76 Responses to:
SEIU SHOULD LEAVE NON-PROFIT ALONE

# 1. 6/12/12 2:16 AM by Cal - Rochester, NY
Bob,

Obama`s top priority is pushing SEIU. Glenn Beck exposed this fact some time ago. So a vote for Obama is against the residents, the workers, the non-profit and the taxpayers who make the whole thing possible! I talked to John Stanley, labor leader for GE in Syracuse. He told me that he was "striving for a piece of the pie". After what these unions have done to us we should vote against Obama and his ilk who are robbing us. In other words we should throw the pie into their faces,like what just happened in Wisconsin!

# 2. 6/12/12 4:29 AM
the unions have become what they originally were fighting against.

# 3. 6/12/12 5:51 AM by DD
Unions trade humanity for money, work ethics for laziness, loyalty for ineptness, and at the end of the day the employee is bankrupt in more ways than one.

# 4. 6/12/12 6:48 AM by Scott - Henrietta, New York
Hi, Bob:

I read your column and I have to disagree with you on several counts.

The SEIU is not all unions. Not all unions are like the SEIU.

Unions have a place. Their main mission is to protect workers' rights. Some companies run roughshod over their workers expecting the workers to do things, which sometimes are out and out illegal. When they complain, they are fired.

Many thousands of workers belong to small, independent unions. The one I belong to has only about 90 Members. I know of unions that have only 12 to 15 Members.

My experience has been unions can improve relationships with management, can make the company more efficient, and can improve communication, because management has to listen.

Remember, many times it's management with the us-verse-them, the "them" being the workers in general. This type of management group looks at any complaints, suggestions, or anything that's not complete surrender to their whims as a threat against management power. That results in stress and poor performance.

I worked for a company where before the union came in, the turnover rate was sometimes 50% per year. After the union came it that turnover dropped dramatically. First, management could not fire people on a whim; they had to have just cause. Second, the fear and stress being caused by the threat of termination significantly decreased. Third, management had to listen to us and our suggestions and they discovered we knew what we were talking about. In this case, it was a win-win situation, the workers were protected, the company and its product truly improved.

I know about SEIU and its tactics. I've hears some say the SEIU is the brown shirts of the Democrat party. I know about other large unions, such as the Teamsters, who started out well, but ended up acting like a team of pirates. I heard a human resource manager once say the only reason why unions exist is to keep piss-poor employees in their jobs.

But, please, not all unions are like this. Please don't say "SEIU" as if they stand for ALL unions. Remember the good so many unions have done for all workers in general.

Editor's Note: keep living the dream

# 5. 6/12/12 6:49 AM by Grandma Taxpayer - Greece, NY
Unions have destroyed our country. One hundred years ago they helped bring change to the workforce and the appalling conditions some people worked under. Those days are long gone and have been for 50 years. Unions do not allow us to compete in the world market. Unions are dinosaurs filled with people only interested in power and sucking the life and money out of our country. They allow laziness, ineptitude and failure to thrive. Paying people ridiculous wages and benefits they don't deserve and wrecking the very industries that once made us great. Just look at our auto industry, the disappearance of our steel industry and the dismal outcomes in our educational system.

Wisconsin voters got it right! I hope this union vote at the ARC goes down in flames. I would hate to have a relative who needed care at the ARC be held hostage to union flunkies.

# 6. 6/12/12 7:02 AM - New York State
There is something horribly wrong with a society that pays hedge fund managers millions (for doing what, exactly?) but cannot pay those who care for the most vulnerable among us a livable wage. Anyone who works in a group home should be making at least 50 grand a year, with health care benefits. Under those circumstances,agencies would be able to choose the best workers, and care would dramatically improve. If individuals from the 1% have to somehow get by with a 19 vs. 20 million a year for that to happen,and it takes unionization to do it, then so be it.

# 7. 6/12/12 7:24 AM by Jen - Livonia, NY
#6 - I see the class warfare people have gotten to you. How exactly do you think the hedge fund managers are going to fund the salaries and benefits you demand for ARC workers? Let me answer the question: they're not. The taxpayers in general will pay, and if the workers make $25K now, half of them will lose jobs they were willing to do at that salary so that the other half can have the salary that you and the union deem appropriate. The residents may have really high quality care, but unfortunately they'll have only half as much of it as before. And the hedge fund manager will still have his 20M.

