A Little National Labor Relations Board Insight

Over the past few years, if I was a lawyer advising a new employer on federal employment laws, I would tell them not to worry about violating the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA). When an employer violates any of the three major federal employment laws covering minimum wage, discrimination, or safety, they must at least pay fines or damages. Yet, there are many times when no penalties are assessed on employers who commit unfair labor practices under the NLRA.

Of course, it hasn't helped that the board has been three members shy of a full deck - they normally have 5 members sitting on the board - all through the Bush years, they had two. Two anti- worker members by the way.

Things may start to change now because the board is now fully staffed, balanced and has both business and workers interests represented.

The board is supposed to see to it that employees have their right to organize protected, they can't be fired or discriminated against for attempting to form a union, they can't be rejected for employment because of their union affiliation among other related issues.

Our country needs strong labor unions. Even the people outside of the unions need strong labor unions. Many are too ignorant or too brainwashed against the unions to understand that, but it is true.

In a country where money controls everything, we need a strong National Labor Relations Board that will be fair, efficient and protect the peoples rights. We also need to know that there are penalities for those that ignore those rights. Let's face it, if you are a rich business owner I don't think that a $400.00 fine for violating a workers rights is going to effect you that much.

Soon we will begin to see some decisions come out of the Board that will set the stage for the next 100 years of labor law. Let's hope that they rule fairly and with the people of this country in mind.

A Message from Uncle Sam

Harp & Whistle Employees Fight Back

The Harp & Whistle, a bar and restaurant in Newburgh is a popular place for many to gather on Fridays after work and to have dinner every once in awhile. People who went there became close with those who worked there as waitresses, waiters and barmaids. Well, the place was sold and the new owners were taking over last week. Problem was - as is usual in the business world - nobody let the employees know anything.

They found out that after showing up for work one day last week that they didn't have jobs. One woman already began working her shift and the new owner told her to leave - she didn't work there anymore. She was also told not to bother to come back and apply for a job. In fact, all of the longtime employees were told that.

Funny how when they went to the newspaper and said they were going to - oh my, yes - PICKET the place - things began to change. Imagine that NON UNION WORKERS PICKETING and standing up for their rights.

The day after that hit the paper the new owner contacted all of the workers and explained that they all misunderstood. They could have their jobs back. They didn't have to reapply or anything.

Reminds me of the Godfather movie a little - the rent stays the same.

Mayor Sottile - That's A Lot Of Garbage

Hey, what's that smell? Oh, it's Mayor Sottiles new garbage program. He used to have the crew start early and haul ass along with the garbage. Then politics got involved. Retaliation got involved. He was going to fix those CSEA union guys - no more stint work.

By the way, the union gave up stint work years ago - the Mayor kept using it. The idea was to get those trucks OFF the streets and out of everybodys way. However, it also became a convenient way to make believe that it was now somehow the union taking advantage of the taxpayers. That was political bullshit in a political season.

It is not about him running for office this time. It's about making himself look like he is doing something for the taxpayers - when he is really not.

Now the Mayor claims he has received at least 50 complaints this week about garbage not being picked up as it used to be.

We bet a few of those compalints were, "Hey, I'm stuck behind these dam trucks that were never in the way before!"

So he runs to the paper, tells us when he was born - which was at night - which also explains why he is so in the dark on everything - and bashes the union. He, along with his anti-union sidekick Barney Fife aka Robert Senor. Who by the way, is a staunchly non union mumbling windbag anyway.


“I will not tolerate” the continued delays in pickups said the Mayor. Nice sound bite. What he needs to also say is he will stop his supervisors from cramming extra rules down the workers throats. Can't drive over 10 mph or you will be suspended. Hurry up and drive 10 mph doesn't seem to go right - does it? And if I catch you driving 11 mph you can go home for 30 days. Hmmmmm, that would slow me down in this economy too.

Bart Robins, president of the Kingston unit of the Civil Service Employees Association, said he is aware of the delays in trash pickup but said they are unavoidable and that this is just a poorly thought out plan. This is not by any means a calculated effort on the part of the union to slow down the process.

Anyone with a little common sense can clearly see that starting later in the morning - which means less time to get to the transfer station - and getting threatened with suspension for going over 10 mph are two issues that are surely adding to the problem at hand.

A real Mayor would get his City of Kingston provided boots on and ride those trucks to see what was going on.

This is the exact situation he claimed he needed the CITY TAXPAYERS to buy WORKBOOTS for him and the other office girls inside of City Hall.

Let's go Jimmy - grab your friend Barney and hit the back of the truck - then come back and tell us what's wrong and how easy it is. Remember, 10 mph or you go home for 30 days. No cheatin now.

