SULLIVAN'S SALVOS
September 7, 2022
Sullivan’s Salvos 9/13/22
In this edition:
*RIP Barbara Ehrenreich
*Union Busting
*Student Debt Forgiveness
*Extremes in Both Parties
*Did You Know?
*RIP Barbara Ehrenreich
I was sad to hear of the passing of author and activist Barbara Ehrenreich. Ehrenreich is perhaps as responsible as anyone for the renewed interest in economic justice over the past couple of decades. Her huge best seller Nickled and Dimed: On Getting By in America opened a lot of eyes as to how people working low wage jobs struggle. If you never read it, or have not read it in a while, please do so. It rings as true today as it did 20 years ago.
*Union Busting
Labor Day is in the rearview mirror now. Unfortunately, that means most people quit thinking about organized labor for another year. Meanwhile, I want to call attention to some unwitting union busting that has happened and continues to happen in Johnson County government.
A couple of years ago, the employees covered by Johnson County’s Administration Unit decertified their union, which was Public Professionals and Maintenance Employees (PPME). PPME continues to have two other active units in Johnson County government – one in the Sheriff’s Office, and one in Secondary Roads. There are also three units affiliated with the American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees (AFSCME). AFSCME has units that represent Ambulance, SEATS, and Social Services.
Why did the Admin Unit decertify? I think there are several reasons, and blame to go around. First, and most importantly, the law in Iowa is stacked against unions existing at all. We cannot underestimate how much laws that target unions make organizing (and staying organized) difficult.
Secondly, PPME had a local agent, but he was gruff and dismissive, and turned people off. This depressed union involvement amongst employees. He retired, and was not replaced locally. So workers were forced to deal with an agent who lived in Des Moines and simply wasn’t as available.
Thirdly, a longtime steward retired, and no one was willing to step up and serve in her place. When someone finally did so, he was viewed as “too close to management.” He offered to step down, but no one would step up.
Fourthly, we had a situation where an unpopular employee was going to be fired. She grieved her termination, the union argued on her behalf, and the Supervisors agreed with the union. She was reinstated. Several employees saw this as unions protecting a bad employee. Fact is, she may not have been a very good employee. But she did NOT deserve to be fired! She was then treated VERY badly by her peers until she left at a later date.
Finally, there was a very crafty, covert, anti-union campaign that was run to push decertification.
These incidents led to the vote to decertify. I was very disappointed in this, but life goes on. What has bothered me most is what has occurred AFTER the unit decertified. And Supervisors need to own this.
The Board may not have intended to send this message, but the message is clear: decertify your union, and we will increase your wages and benefits. It is the very definition of union busting. This is an exact tactic used by big corporations around the world.
So why is it a bad thing to get better wages and benefits? It is not, in the short term. But by undermining the unions, you eliminate the ability of the workers to have any voice. It might not matter today, or even next year, but there will come a time where employees will need those grievance procedures and they will not be there. That is typically the goal of union-busting. Give them something short term so they forfeit their long-term interests.
The fact that this Board seems willing to give a raise to most who requests it creates additional problems. First, it becomes an issue of fairness. Who gets a raise and who doesn’t? Right now, the Board is quite arbitrary as to how and when this happens. If you fight hard for yourself, the Board is likely to give you a raise. If your Department Head or Elected Official fights hard for you, the Board is likely to give you a raise. If you or your Department Head are unpopular? It will not happen. I am really bothered by the arbitrary nature of this. This does not happen under a union contract.
Timing is arbitrary as well. When do we give raises? With the unions, that is set. Right now, we get all kinds of requests that say, “Sue has been working outside of her job description.” The Board’s response is always to change the job description and give a raise; never do we ask the Department Head to simply stop having them work outside of their classification. And never do we say, “Wait until next fiscal year so it can be budgeted.” We just give the raise.
Merit increases? We live in Lake Woebegone. Every employee is well above average. Some bosses give perfect scores across the board, and claim that all their employees deserve it.