I greatly dislike unions in general, and this one in particular. I don't know why union employees can't understand that most of us live with the fact that we could be fired at any time, for any reason. It's not always bad for morale, it spurs people to always do their best and not slack off. And companies that fire people willy nilly don't last long - management quickly learns that to build a lasting company you want to keep your good employees, not fire them for some punitive reason. You also want to get rid of people who are not an asset to the company because of their performance or their attitude,and you don't want to go through a year-long process that costs a fortune in order to do it.

# 8. 6/12/12 7:28 AM by hc
I left a unionized, $43,000 a year teaching position fifteen years ago to care for my mentally handicapped baby. I tried to get a new public school teaching position when our situation stabilized a bit, with no avail. I'm too old, too experienced, and too expensive. So I teach part time in a private school and have a job in a non-profit group home run by a different agency (not ARC). There's an excellent chance that, when we are too old and can no longer care for our son, that he will live in a group home one day.

And you're right about the back-breaking nature of the work. But you are dead wrong about the sadness. I've been employed as a floater, so I've worked in 13 homes in a short time. There's a lot of variation between the houses, and some are more difficult than others. Some are flat-course 5K houses and some are Segahundas. No Bob, there's a lot of joy there. I've seen it. I've experienced it. Joy over the simple, humble things. But it comes at a price. Whatever the difference is between $43,000 with my summers off, and $12 an hour on the overnights with the risk of having to pull a double so that our minimum staffing numbers are covered; that's the cost for me.

And I'm willing to pay it. A lot of us are. We're smitten by this population, and we learn a lot from them!

This column shook me to the core. you CANNOT "work to rule" in a group home. You HAVE to be willing to walk the second mile, or you don't belong there. Period.

I'm pleading as both an employee and as the mother of a future consumer of services: KEEP THE UNIONS OUT OF OUR GROUP HOMES!!! Anyone who disagrees with this column needs to Google or Youtube the word "WILLOWBROOK" so that you can see where these precious ones will end up in the long run if the unions do come.

~xp

# 9. 6/12/12 7:29 AM by hc
Oops!I got so riled up I forgot my green thumb!

~xp

# 10. 6/12/12 7:38 AM by Poplar Beach
I was in a union in the late 70s, as a maintenance man for the State of Alaska, my pay was about $15 an hour, and since I was working in a remote area, I also received $34 a day in per-diem for living expenses. A sweet deal and the biggest ripoff of the State you could imagine. It was a 37.5 hour work week, complete with mandatory coffee breaks and many make work projects to fill the schedule.

I could go on and on as to how long time union members became addicted to their sweet deal as they learned to play the game.

I did this for two summers, then was offered a permanent job, with higher pay and even more perks. I turned it down, probably an idiot for doing so, as I could have retired several years ago with a great pension and full medical, at the tax payers expense.

As an outsider independent business man who has been there, I am not a fan of most unions, but I can sure understand why many union members are!

As a tax payer now living in a state with the highest property tax, (if NY cut their property tax in half, it would still be higher than 34 other states) this SEIU at ARC deal is not affordable to the state, so if it goes through, many folks will lose their jobs and the people they are serving will also get the shaft!

But SEIU will get new dues paying members and that is all they really care about!

# 11. 6/12/12 7:43 AM by GEORGE (THE OTHER ONE) - GANANOQUE ONTARIO CANADA
*

"Hopefully the ARC of Monroe will be not labor versus management, but managers, workers and residents all pushing forward together to do good things."

Right.

Hopefully there will be a huge increase in the wages of radio talk show hosts.

Wonder which will happen first . ... . . .

Editor's Note: you might say that i'm a dreamer, but i'm not the only one.

# 12. 6/12/12 7:49 AM by Albert Vallone - Livonia New York
Ask any present or former Eastman Kodak employee how they feel about their choice of working in a union-free environment.

# 13. 6/12/12 7:52 AM by Fan - Rochester, NY
Well said, #2!!! I have tried to express just that but not in such a clear, concise way.

# 14. 6/12/12 8:02 AM by Matt - Rochester, NY
Isn't it the "us" that make the "them" so rich and wealthy? Maybe you should go back and read up on the history of unions. Once again, a lot of spouting off, not a lot of research on your part. I don't belong to a union, but I understand the purpose behind them. There are certainly instances where the union hurts it's image and strays from it's purpose, just like the companies leaders who rape the workers and then cut and run. Once again, a completely one sided article today---clearly biased.

