Unions hire scabs to picket

[CitadelGrad]

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB1000142 ... 99660.html

Billy Raye, a 51-year-old unemployed bike courier, is looking for work.

Fortunately for him, the Mid-Atlantic Regional Council of Carpenters is seeking paid demonstrators to march and chant in its current picket line outside the McPherson Building, an office complex here where the council says work is being done with nonunion labor.

"For a lot of our members, it's really difficult to have them come out, either because of parking or something else," explains Vincente Garcia, a union representative who is supervising the picketing.

So instead, the union hires unemployed people at the minimum wage—$8.25 an hour—to walk picket lines. Mr. Raye says he's grateful for the work, even though he's not sure why he's doing it. "I could care less," he says. "I am being paid to march around and sound off."

[death dealer]

This sounds like something right out of a Douglas Adams novel.

[death dealer]

[89Hen]

My dad was a member of Local Picket Union 575.

[BDKJMU]

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB1000142 ... 99660.html

Billy Raye, a 51-year-old unemployed bike courier, is looking for work.

Fortunately for him, the Mid-Atlantic Regional Council of Carpenters is seeking paid demonstrators to march and chant in its current picket line outside the McPherson Building, an office complex here where the council says work is being done with nonunion labor.

"For a lot of our members, it's really difficult to have them come out, either because of parking or something else," explains Vincente Garcia, a union representative who is supervising the picketing.

So instead, the union hires unemployed people at the minimum wage—$8.25 an hour—to walk picket lines. Mr. Raye says he's grateful for the work, even though he's not sure why he's doing it. "I could care less," he says. "I am being paid to march around and sound off."

Article is wrong. Minimum wage is $7.25 an hr. Carry on...

[Col Hogan]

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB1000142 ... 99660.html

Billy Raye, a 51-year-old unemployed bike courier, is looking for work.

Fortunately for him, the Mid-Atlantic Regional Council of Carpenters is seeking paid demonstrators to march and chant in its current picket line outside the McPherson Building, an office complex here where the council says work is being done with nonunion labor.

"For a lot of our members, it's really difficult to have them come out, either because of parking or something else," explains Vincente Garcia, a union representative who is supervising the picketing.

So instead, the union hires unemployed people at the minimum wage—$8.25 an hour—to walk picket lines. Mr. Raye says he's grateful for the work, even though he's not sure why he's doing it. "I could care less," he says. "I am being paid to march around and sound off."

Article is wrong. Minimum wage is $7.25 an hr. Carry on...

Except in Washington DC where the "pickets " are protesting...minimum wage in DC is $8.25 an hour...

http://www.dol.gov/whd/minwage/america.htm#DC" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[BDKJMU]

Article is wrong. Minimum wage is $7.25 an hr. Carry on...

Except in Washington DC where the "pickets " are protesting...minimum wage in DC is $8.25 an hour...

http://www.dol.gov/whd/minwage/america.htm#DC" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Well, they should have mentioned in the article "DC minimum wage" as opposed to minimum wage. Unless its otherwise stated, "minimum wage" infers the fed minimum wage.

[CitadelGrad]

Splitting hairs, aren't you?

[BDKJMU]

Splitting hairs, aren't you?

Just saying. If you hear or read about someone talking about the minimum wage, what minimum wage do you think they're talking about?

[Col Hogan]

Except in Washington DC where the "pickets " are protesting...minimum wage in DC is $8.25 an hour...

http://www.dol.gov/whd/minwage/america.htm#DC" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Well, they should have mentioned in the article "DC minimum wage" as opposed to minimum wage. Unless its otherwise stated, "minimum wage" infers the fed minimum wage.

Ahh....the date line on the story is Washington, DC...and I think some 20 states have minimum wages higher than the federal minimum...

[Col Hogan]

Well, they should have mentioned in the article "DC minimum wage" as opposed to minimum wage. Unless its otherwise stated, "minimum wage" infers the fed minimum wage.

Ahh....the date line on the story is Washington, DC...and I think some 20 states have minimum wages higher than the federal minimum...

Now, to get this back on track...this is a hoot that a union is paying MINIMUM WAGE to people to fake picket so the union members can get higher wages...

[BDKJMU]

Well, they should have mentioned in the article "DC minimum wage" as opposed to minimum wage. Unless its otherwise stated, "minimum wage" infers the fed minimum wage.

Ahh....the date line on the story is Washington, DC...and I think some 20 states have minimum wages higher than the federal minimum...

Ok, I looked briefly. All I came up with was wiki (I know, take it with a grain of salt) and it shows 14 states + DC paying higher than the $7.25 fed.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_U.S._minimum_wages" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
I didn't realize this, as when the Fed $5.15 was raised 07'-09' in 3 phases to $7.25, I think only a couple of states were higher than $7.25. When I saw "minimum wage" I naturally assumed they meant fed. Still think when someone mentions in an article those less than 30% of states where its higher they should mention its the state or local minimum. I know, I took this off topic. Sorry!

Ok, back on topic. I agree it is funny that a union has to resort to paying the local minimum wage to get people to picket.

[houndawg]

The pickets need to threaten unionizing if they don't get $10/hr.

Hell they could probably get 15, the independents around here are getting 25-35/hr.

[andy7171]

Is this news? The is a company here in Baltimore that has had people picketing outside of the Town and Country building for years. They are all homeless people, or look like it. I've always assumed they weren't union members, just paid losers.

[GannonFan]

Some unions today are just plain funny (well, maybe not funny haha, just funny in terms of how far away from their roots they've become and how some - not all - are just not needed anymore).

[89Hen]

Some unions today are just plain funny (well, maybe not funny haha, just funny in terms of how far away from their roots they've become and how some - not all - are just not needed anymore).

You mean like...

American Federation of Musicians of the United States and Canada AFM
American Federation of Television and Radio Artists AFTRA
American Train Dispatchers Department ATDD (atdd.homestead.com/atddpg1.html)
American Guild of Variety Artists AGVA
The Guild of Italian American Actors GIAA
Bakery, Confectionery, Tobacco Workers and Grain Millers' International Union BCTGM
Brotherhood of Railroad Signalmen BRS
Glass, Molders, Pottery, Plastics and Allied Workers International Union GMP (gmpiu.org)
International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees IATSE
International Brotherhood of Boilermakers, Iron Ship Builders, Blacksmiths, Forgers and Helpers
International Plate Printers, Die Stampers and Engravers Union of North America
International Union of Allied Novelty and Production Workers
Seafarers International Union of North America SIU
Coalition of Graduate Employee Unions
Dramatists Guild of America
Jockeys' Guild
National Rural Letter Carriers Association NRLCA
Stage Directors and Choreographers Society SDC
World Umpires Association

[tribe_pride]

Anyone in the DC area has seen these union hired picketers who are banging homemade drums for years. Every once in a while there is a truck carrying a large rat with the picketers.

Not sure what others think, but to me it makes me more sympathetic to the building's tenants than to the unions (not the hiring of people to picket but the banging of the drums)

[AZGrizFan]

In Arizona (well, at least until the 29th of July) the unions go pick up Mexican day-laborers and have THEM picket and hold the signs.

[CID1990]

Article is wrong. Minimum wage is $7.25 an hr. Carry on...

Except in Washington DC where the "pickets " are protesting...minimum wage in DC is $8.25 an hour...

http://www.dol.gov/whd/minwage/america.htm#DC" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

PING!