Bernie Sanders introduces labor plan to broaden union power

[Uncle Joe]

Sioux City, Iowa (CNN)Sen. Bernie Sanders, who has frequently done his presidential campaigning on picket lines, unveiled a comprehensive set of proposals on Wednesday designed to revive and newly empower organized labor.

Sanders' "Workplace Democracy Plan" includes a mix of legislation and promised executive orders, including one that would deny federal contracts to companies that pay their executives 150 times more than their employees or offer wages lower than $15 an hour. The Vermont independent would also push new legislation allowing all federal workers the right to strike and end so-called right-to-work laws.

(snip)

"Corporate America and the billionaire class have been waging a 40-year war against the trade union movement in America that has caused devastating harm to the middle class in terms of lower wages, fewer benefits and frozen pensions," Sanders said in a statement. "That war will come to an end when I am president. If we are serious about rebuilding the middle class in America, we have got to rebuild, strengthen and expand the trade union movement in America."

(snip)

Perhaps the most ambitious pitch offered by Sanders would allow for so-called "sectoral collective bargaining," which would allow unions to negotiate rules and standards with entire industries -- not just between employees and the individual companies within them.

https://www.cnn.com/2019/08/21/politics/bernie-sanders-2020-labor-union-plan/index.html

[Hortensis]

1. What?!!! His OWN campaign union needs "broader power."

Unbelievable!

Sanders' own workers' attempts to redress pay grievances through the new union were blocked for months after it was formed. From that refusal to move forward with negotiations, I strongly suspected he hoped to run the clock on his campaign without ever having to pay more.

But when MEDIA exposure threatened him into okaying some action, the action taken was an insult to his workers' hard work and contributions without putting one more penny into their pockets. Also, note that cutting their hours so pay/hour would now equal $15, so many still couldn't afford to support themselves, was NOT retroactive over the many months they were exploited.

This isn't even mentioning the years of ignored sexual harassment and other abuses in his campaigns.

[HerbChestnut]

2. Oh, FFS...

[Hortensis]

7. Shall we talk about nonexistent overtime pay? Many months of it?

Wonder how much that would total?

These workers who believed in Sanders were reportedly often working 60 hours a week. Before he cut their hours to 40 to avoid paying them more.

Don't suppose their landlords are cutting their rent in sympathy.

[HerbChestnut]

12. There are so many errors in that post...

1. They did get a raise.
2. They're salaried workers. When was the last time a salaried worker anywhere got overtime?
3. They get all or most of their healthcare paid for by the campaign depending on salary level, which is better than most campaigns.
4. They were being asked to work 60 hours per week, again, normal for campaigns. Now they are asked to work less ON TOP of getting a salary increase.

[Hortensis]

14. 1. When the media forced it, they got a raise per hour

and big cuts in hours to make their pay equal the $15/hour he was claiming everyone else should pay while he refused to. (And note that Biden at least has been paying the same workers over $15/hour.)

2. We're talking mostly field and other lower-level workers who are paid by the hour, not his salaried employees, including his $120+K/year "surrogates." These are MOST of his employees, btw.

3. Healthcare "depending on salary level"? What?!!! again. See #2. And please point out the "most" campaigns that do not provide healthcare for their professional-level salaried employees since that info's not readily come by.

4. So, if work is what workers are "normally" asked to do, it's not exploitation and can't be underpaid? That's not what Sanders says, just what he did over both campaigns.

Chestnut, if you can't come up with even one honestly factual answer to refute, what are you doing? Don't try to refute. Speak truth. If you don't care about his labor record and you support him for other reasons, just say that. You don't even have to explain what those are.

[HerbChestnut]

15. I get it.

Bernie and his campaign do something positive, and that isn't allowed here. See ya, Hortensis.

[ehrnst]

25. Was it "positive" when he publicly criticized his union staff for exercizing their rights?

"It does bother me that people are going outside of the process and going to the media," he said. "That is really not acceptable. It is really not what labor negotiations are about, and it's improper."

Sanders said, ahead of a weekend Iowa campaign swing: "We are disappointed that some individuals have decided to damage the integrity of these efforts. We are involved in negotiations. And some are individuals that have decided to damage the integrity of that process before they were concluded."

https://www.desmoinesregister.com/story/news/elections/presidential/caucus/2019/07/19/bernie-sanders-campaign-staff-wage-15-hour-union-elizabeth-warren-campaign-wages/1781159001/

I guess Sanders needs to be briefed about labor law...

According to the NLRB:

“Employees have a statutory right to speak publically about their complaints or concerns with their terms and conditions of employment, including to the press, without employer authorization.”

In other words, employees have a right under the National Labor Relations Act generally to discuss their employment – including with the press. Based on the finding that the policy was unlawful, the NLRB also found that the company violated labor law when it terminated two employees pursuant to the policy for speaking to the media about a workplace issue. A more narrowly tailored policy may have passed muster, but the broad media prohibition, in this case, crossed the line.

https://www.natlawreview.com/article/can-you-terminate-employee-talking-to-press

Interestingly, shortly after campaign staffers talked to the media...

The charge was filed by a former staffer, a campaign spokeswoman told Bloomberg Law. The staffer alleges that the campaign retaliated against certain workers for engaging in protected labor activity, according to redacted copy of the document.

Campaign leaders “retaliated against me when I organized the bargaining unit and sent an email requesting compliance with the” collective employment contract, the anonymous staffer wrote in the charge. The staffer also said that at least three campaign workers were fired in retaliation for their organizing and union activities, among other allegations.
......................................................

