. premiere of Moore's new film, "Capitalism, A Love Story".

Twelve delegates gave impassioned speeches in favor of the Single Payer Resolution. IFPTE President Greg Junemann stressed that the resolution reflects the "realities of tomorrow". "We will not rest," he said, "until we have healthcare for all Americans." Clyde Rivers of CSEA spoke of the incredible burden that the costs of the private insurance system places on the backs of public workers in California and elsewhere and of the cost savings that could be achieved through single payer. Jeff Crosby, President of the North Shore (MA) Labor Council said that he was proud that the Federation will assume "moral leadership" of the movement for healthcare for all and of how important that leadership is for our allies in the community.
South Carolina State Federation President urged delegates to support the Weiner amendment which is due to come up for debate in Congress. Rose Ann DeMoro expressed hope on behalf of all nurses that, by the next AFL-CIO Convention, the establishment of single-payer in the U. S. will have moved the country's international healthcare ranking "from a deplorable 37th into the top 10."

"This resolution is an extraordinary achievement," said LCSP National Coordinator Mark Dudzic. "Its passage was made possible by the powerful organizing efforts of grassroots labor activists around the country. Now our job is go back to our communities, build the campaign and take the fight to the halls of Congress."
***** ***** ***** ***** ***** ***** ***** *****
Resolution link: http://www.aflcio.org/aboutus/thisistheaflcio/convention/2009/upload/res_34.pdf
AFL-CIO Convention Photos: http://picasaweb.google.com/jonflan/2009AFLCIOConvention#

Labor Campaign for Single Payer www.laborforsinglepayer.org
contact: organizers@laborforsinglepayer.org

Future of Single Payer debate

Some of the crew might wish to attend this:

February 18, 2010 – St. Louis, MO
The Future of Single Payer in the Health Care Debate

Dr. Pamella Gronemeyer, a pathologist and progressive political activist who lives in Glen
Carbon, IL will talk on “The Future of Single Payer in the Health Care Debate.”

When: 6:30 p.m., Thursday, Feb. 18
Where: Hanke Room of the Ethical Society of St. Louis, 9001 Clayton Rd.
The program is sponsored by Missourians for Single Payer and is free and open to the public.
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Hope all participate in the conference call over single payer this evening.

Senator Blunt?

Yesterday I got a robo call from the Blunt vets for Senate folks. They say Blunt is pro vet.

Alas, his voting record is not pro.

One set of anti-vet voting and there are more:
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· Cut Veterans Health Care By $13.5 Billion: In 2005, Blunt voted to cut funding for veterans health care by $13.5 billion over five years. [HCR95, Vote 149, 4/28/05]

· Cast Deciding Vote to Defeat $53 Million Boost for Veterans Health Care & Benefits. In 2005, Blunt voted against an amendment to add $53 million for veterans health care and other benefits.[HR2528, Vote 224,5/26/05]

· Opposed Expanding TRICARE to Thousands of National Guard & Reserve Volunteers. In 2005, Blunt voted against a motion to expand access to the military’s TRICARE health insurance program, at the time open to only active duty service members, to thousands of reservist and National Guard members. A 2003 report by the General Accounting Office showed that 20 percent of all Reservists did not have health insurance, and 40 percent of Reservists aged 19 to 35 lacked health coverage.[HR1815, Vote 221,5/25/05]

· Opposed Job Assistance for Veterans Returning from Overseas. In 2005, Blunt voted against providing extra assistance to veterans who are returning from conflicts overseas. Four out of 10 members of the Guard and Reserve forces lose income when they leave their civilian jobs for active duty. [HR27, Vote 47,3/02/05]
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some of this was part of the Delay midnight voting---late night congressional action designed to avoid C-Span television or press coverage.

We covered some of that at the meeting at the time. We also covered the fact that Mr. Blunt wishes to privatize social security and more.
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A no vote this fall if he continues this path in my opinion.