The current situation can exacerbate discrimination. Studies show that women, people of color, and LGBTQ+ individuals are less likely to speak up for themselves at work. So while the white men who nag Board Members about raises get results, the rest fall further behind.
There is also the matter of the budget. Arbitrary raises throughout the year have huge budgetary impacts. Not only do they impact the current year, but every year into the future.
Let me be very clear – I do not think my colleagues would purposely ever do anything to hurt any employees, union or not. But the decertification of this unit has shined a light upon and exacerbated all sorts of issues. The Board really needs to improve our processes when it comes to nonunion employees. The current processes are not fair.
Meanwhile, these experiences demonstrate the advantages of managing in a union environment. It is not just better for employees – it is better for bosses, too.
*Student Debt Forgiveness
I have two more things to say on student loan forgiveness:
1.) Americans who say "I never had anything handed to me!" Wrong! You *DID* get it "handed to you!" The state paid for most of a college education. The state actually taxed the wealthy rather than the middle class and poor, meaning you paid less. You grew up with decently - compensated teachers and law enforcement. There were social workers if needed. Unemployment, Medicaid, Medicare, and Social Security. Job and technical training was available. Unions kept the area median wage high. You had good roads, bridges, and parks. Fire protection and libraries.
YOU didn't do jack shit to earn that. Neither did I. That is what a decent society does for each other. We used to have that. And we used to be willing to pay for that.
2.) My Dad was born in a house with a dirt floor, no running water, and no electricity. He always said, "Why would I want that for my kids?"
I think this applies to the student loan forgiveness plan.
*Extremes in Both Parties
I have heard a lot of disgruntled Republicans use this term lately – “extremes in both parties.” Then they go on to compare Donald Trump, Paul Gosar, and Marjorie Taylor Green to Bernie Sanders and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez.
Let’s really look at the “extremes” of both sides. The three Republicans have routinely supported Nazis and Klan members. They have called for violence against their opponents, and violence against the US government. All three have been caught lying innumerable times, including about election results. All three would strip rights from women, people of color, the LGBTQ+ community, non-Christians, and more. I could go on.
Sanders and AOC have advocated for universal health care, higher taxes on the rich, and a Green New Deal. Both are honest.
And again, very little of what the GOP extremists say is true. That is a fact. Politifact found Trump to make untrue statements about 75% of the time. Sanders, on the other hand, made true statements about 80% of the time.
OK. Take a moment and compare the two lists. Do you see a lot of similarities? Me, either. But we have this narrative out there, driven by the media and some Republicans, that our current state of affairs is due to “extremes on both sides.” NO! This is simply not true!
Our media has been failing us for a long time now, and nowhere has it failed worse than with the constant “both sides”-ism. For some reason, the media feels this is an appropriate way to cover politics, but not other topics. For example, the media never went to the shooter in Uvalde, TX and said, “What is your side?” They didn’t cover the recent Kentucky floods by saying, “Why didn’t you move away from the risk?” When a local person dies in a traffic accident, they don’t go to the parents of the deceased and ask, “Why didn’t you teach him to drive better?”
But that is EXACTLY what the media does to people like Bernie and AOC. The media refuses to recognize that our current state of affairs is NOT he/said, she/said. There is one party that has sunk into dangerous territory, and the media has an obligation to say so!
One of the biggest examples of an utter lack of courage? The Des Moines Register is not going to do endorsements this year. Cowed by Kim Reynolds, they have chosen holding onto a few Republican subscribers over their mission. It is cowardly and shameful. But that is what we get nowadays.
So next time you hear the phrase, “extremes on both sides,” just say, “Bullshit!”
*DID YOU KNOW? Iowa has the third-highest rate of motorcycle ownership in the nation.
Anyone interested in learning more about County government should take a look at the County website-
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---Rod
posted by Rod Sullivan @ 4:25 PM
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