Posted on 05/19/2009 11:58:15 AM PDT by reaganaut1
In the Ozark Mountain town of Rogers, Ark., more than 250 business owners gathered for lunch at a construction company last month to focus on what they saw as a major threat -- a proposal in Congress to make it easier to form labor unions.
At each place setting, attendees found pre-stamped postcards and pre-written letters to be sent to Arkansas' U.S. senators, Democrats Mark Pryor and Blanche Lincoln, who had supported the labor bill in the past. After lunch, the business owners were ushered to computers to send e-mail messages as well.
Five days later came the good news: Two Senate votes had been stripped from the pro-union bill. Lincoln said she would oppose it outright, while Pryor declared the current version "dead" and said he would look for compromises.
Today, thanks to those and other defections, key components of the bill are in serious jeopardy. And the legislation has produced one of the biggest surprises in Washington since Democrats swept the White House and Congress: The nation's labor unions, which organized so effectively last year to help elect President Obama, have been outmaneuvered so far on their top priority by their opponents in the business community.
"We were outspent, outhustled and outorganized," said one chagrined union advisor who was not authorized to speak by name.
"The legislation is severely challenged," said John Wilhelm, hospitality president of Unite Here -- the textile, hotel and culinary workers' union. "The unified business community has been so strident about the issue, they have effectively achieved solidarity among Republican senators."
The labor movement, somewhat divided, he said, has let Democratic support drift away.
(Excerpt) Read more at latimes.com ...
Walmart is an Arkansas firm.
Interesting word picture from the LA Times. Rogers is hardly an "Ozark Mountain Town". In the first place, its on a plateau with nary a mountain in sight. And far from being some little hillbilly outpost, Rogers is part of the fastest growing part of the state. Smack dab next to Rogers is Bentonville, home of WalMart, and just south is Springdale, home of Tyson's Foods. Every manufacturer of retail goods in the United States has an office in Benton County, a requirment if you want to do business with WalMart. This was not a bunch of good old boys sittin' around the cracker barrel whitlin' and talkin' about how to deal with them Chicago Union boys.
The higher ups in dh’s company have said they will close their doors before they allow a union...and they employ around 1500 just here in Fort Smith, AR (8000 companywide).
Go Hogs!
"Oh great, they capitalized that lower case "i". I can support it now!"
I've learned that when someone says they're looking for a compromise, they are actually saying they really wanted this bill and can't wait to get a chance to vote on something very similar in the near future.
Pryor is a forked tongued viper no doubt.
You are exactly right. I lived there for 10 years (in Joplin, MO now) and in the 10 years since I have been gone it has exploded with growth.
Written by Tom Hamburger? Now that’s funny. :-)
You mean China-mart?
I defended these clowns against libs (who never do things for the right reason).
However, I’m specifically NOT purchasing items made in China - unless it’s absolutely, positively the only source.
Guess I won’t be able to buy a GM car soon, eh?
FYI...I am NOT the owner or management.
If he would have left out the Mountain part of it, he would have been more accurate.
Isn’t that region considered to be a part of the Ozarks? Or is the proper use of the word limited to the Mountain range?
C’mon — you know the press. They had visions of y’all there huddled up under the eaves of your tarpaper shacks, sittin’ in a busted-up rockin’ chair, pluckin’ on a banjo, with a coon dog on your left and a jug of shine on your right.
Actually, it might be to an advantage to buy the GM cars from China if only to give the finger to the UAW and help GM pay off their bailout in a timely manner.
But, then again...maybe not. The UAW would just ignore the message.
You forgot..”marrying your sister..”
“Card check and cap-and-trade are beatable, health care is the biggie IMO.’
It may take cap and ball.
Rogers, Ak home of Daisey & Avanti. Anyone up for an airgun contest?
I am glad to hear this.
Im so glad to hear that this has failed for now, I’m a hospitality student (working towards becoming a chef) in Hot Spring, Arkansas and this would have been detrimental to the hosptitality industry here, which is pretty much all we have in Hot Springs.
Well, they can’t get all huffy about that, now, can they? What with all the support for same-sex marriage, shackin’ up with your sisters or cousins is just another “non-heteronormative lifestyle choice.”
Now come on, that's just silly talk from those people in Chicago. But, there is an Arkansas law about marrying your cousin. If she isn't your cousin, you need to get permission from the judge.
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