St. Louis healthcare activist dies Melanie Shouse

Last week, Melanie Shouse died. She was a pro healthcare change activist and major Obama supporter in St. Louis, Missouri.

She died of cancer and had limited insurance. Alas, that is common enough story in Missouri where the state house hopes the sick die and die quickly if they do not have money. So sad is the fact that in the St. Louis area, St. Louis has some of the best, most modern tech and best doctors/hospitals in the world.



She will be missed.



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from labor vision



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From St. Louis Post Dispatch:




Melanie Shouse fought to her death for health care reform
BY MICHAEL D. SORKIN
Thursday, Feb. 04 2010

When Melanie Shouse began feeling ill, eventually finding a lump in her breast,
she couldn't afford a doctor. She and her partner had just used their savings
to open a business.

A year later, doctors told her she had terminal, stage four breast cancer.

She spent the next 4½ years fighting for health care reform that she didn't
live to see pass.

Ms. Shouse died Saturday (Jan. 30, 2010) at her home in Overland. She was 41.

In addition to advocating affordable health care for everyone, she was an
activist for clean energy, economic reform and public transportation.

She took the bus to and from her chemotherapy appointments in the Central West
End. Then she'd pick up a sign or banner and walk a picket line.

"This was an extraordinary woman, who never gave up hope that she could make a
difference," said Rabbi Susan Talve of Central Reform Congregation.

Ms. Shouse grew up in Indiana, graduated from high school in Plano, Texas, and
then from Texas A&M University with a major in biology.

She moved to San Francisco, where she met her future partner, Steve Hart, on a
picket line. They were together for 20 years.

They moved to St. Louis and opened Sweet Meat Stix in St. Ann, selling meat
from humanely raised beef.

She set goals for surviving her cancer. She campaigned for Barack Obama for
president, telling herself she had to make it through the primaries, then
Election Day and, later, the inaugural.

In a speech in November at the Arch grounds, she spoke about the need to "take
on the Big Insurance Monopoly and liberate American families from the slavery
of skyrocketing insurance premiums and canceled coverage, which leave millions
of us in a state of perpetual fear and insecurity ..."

Using herself as an example, Ms. Shouse said she had put off going to a doctor
because her health insurance policy had a $5,000 deductible. She called it
"'hit by a bus' kind of insurance."

When the insurance company wouldn't pay for a treatment that Ms. Shouse
believed would help her, friends protested at the company.

Insurance officials refused to accept their petition and called police,
recalled a friend, Kathy Geldbach. One of the police officers took the
petition, "marched up the company's steps and strongly encouraged those men to
look at the petition," Geldbach said.

U.S. Rep. Rosa L. DeLauro of Connecticut called Ms. Shouse a week ago in a
final, unsuccessful effort to get the insurance company to approve the
treatment.

Ms. Shouse did extensive research trying to help herself and others, said her
oncologist, Dr. Cynthia Ma.

"She was a very special person; I wish that we had been able to do more," Ma
said.

Ms. Shouse requested that her body be cremated wearing her Obama T-shirt.

Friends and family plan a celebration of her life at 2:30 p.m. Feb. 14 at
Central Reform Congregation, 5020 Waterman Avenue.

In addition to her partner, among the survivors are her parents, Marianne and
Carl Shouse of Prairie Village, Kan.; two sisters, Maria Duda of Tampa, Fla.,
and Michele Macready of Vancouver, British Columbia; and her grandmother, Kay
Holtzman of Overland Park, Kan.

Memorial contributions can be made to Women's Voices Raised for Social Justice,
412 Greenleaf Drive, Kirkwood, Mo. 63122; Susan G. Komen for the Cure, St.
Louis affiliate, P.O. Box 790129, Dept. SK, St. Louis, Mo. 63179-0129; or St.
Louis Jobs with Justice, 2725 Clifton Street, St. Louis, Mo. 63139.


