Posted on 09/14/2015 8:38:28 AM PDT by Cincinatus' Wife
Gov. Scott Walker (R-Wis.) is proposing the elimination of federal employee unions as part of broader package of policies aimed at curbing the influence of unions across the country.
Walker rocketed to national prominence on the back of his own anti-union policies back in Wisconsin, so he’s looking to elevate that push to the national level as he works to rebound from slipping poll numbers.
The plan, released Monday morning, includes shuttering the National Labor Relations Board, a government agency that protects employee’s ability to join unions and rules on unfair labor allegations. Walker plans to call the NLRB a “one-sided proxy for the big union bosses — often at the expense of taxpayers and workers,” according to excerpts of a Monday afternoon speech at a Las Vegas town hall.
It also calls for a federal “Right to Work” law, a measure that prohibits compelling employees to join a union. Opponents of the policy criticize it for impeding collective bargaining rights.
“Any economic plan that does not bring our federal labor laws into the 21st Century is incomplete,” he will say.
“To grow the economy at a higher rate, requires a comprehensive approach and reform of the labor unions is a key part of the plan.”
States would be allowed to pass a law to overrule the national “Right to Work” presumption under Walker’s plan.
“Many of the nation’s federal labor laws and regulations have stood as a roadblock to fairness and opportunity, and instead have created rigid, top-down workplaces that don’t really work for Americans,” he said in a statement released with the plan.
“This will not be easy. Many—including the union bosses and the politicians they puppet—have long benefited from Washington rules that put the needs of special interests before those of middle-class families.”
The plan would also halt the practice of automatically taking union fees out of federal workers’ paychecks, bar unions from spending fees for political purposes, repeal the Obama administration’s labor regulations, and repeal a 1930’s law that forces the government to pay federal contractors the “local prevailing wage,” as determined by the Department of Labor.
The anti-union push mirrors the direction he’s taken Wisconsin, which has drawn both praise from supporters and the deep ire of critics. Walker helped shepherd a budget bill that restricted collective bargaining rights through the legislature in 2011, setting off wide-scale protests.
That prompted a 2012 recall election, which Walker won, and protestors continue to target Walker while he’s out on the stump.
Democratic National Committee spokesperson TJ Helmstetter panned the plan as “desperate and disgusting,” and amounts to Walker’s Wisconsin record “on steroids.”
“By seeking to dismantle unions – the backbone of the middle class that gave us weekends, paid vacations, and child labor laws – Scott Walker is again placing his political ambitions and the demands of his billionaire benefactors ahead of middle class Americans,” he said in a statement.
Walker has been battling slumping poll results over the past few months. He dropped from first place to tenth place in Quinnipiac University’s Iowa poll over a span of two months and now sits at seventh place nationally and in New Hampshire, according to RealClearPolitics’ average of recent polling.
Walker doesn't need my help in that regard.
...but regardless of how you choose to frame it, this is a BIG issue to millions of Americans and to the economy, and toward bringing down the power of Democrats.
Well if you're right then I imagine the polls will soon reflect it.
That is true, so you can take a breather.
As a non-Union federal employee I see the negative effects, as well. Our agency is constantly restrained from making labor decisions in favor of employees because of the threat of a lawsuit from our "organized" sister agencies. You also see the outrageous accounts of fired employees getting their jobs back through arbitration, with back pay. It insane.
Bump.
= :^)
Since when did 15 months before an election become “too late”? Heck, its 4+ months even until the first primary?
Walker revoked instate tuition for illegals 6 months into his 1st term (2011) - only governor who has.
What has your candidate done about illegal immigration that shows how he/she intends to govern?
You’re repeating democrat talking points about Walker.
Are you a democrat?
Nice try to deflect. NBC Meet the Press, August 30, 2015. “...Walker said his tough talk to securing the borders and enforcing U.S. laws extends to the 5,525-mile Canadian border as well.”
And additionally, to my point in the last post, here is his position(s) on the border...all in one week! Also from MTP.
“Walker first said he favored Trump’s idea of repealing birthright citizenship. He backed off that stance days later, telling a reporter that he hasn’t taken a position. And then last Sunday, he said that he isn’t advocating any changes to laws on the books — including the Fourteenth Amendment. Despite taking three different positions in the course of a week, Walker insisted Sunday on NBC, his stance has been consistent.”
It cannot be solved at the national level, but an anti union President sure as heck sets the table better for that discussion than a pro union President. Legislation is NOT the President’s main task....BULLY PULPIT is.
IN that regard, Walker, who is not my first choice, would be great for this issue.
First of all Sam, it’s childish to point at the scoreboard as proof of your validity...especially in pre game warm ups.
Second of all, I am fully aware that the american voter can be ignorant while a cancer swallows them whole....so again, the entire premise of your last post to me is just absurd.
He's not president yet. And if he concentrates on an issue that the overwhelming majority of Americans either oppose him on or flat out don't give a damn about then he never will be.
So you don’t think Walker is looking at the “scoreboard”?
And if he is, does that make him “childish”?
You're right...there's never been a 'come back kid' story in elective politics.
Thank Mac-Truck.
Early on I said I liked Walker’s actions with the Unions, and I praised him for it. I didn’t think that would translate into him being the right guy across the board.
I’m real leery of one issue guys. I’m not saying that to insult Walker, because he probably did more than one thing right, but ultimately he is recognized for one big good thing.
How many times have we seen Powell, Rice, Christy, or some other person lauded for one good thing, only to see them revealed to be nowhere near the person we thought they were over-all?
I try to urge caution, but then you can’t be right every time, so you watch as folks do what they will do and see how it turns out.
This is how I saw Walker turning out. If not, I was concerned we’d wind up with the wrong guy, him parlaying his one big thing into a big win, and sadly the nation’s overall loss.
Hey, some folks will disagree. We see things from our own perspectives.
“One issue”
Is that today’s talking point?
Walker is hardly one issue.
He’s cut taxes, expanded gun rights, passed voter ID, defunded planned parenthood, cut government payroll numbers, revoked instate tuition for illegals, frozen tuition, expanded education choices, and much more.
He’s fighting Obamacare and has given his policy paper on healthcare, will revoke Obama’s EO on immigration day one, as well as the Iran deal, and go full throttle on unions.
Scott Walker is to statesmanship what Babe Ruth, Ty Cobb and Lou Gehrig were to baseball.
bttt!
typing slowly, so the dull witted can follow the logic: Looking at the scoreboard is one thing - making your case for your POV based on it is quite another, especially this early in the game......
It’s called perspective, context. Google those terms. Will help you out tons. Oh, Google is a search engine.
now you may be right as a campaign issue...I was NOT referring to this as a great campaign issue...it SHOULD be, but the ignorant public is otherwise occupied.
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