The staffer alleged that the campaign “failed to notify us upon hire that we had a” collective bargaining agreement and “maintained that we were ‘at-will.’” At-will workers generally can be fired at any time and for any reason the employer deems appropriate.

The staffer said campaign management promised “some employees housing, and not others,” despite that paid housing and expenses are required under the collective bargaining agreement. The Sanders campaign also broke the terms of its collective bargaining agreement by making staff work additional days and failing to provide days off, according to the charge allegations.
........................................................................................................................................
The allegations come shortly after a tense period in the relationship between the Sanders campaign and the union representing its staffers was recently made public. The internal disagreements sparked some criticism of the White House candidate—who has made worker rights a central part of his pitch to voters—from conservatives and Republican politicians.

https://news.bloomberglaw.com/daily-labor-report/sanders-campaign-complaint-alleges-retaliation-for-unionizing

[wasupaloopa]

3. He couldn't do anything about the Chinese company that took over the closed

Chevrolet plant in Dayton. The workers are paid less than half of what GM paid them. And no union can ever get a foothold there.

Very few working places would fall under Bernie’s plan. Better would be to provide education to young people so that they would have a marketable skill and not have to work on a factory floor.

Also Bernie can’t do anything about robotics taking jobs away. His ideas fit a period that is long past.

Someone trying to make it the future has to take it on themselves to get a marketable skill that will be needed in the future. I am talking about young people. Don’t wait for Bernie to make the task easy, it is never easy. Save yourself if you can.

We can’t remake factories into what they were in the past, though trump says he can. Older unskilled workers are faced with diminishing opportunities.

[Hortensis]

10. Knowing he'd never have to come through enables all sorts of claims.

[comradebillyboy]

21. Yet another empty gesture...

[RainCaster]

4. Labor unions have never stood up for equal pay

Bernie is no different

[Go Vols]

18. Unions stand for that and more daily.

http://slideplayer.com/6350573/22/images/66/Labor+Relations.jpg

[RainCaster]

20. I strongly disagree

It's because of unions that we have 5 day work weeks. For everyone.

It's because of unions that we have strong laws about payroll responsibility, and how bankruptcy doesn't get you out of it. Also for everyone.

It's because of unions that we have minimum wage laws across the country. For everyone.

It's because of unions that we have laws protecting minors from overwork. For everyone.

The Equal Rights Amendment was originally pushed by unions, but it still hasn't passed, and the unions have been silent on this. This should be a major labor union issue for the coming election. Please explain.

[Go Vols]

22. Thats what I said above,I thought.

click the link too,it didnt show as a pic.

Retired Union Ironworker here that appreciates your sentiments regarding Unions.

[Vegas Roller]

5. Always an election year maneuver

What did he do for 30+ years? Name two post offices. Otherwise zilch, zippo, nada.

[HerbChestnut]

8. Facts disagree, Vegas.

[Vegas Roller]

9. No they don't nt

[HerbChestnut]

13. Here's one example. There are many more.

https://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2015/07/how-bernie-sanders-fought-for-our-veterans-119708

[HerbChestnut]

6. Thanks for the thread, Uncle Joe.

Ignore the negative nancies.

[Uncle Joe]

11. You are most welcome HerbChestnut

[Bradical79]

16. Apparently Sanders hate has turned some Dems anti-labor...

It's bonkers.

[Uncle Joe]

27. I believe it's more like brought it to the surface Bradical. n/t

[Hassin Bin Sober]

17. Yep. Ignore them. They can't help themselves

[ehrnst]

24. That's a pretty disturbing gif to post with Bernie's name on it.

Surprised seeing you posting it.

[George II]

29. It's ageist if you ask me.

[Go Vols]

19. K&R

[NYMinute]

23. His own campaign union is suing the campaign nt

[ehrnst]

26. I know, right? For "retaliation against workers engaging in protected labor activity"

The charge was filed by a former staffer, a campaign spokeswoman told Bloomberg Law. The staffer alleges that the campaign retaliated against certain workers for engaging in protected labor activity, according to redacted copy of the document.

Campaign leaders “retaliated against me when I organized the bargaining unit and sent an email requesting compliance with the” collective employment contract, the anonymous staffer wrote in the charge. The staffer also said that at least three campaign workers were fired in retaliation for their organizing and union activities, among other allegations.
......................................................

The staffer alleged that the campaign “failed to notify us upon hire that we had a” collective bargaining agreement and “maintained that we were ‘at-will.’” At-will workers generally can be fired at any time and for any reason the employer deems appropriate.

The staffer said campaign management promised “some employees housing, and not others,” despite that paid housing and expenses are required under the collective bargaining agreement. The Sanders campaign also broke the terms of its collective bargaining agreement by making staff work additional days and failing to provide days off, according to the charge allegations.
........................................................................................................................................
The allegations come shortly after a tense period in the relationship between the Sanders campaign and the union representing its staffers was recently made public. The internal disagreements sparked some criticism of the White House candidate—who has made worker rights a central part of his pitch to voters—from conservatives and Republican politicians.

https://news.bloomberglaw.com/daily-labor-report/sanders-campaign-complaint-alleges-retaliation-for-unionizing

[George II]

31. Isn't one of his supporters suing the Warren campaign for "unfair labor practices" too?

[NYMinute]

32. Yeah .. because Sen Warren is vacuuming BS's support

except for the core devotees who are committed.

[Recursion]

30. Huge fan of sector-level bargaining

That's a tremendous idea.