In
her annual Labor Day Op-Ed (RGJ 9-6-2015) attacking organized workers,
political consultant Randi Thompson again misled readers in numerous
ways.
Labor leaders do not “block” bills from passing, lawmakers
do. Representatives of business and industry, along with Nevada labor
leaders, testified in opposition to legislative bills during the 78th
Session (2015) which would have had profoundly negative impacts not
only upon workers, but also upon Nevada’s economic recovery from
the worst recession in 70 years. During
that time, Nevada working families suffered tremendously.
Although subsequently amended, Senate
Bill 119 was one of many examples of how disappointing and unbelievable
the 78th Session was. Shortly after the majority party voted to take
away prevailing wages from Nevada construction workers building new
schools, the same sponsor of that bill (Sen. Ben Kieckhefer, R-Reno),
introduced SB227.
That bill proposed scholarships for children of Nevada working families
because a new study found that Nevadans rank 50th in the nation with
respect to ability to afford college.
Labor representatives are active and retired professional tradesmen
and women who are elected in democratic fashion, following the same
parliamentary rules of order used throughout the business world. Using
derogatory terms like “bosses” or “thugs” to describe
labor leaders is a smear tactic intentionally promoted by corporate,
billionaire-sponsored think tanks. Such inflammatory rhetoric is both
divisive and counterproductive, and results in tasteless comments, such
as the New Jersey governor sadly professing his desire to punch teachers
in the face.
The U.S. Department of Labor and the National Labor Relations Board
were established in 1913 in 1935, respectively. DOL policies and tenets
are not recent “reinforcements” for fair labor practices,
nor are they “carrying on traditions of labor provocation and harassing
small businesses like Uber…” as Thompson opines. Uber is NOT
a small business; it’s a multi-billion dollar global corporation
on the verge of an initial public stock offering and Wall Street trading.
The DOL recently released
an advisory memo giving direction to employers due to the tremendous
increase in misclassification of employees as independent contractors
by some unscrupulous operators. They use the category to absolve themselves
of responsibly providing employee benefits and thus further undermining
an already uneven playing field with respect to competition, all the
while (not surprisingly) enjoying phenomenal profit margins. This is
certainly not fair to the vast majority of honest businesses.
Ms. Thompson’s views on Las Vegas casinos and workers’ unionizing
efforts are very unbalanced. Additional, comprehensive information regarding
Station Casinos vs. its employees (such as a judge finding that Station
had broken federal labor laws scores of times) can be found on websites
such as workerstation.com, the
Nevada State AFL-CIO and Culinary
Local 226.
For Ms. Thompson to associate the tragic loss of life during the Illinois
protests and strikes of 1886 and 1894 to the struggles of Nevada workers
today is appalling. Furthermore, failing to provide more of the history
behind the national observation of Labor Day is insensitive. Twenty
three states had already adopted labor holidays celebrating American
workers before the terrible events in Illinois during the late
1800’s.
Illinois refused to follow
federal labor laws, forcing workers to illegally sign waivers. The rail-car
builders in Pullman’s mandatory work camps became indentured servants,
one of the very practices our forefathers fought the Revolutionary War
against in order to establish freedom for all men and women.
Labor Day is about honoring historical struggles, sacrifices and accomplishments
while recognizing the continuous spirit, productivity and value
of American workers. It is not about childishly speculating who has
the day off. Union and non-union laborers work in transportation, service,
utilities, safety, etc., on Labor Day to keep commerce flowing, just
as Randi does.
Commerce and labor are the two arms of Industry and their relationship
is both inseparable and symbiotic. The health of one absolutely depends
upon the health of the other. All business owners know that their best
customers are well-paid workers with money to spend and the time to
do so. American laborers are the consumer catalysts who fuel economic
success.
It is time to stop the finger
pointing. The right for corporations and businesses to have representation
by joining dues-collecting entities without threat or fear of reprisal
should be the same for workers. Imagine what commerce and labor could
accomplish together via a cooperative effort with the goal of prosperity
for all.
___________
Mike
Pilcher is the elected president of the Northern Nevada Central Labor
Council/AFL-CIO. He is a longtime Reno firefighter and member of International
Association of Firefighters Local 731/AFL-CIO.
EDITOR'S
NOTE: Business lobbyist and twice-defeated Republican legislative candidate
Randi Thompson's column has run every-other-Sunday for most of the past
decade. Despite repeated requests over the past half-century, the Reno
paper has repeatedly refused to print a regular column from the workers'
point of view. In August of 2015, beat reporters and decision makers
were approached with story suggestions about northern Nevada workers
in this rapidly expanding market. The paper's representatives demonstrated
no interest.