# 15. 6/12/12 8:24 AM by Earl
Thanks to organized labor, we have the 40 hour work week. Paid overtime. Paid vacations.

Thanks to the unions, our fathers worked in factories, not in sweatshops.

It's part of the forgotten history of this nation. No one remembers the brave workers who took a stand, who walked the line, who fought and died for decent working conditions.

And today, what do the grandsons and great-grandsons of those brave workers do?

They listen to kooks on the radio, who tell them that the unions are evil.

And they forget the battles won by their forefathers.

Editor's Note: thank you, danny donohue, for dying for our sins.

# 16. 6/12/12 8:32 AM
Harbor Freight Tools Discount Tool & Hardware Store.....

Everything in this store is Made in China, and I do mean everything, including the American flag. And one by one, American after American, they buy, buy, buy. Nothing will ever change in the USA until the American consumer sends a strong message to the global community. From the shirt on your back, to the shoes on your feet, what was once a great nation, has succumbed to this.

Editor's Note: amen

# 17. 6/12/12 8:35 AM
Is this SEIU the union that is in the hospitals?

Their members are trash and they barely break a sweat doing their "jobs".

They shuffle around avoiding work, and they lack any kind of hustle.

# 18. 6/12/12 8:38 AM by Jerry - Rochester
The true history of organized labor shows that unions have been a highly destructive force in our country. I laugh whenever I hear union hacks claim that their movement ended child labor and brought about worksite safety. They never mention that for most of their history in the U.S., labor unions overriding goal was to keep blacks and Chinese out of the workforce and the country. The precursor to the AFL organized child factory workers and promoted their use because it kept adult men from doing dangerous jobs. In the 1890’s, companies like DuPont created worksite safety programs because they realized it made better, more experienced workers. But those programs were opposed by labor unions because it made the workers trained professionals who no longer wanted or supported a union. Yes, read the TRUE history of unions!!!

# 19. 6/12/12 8:42 AM by Mark
Without sounding cruel, if they are retarded, to the workers have the capacity to vote? I just read where one guy is being charged with rape for having sex with a retarded person because they didn't have the capacity to consent.

Editor's Note: hey, moron, handicapped people live there, they don't work there

# 20. 6/12/12 8:50 AM by John - slc, utah
Isn't it the Republicans who have cut off ARC funding? Let's be honest.

Editor's Note: you're right, republican governor andrew cuomo.

# 21. 6/12/12 9:08 AM by Dean
Other agencies in the same business as Arc have avoided this conflict because they have management that listens and works with employees. They pay better and have better benefits. Unions get their foot in the door when there are disgruntled workers who no longer trust their management.

# 22. 6/12/12 9:09 AM by marge
#19 I worked in a group home and the residents have morals and are often abused and exploited and stole from by staff male and female and staff often lives in one of the apts even married couples as leaders of a group home. Not all have integrity, workers have no rights so maybe a union may be a good thing for the safety of the clients mostly and so they can't fire a person because they know too much of what really goes on. You do bring up a good point but everyone is mentally handicapped to some degree. Even you. Even Bob even the churches and the rich who could help. There is no free lunch. Many of the clients in those group homes have families who also pay in addition to what the funding the govt. gives them. So I do believe the unions may represent the clients as well.

# 23. 6/12/12 9:11 AM
United we stand, divided we fall.

Say no to the song lyrics, "I am a rock, I am an iiiiiiiiiiisland" (how's that for a singing voice, baby?)

Nothing is proven more conclusively than the labor abuse by employers who aren't bridled by a union work force.

You are always pushing the notion that labor unions are thoroughly dreadful and you never mention the abuse inflicted on employees who are at the mercy of employers who are not staring at a union that can and will kick their ass if they pull any of the crap they are known for.

United we stand, divided we fall. The same as America. United we stand, divided we fall.

Yes, we know that you also fully support the party that likes the idea of a few billionaires pushing around the many who have no such financial power.

Corporations are people said the right wing leaning SCOTUS.

Gays can't marry but corporations can be people.

Your party is weird.

# 24. 6/12/12 9:16 AM by Matt - Rochester, NY
Actually #20, you are correct. Typically the Republicans want to cut all funding to organizations such as this and pump all our money into the military. Of course none the head in the sand Republicans can admit that---thus, Bob's response to you.