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Benefits: A Microsoft Guy Tries to Use All His Benefits in One Day

I am certain all the USW facilities have equal benefits as the ones shown here at Microsoft. Yes, ask the UAW and other labor unions.

With all those cadillac plans and the like, how could one object to being taxed? After all, wage concessions were made to "purchase" benefits. No free lunch for employees, they made sacrifice to obtain those benefits.

Alas, the deal to tax "cadillac healthcare plans" is likely to impact even more benefits. I would ask union folks why leadership allowed foot in the door to tax benefits. The machinists (with a few others) activelly opposed the "cadillac tax" on healthcare benefits.

One would believe that those labor leaders that went along with the idea to tax benefits might have some real explaining to do to the membership. After all, many supported Obama because of the opposition to taxing healthcare benefits. In Missouri, many did not vote for McCain or did not vote at all because of the GOP endorsement of taxing benefits.

from Slate:
"How do I know if my insurance plan is a "Cadillac plan"? Look at the cost. The finance committee defines high-cost or "Cadillac" as any plan with premiums higher than $8,000 for individuals or $21,000 for families. Keep in mind that these figures include everything you and your employer spend on health care except for the deductible: premiums for medical (the portions paid by you and by your employer), dental, and vision coverage, as well as any money you put into a flexible spending account, which allows you to set aside pretax money to cover medical costs. Since your pay stub may show only your personal contribution—not that of your employer—the best way to find out the total cost of your plan is to ask your human resources liaison. Many companies already list their employees' total premiums on their W-2 tax forms. The bill passed by the finance committee would make that mandatory" http://www.slate.com/id/2232434/

----note: the excessive administration costs by the company could also be included by my reading and understanding. Good I be taxed on the company bonus to the employee relation folks-----------


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mek 1958

Remember MEK, the solvent we used during our canco careers. Yhe danger of chemical exposure were known about the chemical since the mid 50s.

This flic was not shown at union hall nor did the company go into detail the healthcare dangers, OSHA law or not, the dangers of MEK solvent. OSHA was not the law in 1958 by the way.

MEK is banned from use in many states in industrial applications. One of the reasons the 083 plant stayed in operation is that Missouri did not ban the use of MEK. The company did use "substitutes".

How safe the substitutes? Who knows and alas, none care it seems? OSHA was stripped of a lot of authority from Regan times to now. There does not seem to be a massive push to restore OSHA's authority in these matters.

The USW has an active and excellent safety department. I urge those workers to check with safety and health committee and "Read" the material safety data sheets. Make a copy if you are able and keep forever. Side effects and long term effects are not followed by anyone.

By the way, the cancer rate among some of our coworkers was greater than the national average. Workplace? who knows?

seems many with the body count to rise before action taken. Alas, it does the dead little benefit.
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from original poster on youtube:

Disorders of the nervous system that result from toxic exposures encountered in the workplace have been noted throughout recorded history. More than 750 chemicals have been found to be potentially neurotoxic. In the first century A.D., Pliny discovered palsy in workers exposed to lead dust. Delpech observed bizarre psychoses among French workers who manufactured rubber products in small cottage industries during the 1800s and recognized that they were caused by carbon disulfide. During the 1960s and early 1970s, peripheral neuropathy was observed in Japanese workers exposed to acrylamide despite prior identification of its neurotoxicity in animals. Since 1970, at least three significant outbreaks of neurotoxicity have occurred as a result of exposure to
Chemicals. Despite improved industrial hygiene practices and the development of animal models for assessing some neurotoxic diseases, it is obvious that workers continue to serve as the "sentinel" indicator of neurotoxic disorders. For more, go to the NIOSH report: A Proposed National Strategy For the Prevention of Neurotoxic Disorders http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/docs/89-134/... . This is clipped from the 1958 film, Gateways to the Mind, made for AT&T by the Warner Brothers Studio. The entire film is available at the Internet Archives

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YjkBta_lp1A

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full movie mentioned in two parts:


---------part two--