Prop23 – Some (Private Sector) Unions Get It

George Rebane

A heartening and well written op-ed piece ‘Like Having a Job? You’ll love Proposition 23’ appeared in 18sep10 The Union by James Kellogg, an official with the United Association of Journeymen and Apprentices of the Plumbing and Pipe Fitting Industry.  These people, who organize workers in profit making private firms, have taken a look at how AB32, California’s global warming law, will raze such jobs in this state.  And they concur with every credible independent analysis that gives lie to the progressive hoopla touting that more taxes, more regulations, and more federal subsidies are the solution to California’s unemployment and corporate exodus.

The only ones who still gather on the media hilltops to fight Prop23 are those whose wallets get filled from the public trough – led by the thousands at the California Air Resources Board, countless leftwing state enforcement bureaus, dubious public funded NGOs like our local Sierra Business Council, public service employee unions like the SEIU, and, of course, various private enterprises who see their investments insured by government guarded ‘green markets’ (remember the ethanol epidemic).  The chairman of CARB will be here on the evening of 29 September singing for her supper at the Nevada City city hall.

Frantic lies about jobs creation and the 500,000 “clean tech” jobs at risk are pushed at the public daily, a public that really doesn’t have a clue about what is happening and will vote randomly, nudged by what clever sound bites most recently nibbled on their ears.  The economic facts, as recorded here and other local blogs (NCMW, CABPRO Report, Inside NC Politics - links on the right), point to the loss of wealth creating jobs, loss of for-profit businesses, and uniformly higher consumer costs for EVERYTHING.

Prop23 has clearly added an ideological dimension beyond economics to the whole issue.  The only ones denying the next step to socialism are the usual leftwing sources including bloggers who try to make the rounds hiding under their ill-fitting ‘middle of the roader’ suits.

The only organized voices for Prop23 have been conservative politicians, tea partiers, and job sustaining industry (including, yes Martha, those dreaded “filthy oil companies”) who are eyeing their job killing out-of-state options if Prop23 fails.  Now we proponents of Prop23 are joined by private sector unions who are keenly aware of what maintains their membership rolls – and it isn’t the paltry 10,000 subsidized jobs that AB32 claims to add as it eliminates many times that number.  The taxpayers of California welcome the private sector unions – now go put your shoulders to the wheel.  In the meantime, vote YES on Prop23.

Comments

[Russ Steele]

George, not all Private Sector Unions are on board yet. From the American Thinker today:

On September 3, the BlueGreen Alliance completed a 17-state, 30-city bus tour, urging Senate action on comprehensive climate legislation. The BlueGreen Alliance was formed in 2006 by the Sierra Club and the United Steelworkers as a national partnership to work for "expanding the number and quality of jobs in the clean energy economy." Eight U.S. trade unions, comprising 8.5 million workers, have joined the Alliance and bought into the myth that Cap and Trade legislation will create a green jobs economy. Steel is an energy-intensive industry that would be harmed by legislation to restrict carbon emissions. It's a mystery why any steel worker would support Cap and Trade.

[George Rebane]

Good point Russ, didn't mean that they all had. But I wanted to celebrate what may be the start of an enlightenment.

[Steve Frisch]

Sorry boys, so far most labor is on record on the no side. here is a partial ist:

AFSCME Council 57
American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME)
California Labor Federation AFL-CIO
California Conference Board of the
Amalgamated Transit Union
California Conference of Carpenters
California Teamsters Public Affairs Council
International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 569 
San Diego and Imperial Counties Labor Council
Sheet Metal Workers Local 104 
United Steelworkers District 12  
Western States Council of Sheet Metal Workers

By the way, I just got through with a set of meetings with most of the Northern California building trade unions and they will be supporting the No on Prop 23 position shortly.

So this really just goes to show you, labor is not monolithic as many right wing anti-labor ideologues like you usually portray them!

[D. King]

“Prop23 has clearly added an ideological dimension beyond economics to the whole issue. The only ones denying the next step to socialism are the usual leftwing sources including bloggers who try to make the rounds hiding under their ill-fitting ‘middle of the roader’ suits.”

So true George, it has never been about anything else.

Steve, if prop 23 doesn’t pass, I’m thinking about
getting me one of them mail order gals that can
cut wood and keep me warm in the winter.

What do you think?

Here is a picture.

http://tinyurl.com/2fm3wzs

[George Rebane]

Steve and Russ are right. I don't want to indicate that the labor movement is monolithic; it clearly isn't. This is just a small recognition that some unions recognize what AB32 will do to their memberships and the state economy. I have even changed the title of this post to reflect this accuracy.

[Russ Steele]

Lest we forget, here is a link to the organizations who support Prop 23: http://www.yeson23.com/learn-more/coalition-list/

Some of the trade union will benefit from the effort to weather proof homes and make them more energy efficient. It seems that the pipe fitters do not fit in that category. As a mystery figure once said, "follow the money." Those who expect to gain from the billions in carbon taxes collected by CARB are in support of AB32. The problem is that the citizens of California will be the ones who are paying those carbon taxes as they are passed through by companies that have to pay the taxes. We the tax payer will be paying the carbon taxes, which the rent seeker who are supporting AB32 will spend. You you up for that?

