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~snip~ But the dealership took exception, and fought back: The result has been an outpouring of comment on Twitter that can’t be pleasing to the union bosses. Twitchy has a round-up The union went a couple of steps too far when it posted this union flyer on its website:

Hip-hop hot shot Jay-Z is getting hammered by carpenters for using nonunion labor for the facelift of his Manhattan club 40/40. But the carpenters union, which erected five inflatable rats outside the Chelsea joint this week, has gone too far by shouting the N-word at management, according to Jay-Z's rep. "The union is trying to bully 40/40 to hire union workers. They were shouting racial slurs. It was really inappropriate protesting," said Lauren Menache, a spokeswoman for the Brooklyn-born singer. Read more: http://www.nydailynews.com/gossip/2011/09/04/2011-09-04_union_and_jayz_club_each_other.html#ixzz1XE8mu5qg

  Standing before a judge in Manhattan federal court on Friday, November 19, Michael Forde learned the price of high living and the crime that made it possible: 11 years in prison. For some members of the organization he once headed, the New York District Council of Carpenters and Joiners, that isn't long enough. Forde had pleaded guilty to racketeering, bribery and perjury in late July in connection with taking as much as $1 million in illegal contractor bribes and skimming many millions more from union benefit funds. The Justice Department uncovered the scheme as part of a probe...

Report: Carpenters Union Pays Minimum Wage to Hire Protestors The Mid-Atlantic Regional Council of Carpenters is paying unemployed non-union workers to protest outside Washington, D.C., office buildings, telling the Wall Street Journal that it's sometimes too difficult to get its own people to come downtown to demonstrate. fox news The Mid-Atlantic Regional Council of Carpenters is paying unemployed non-union workers to protest outside Washington, D.C., office buildings, telling the Wall Street Journal that it's sometimes too difficult to get its own people to come downtown to demonstrate. WSJ reports that the carpenters union has been hiring people -- many of...

Members of the carpenters union in New York City have ruined any chance that authorities there will take their union out of government oversight by beating unconscious William Davenport, a union dissident running for office in the union. After an August 5 candidates forum, the candidate was beaten by members of the carpenters union audience outside a church. Outside a CHURCH! This thuggery along with continued Mob involvement, indictments and convictions on corruption of union members convinced Judge Charles S. Haight, Jr. not to release the union from government oversight.... Read the rest at Publiusforum.com...

CHICAGO -- Another city Department of Buildings inspector has resigned over questionable answers on his resume, a week after Commissioner Stan Kaderbek took personal responsibility for the hiring of two other inspectors who quit when questions were raised about their qualifications David Mareno, 49, resigned Tuesday when he could not verify previous work experience stated on his resume, buildings department spokeswoman Breelyn Peete said. News reports said Mareno claimed to have worked two years at a place where he actually had worked only two weeks. Kaderbek admitted at a City Hall news conference on Friday that it was embarrassing his...

CHICAGO (CBS 2) Chicago's building commissioner apologizes for what he calls embarrassing hires. Now the two young former building inspectors could face fines. Both 23-year-old Kevin Sexton and 19-year-old Andy Ryan are sons of high-ranking officials in the carpenter's union. They quit this week after questions were raised about their qualifications. The hiring of Ryan sparked public outcry, and the city is vowing to send a message to other potential hires: that lying on job applications will not be tolerated. Sources say Building Commissioner Stan Kaderbek’s job is on the line. Kaderbek can't afford any more such "embarrassments," not after...

Daley Declines To Answer Questions About Carol Marin's Column. City officials responded Wednesday to a Sun-Times column by NBC5 contributor Carol Marin about the 19-year-old son of a top Carpenters Union official being hired as a building inspector. Asked about the employment of Andy Ryan, son of Local 13 Secretary-Treasurer Tom Ryan, Daley said he was unaware Andy Ryan had been hired and referred questions to Buildings Commissioner Stan Kaderbek. "He's the man," Daley said. "He can answer it, that's his job." Marin reported that Andy Ryan's hiring was questioned because the city requires building inspectors to complete an apprenticeship...

(Hammond-AP) -- The son of long-time East Chicago Mayor Robert Pastrick pleaded guilty today to making kickbacks in a corruption scandal. Kevin Pastrick filed a petition in U-S District Court to change his earlier innocent plea to guilty on seven counts in an indictment. As part of the deal, federal prosecutors agreed to recommend a sentence at the low end of the range Pastrick faces on the counts. Pastrick is a real estate developer. The indictment says he got a 600-thousand-dollar commission from a 1999 land deal. He allegedly paid a 200-thousand dollar kickback to former state Democratic Party Chairman...