Editor's Note: though, actually, it was cuts in governor cuomo's budget which have hit this and other other agencies -- needfully and appropriately.

# 25. 6/12/12 9:22 AM by kittynana - Lewiston NY
My daughter works in a group home (not ARC). She is hard working, attentive, an advocate for one of her patients (they're called consumers) and a take charge person. She's good at what she does and gets kudos all the time.

And she's burning out. Why? Because the lazy ones are protected by the union. Forget the morality of the job. As long as their arses are covered, they'll continue to do it. Only 2 have been fired and that's because their actions are egregious (criminal, if you ask me).

Out of the three of our kids, she is the one we LEAST thought would have had the patience to work with developmentally disabled and yet she's amazing. We're proud of her. But the union will kill her. And others like her.

# 26. 6/12/12 9:26 AM by mj
so do you think SEIU will rob the money from ARC? This column makes no sense with comments from Poplar Beach saying he/she/it made $150 a day and that was ripping the taxpayers off because Poplar has shame issues and doesn't believe himself to be worth making $150 a day to live & work in a remote area in a harsh environment complete with bears of all types in below zero weather conditions. Yet he made enough to move on and become a businessman. Yet has no appreciation or acknowledgement of that. Not many stay in the same job forever. He's not unusual in that regard.

# 27. 6/12/12 9:26 AM by Jones
I agree 100% Bob. The union would make the already strained budget issues worse. The problem is the ARC management. My wife works there. And for the last several years, the ARC has not been treating their workers fairly. There is a lot of discontent in the workforce that is primarily due to insecurity of the female leadership. Common sense and fairness has been taken over by cattiness and nepotism. Your job performance doesn't matter much to them. If management doesn't like you for some reason, you're out. They find ways to fire people or drive them out. But if you're "in the club" with the top ladies, then you can get away with anything. It's sad and people have been leaving the ARC in droves lately. The union may get their wish if management doesn't change their ways.

# 28. 6/12/12 9:51 AM by JJ
From what I read the Wisconsin voters were bombarded with attack ads against the unions by the rich billionaires from all over the country who got rich off the backs of their employees. It's sad to see Wisconsin become so influenced with Washington DC tactics, lies and brainwashing. I have to wonder where some of you get your so called "research" on unions. The Glenn Beck University? Why aren't these union hating millionaires helping the group home? Creating jobs. Where are the churches in the area to help them? Unions don't solicit sorry Bob you can't fool all of the people all of the time. The group home in all likelihood went to the union for help because only in a democratic administration does a deficit matter to republicans so you can freak out and destroy the poor and needy. None of you are real Christians.

# 29. 6/12/12 9:52 AM by Larry
I wonder if Beth Adams regrets not being in a strong union with layoff and senority rights clearly defined.

# 30. 6/12/12 9:53 AM by Tom Bastian - Fairport, NY
There was a time that I would have agreed with this column 100%. I spent 35 years on the management side of the fence. The last 7 years I have been a school bus driver and a member of a union. While I had to hold my nose to vote for a union I did so because I saw the abuse of some of the drivers just because managers wanted to send a message. I still do my job because I love the kids and like the job but now I know where I stand and am reviewed objectively not subjectively.

As for the SEIU campaign, last Saturday while I was at the Fairport Farmers Market someone left a flier on my car savaging Ken Rohr who is the Treasurer and on the Board of The Arc of Monroe. I believe this is a volunteer position. I know Ken, a former Monroe County and Town of Brighton Budget Director and current Republican member of the Fairport Village Board. With this type of slander, how can we expect to attract talented people to man our boards etc. Ken is a good man and not deserving of this treatment.

# 31. 6/12/12 9:58 AM by Jodi - Wayne County East
“Scott, it’s nothing more than pushing the thing out into the future,” Rogers responded.

“Let them go bankrupt. I would let all those people — Scott, the way the system is supposed to work, when you fail, you fail. Competent people come in, take over the assets, reorganize and start over,” Rogers replied.

“What we are doing in the West, we’re taking the assets from the competent people, giving them to the incompetent people and saying, ‘okay, now you compete with the competent people with their money.‘ It’s absurd economics. It’s absurd morality. It’s absurd economics,” he added

Jim Rogers

Unless we do an immediate Wisconsin, a 180 degree about face on federal fiscal policy along with the most liberal state governments we are done.

We are Greece, Portugal, Italy, Spain. We are Europe.

1920'S Germany.

A coming new world order.