[papertiger]

As a union representing public employees at all levels of government, AFSCME fights to protect and support the work our members do every day. This necessarily involves intensive legislative and political activity locally, in Sacramento, and in Washington, D.C.
AFSCME works with our affiliates to identify congressional candidates who will best represent our members’ and working families’ interests. We support those candidates financially through AFSCME’s PEOPLE program, and through extensive member and staff mobilization. AFSCME lobbies Congress to pass funding and other laws that will benefit our members, including most recently comprehensive health care reform, extended state fiscal aid, and legislation that would provide localities with funding to save and expand jobs.

Some people's endorsement isn't worth having. These self deluded AFSCME people are standing in the middle of water up to their neck, demanding more spigot's be turned on.
The last thing they are trying to do is save or expand jobs.

[papertiger]

California Conference Board of the Amalgamated Transit Union - is a 527 political action committee.

How will we ever get by without the endorsement of the money changers?

Somehow I suppose.

From the "hot issues" page of the California Conference of Carpenters website (tucked in above instructions on how to file for unemployment insurance)
"Building Green Skills" has been honored with the "Telly" award, signifying excellence in local, regional, and cable videos and films, TV commercials and programs, and web commercials. The video shows how union workers are leading California into the new green construction economy, and that with their superior training, are best positioned to continue to build a greener state.

The video, produced by Debra Chaplan, Director of Special Programs at State Building & Construction Trades Council, also looks at how workers get trained to do the work of the green economy. Union apprenticeship programs invest $100 million each year to train apprentices and re-train journeyman workers in the green skills of their craft. The video shows examples of green construction and demonstrates that all crafts are part of the green economy.

"Building Green Skills" was honored with a Bronze Award for excellence in the category of Internet/Online Video - Green/Eco-Friendly.

Hmmm. The Carpenters council has 100 million reasons why they're against prop 23.

Should I bother to go through the rest of that list Steve, or are they all being bought off by government money?

[Todd Juvinall]

Union membership is small in regards the total number of employees. They do wield power in their ability to swipe money from their members and bundle it to support politicians and issues. I would think that most union membership, being government employees mainly, would be against Prop 23 simply because it would negatively affect union growth. So the private sector get to fight not only the government programs but the unions of employees in those departments. We taxpayers get a doble whammy.

[Steven Frisch]

Union apprenticeship funds are the workers own money. that they pay in dues to the union to provide services. You have something against workers paying for training? I guess you would rather have the government do it? You guys don't even know when you are being inconsistent do you?

It just rolls off your tongues like a bark off dog.

[Todd Juvinall]

Unions are not getting the permission of their members to support or oppose issues or politicians. They extract part of the dues for those purposes and almost all of it goes to democrats. 40% of the membership votes republican so it would appear you don't know what you are talking about. I'll bet you have a pat answer for this.

[George Rebane]

"... I guess you would rather have the government do it? You guys don't even know when you are being inconsistent do you?

It just rolls off your tongues like a bark off dog."

Gentlemen, in a spirit of greater bonhomie what SteveF meant to say was, "I think your arguments are inconsistent, perhaps due to their complexity. A more careful review of your own words would surely reveal that."

[papertiger]

Green Job Training: U.S. government holding five grant competitions If the headline doesn't grab you , the price tag sure will, $500 million.

Government Announces Money For Green Jobs, Training From Stimulus Package
DENVER — Vice President Joe Biden and two Cabinet secretaries unveiled a national program Tuesday to train workers for "green jobs" that will make public housing more energy-efficient.

Biden, Housing Secretary Shaun Donovan and Labor Secretary Hilda Solis announced the plan in Denver at a meeting of President Barack Obama's task force on the middle class.

Donovan said some of the $4 billion from Obama's $787 billion economic stimulus plan that was budgeted to renovate public housing will be spent to create jobs for making the dwellings more energy efficient.

Federal Funds Create More Green Jobs Training In North State
The funds are for communities where poverty rates are higher than 15%. Butte, Del Norte, Lassen, Modok, Siskiyou, Shasta, Tehama and Trinity Counties fall into that category.

The grant was provided by the federal government as part of the Recovery Act. If you are interested in joining a green job training program, you can find the information on Nortec’s website.

Participants are trained in energy/utilities efficiency and sustainability, green construction, green waste, agricultural and natural resources, solar power and alternative car fuels. The youths will also provide community service, such as weatherization outreach and help to senior housing facilities, build low-income housing with Habitat for Humanity and recycle and rebuild computers with Project Restoration.

Are you so sure that these millions of dollars come from the workers own money? Not from the government?
How are you so sure?

[George Rebane]

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704488404575441410775239560.html?mod=WSJ_hps_LEFTTopStories

[bill tozer]

A few unions are seeing the light. It is not because they have grown impatient waiting for the hope and change. Nay, the change has come early and they don't like it.