Maybe Paul Kirby can follow you both and do a story on it for us.

Think It's Real This Time?

If you read the papers today or watched the news they are talking about the Casinos again in Sullivan County. In a nutshell, there is a movement to get the Federal Government to approve off reservation casinos on an individual basis. Across the country, there are politicians who want them and there are politicians who don't.

The problem is any decision in the past had to cover all of the possible locations in the whole country. So it never could pass. Changing that to approve them on an individual basis is a smarter way to look at it. Some places could actually be improved with the addition of casinos.

Can anyone deny that we need the jobs now? If it is crime that people are worried about - I think we kind of have that already, don't we? Most of it is probably because of the lack of jobs. The rest of it is because of a lack of "brung up". That slang phrase - if you never heard it before - means a lack of morals because no one taught you any better.

Let's give the casino approach a try. They have talking about them for the Catskills since the seventies and Sullivan County has been on the downslide since the seventies.

It's time to try something new. - Let's create a job for a change of pace.

Anti-Union Democrats - A Great Political Lesson

Enough is enough with this guy.

Mayor James Sottile claims that city residents are feeling intimidated by police officers who are asking for signatures on petitions that oppose police department layoffs.

Union members of the Police Benevolent Association are going door to door to explain to residents that cuts to the police force will adversely affect the ability of their peers to protect the people of Kingston.

The blatantly anti-union Sottile, who always seems to relish having issues with unions in general, runs to the paper and claims there is intimidation going on.

Mayor Sottile is the perfect example of why local political endorsements and decisions by Organized Labor CANNOT BE MADE STRICTLY BY PARTY AFFILIATION. He is the poster boy for that as an ANTI-UNION DEMOCRAT.

This is an EXAMPLE OF WHY many union political funds WILL NOT SUPPORT THE DEMOCRATIC COMITTEE. We wouldn't want any of our HARD EARNED dollars supporting another anti-union candidate through the DEM pipeline.

Sottile stated that “My office has received calls that people felt intimated to sign a petition, and that is a wrong tactic to take.” What he doesn't say is that there is ALSO MUCH SUPPORT FOR THE POLICE.

He is trying to spin this his way because he is against unions in general and it is now the police unions turn in his barrel.

He also said he hopes members of the Police Benevolent Association are not pressuring people into signing. Cut it out Mayor. Just say you hate the unions because they give their members a voice that you have to listen to. They prevent you from being a little Hitler.

The Police Benevolent Association absolutely denies that ANYONE has or would intimidate a resident and if they come upon a resident who does not want to sign they thank them and move on. Remember- they protect the people. It is ridiculous to even say that they have intimidated one of the residents.

So kiddies, when you recieve your union endorsements in the mail and you see a larger mix of Republicans and Democrats - you will understand why we ENDORSE THE PERSON AND NOT THE PARTY. Sometimes even a Donkey turns out to be a pig or a nasty elephant.

Stint Work - Smart Move or Jerk Move?

Kingston Mayor James Sottile has made a big splash with his latest move - to discontinue "stint work shifts" among City sanitation workers as of November 1

“Stint work shifts” allow those workers to leave work early if their tasks are completed but still get paid in full.

Let's examine this a little deeper.

A good leader always knows history. DID THE MAYOR CHECK TO SEE WHAT THE ORIGIN OF THE "STINT WORK SHIFT" WAS?

Everything in a contract evolves from a previous situation. I would BET that the origin of the "stint work shift" was the following:

COMPLAINING BUSINESS OWNERS.

In short, it most likely was the business community who screamed at a previous Mayor to get those smelly, large, dirty, obnoxious GARBAGE TRUCKS AWAY FROM MY BUSINESS DURING PEAK BUSINESS HOURS. It doesn't go well with lunch or my pretty little boutique. The trucks also make for a nice CLOG in front of our stores between 12 noon and 4pm.

I can hear them screaming right now in my time machine, "Oh, Mr. Previous Mayor - can you not do something to get those dirty trucks and dirty men away from our customers, parking spaces and buildings? YOU ARE COSTING MY BUSINESS MONEY!"

Have no fear business people - Mr. Previous Mayor has a solution. I will get those dirty men and smelly trucks off of the street before it can effect your business.

I will make them a deal, start early, hustle your ass, finish up and beat it.
Case solved.

Until 2009 that is.

Mayor Sottile has now decided that those days are over and has even been quoted saying that, “It just doesn’t make sense.”

This should be good. I just hope that they don't forget to wash up before lunch. Maybe now they can even dine in one of those fine restaurants with the rest of the lunch crowd.

Know history or you are doomed to repeat it.