A coming new world leader.

Germany 1932.

The world, the Jews are being primed, set up.

Germany 1937.

Those who fail to know history are apt to repeat it.

Those who know not the Holy Scriptures will not see it coming.

The coming false messiah, the anti-christ will deceive many.

The coming destruction will be sudden and without mercy.

For those who know Jesus the Bible tells us to Look up for our redemption draws near.

Come quickly Lord Jesus.

Do you know Jesus as your personal Lord and Savior?

Are you death or Rapture Ready?

# 32. 6/12/12 9:59 AM by Sabrina - Arkport
Many Bible verses indicate that people may be eternally separated from God if they are members of evil organizations like Unions. This is because they are deceived into wanting more for themselves and not caring about the vast less wealthy hard working majority. It is the less wealthy hard working majority who these unions are destroying by taking away their right to earn an income.

Editor's Note: i can't particularly think of any anti-union bible verses. unions are bad policy, but i don't think you actually go to hell for belonging to one. i've belonged to two, and they still let me take communion.

# 33. 6/12/12 10:04 AM by John - Penfield, NY
My favorite union ad of all time was a billboard in Rochester a few years back that read "Working Twice as Hard for Half the Money? Join a Union". They inadvertently admitted that union workers typically work half as hard for twice the pay!

# 34. 6/12/12 10:07 AM by Heidi - Fairport
My next door neighbor's daughter was transferred when she would not go out with her supervisor. Her union went to bat for her and now she is back working at the job she loves and with a different supervisor.

# 35. 6/12/12 10:13 AM by North Chili Patriot
I see how you work. First you try to inoculate yourself from seeming too heartlessly ideological with the condescending lip service: “I couldn’t work in a group home. It would break my heart, and it would break my back. It is sad work, and it is hard work, and I’m simply not put together in a way that would let me do it.” And yada yada yada.

Then you bring down the Lonsberry hammer of name-calling, slander & etc.

Suddenly Arc is "not a sweatshop, or a coal mine in West Virginia; it’s a group home in Pittsford." It’s some kind of a socialist-communist “community organizing” non-profit. And then comes the biggest B.S. condescension of all: “It is a mission and a calling.”

You say that you admire group home workers; you just don’t want to see that they receive a decent paycheck for this “sad, hard, back-breaking and heart-breaking” work. That of course would be socialism. Horsepucky, Lonsberry. Horsepucky.

# 36. 6/12/12 10:22 AM by Bethel - Alfred, NY
Editor's Note: i can't particularly think of any anti-union bible verses. unions are bad policy, but i don't think you actually go to hell for belonging to one. i've belonged to two, and they still let me take communion.

Ephesians 6:5-8: “Servants, be obedient to them that are your masters according to the flesh.”

Colossians 3:22-25: “Servants, obey in all things your masters according to the flesh.”

I Timothy 6:1ff.: “Let as many servants as are under the yoke count their own masters worthy of all honor.”

Titus 2:9ff.: “Exhort servants to be obedient unto their own masters.”

Philemon: the run-away slave, Onesimus, is sent back to his master, to serve him again.

I Peter 2:18ff.: “Servants, be subject to your masters with all fear”; the apostle adds: “not only to the good and gentle, but also to the froward.”

James 5:1-11, where the description of the godly conduct of the worker is, “he doth not resist you.”

Editor's Note: employees are not slaves, those are slave verses.

# 37. 6/12/12 10:49 AM by Lillian
Unions can only produce monopoly and tyranny. To rid ourselves of them, it must start at home with those who are maintaining a loyalty to God. It may take a generation to root out this curse but let that be our generation. Thank you Lord for the Wisconsin voters. AMEN!

# 38. 6/12/12 10:57 AM by chelsie MacBrow - Goodwinsville, IL
I have always hated unions. Now I hate them more. My roommate manages union employees. If they are not working hard enough, and a deadline is approaching, and my roommate steps in to help them, she is 'Greived' which is a way for the union people to get money.

She is forced to hire from 'within the union' even though they are not qualified. One union hire still can't do the job after 6 months, compared to an 'outside new hire' who had experiecne and could do the job on the 1st day she was hired.

Unions only benefit union members. They are bad for the company and our country.

By the way, why do all the CSEA commercials end with "Danny Donahue, president". Is this guy gonna run for political office ?

# 39. 6/12/12 11:08 AM by Matt - Rochester, NY
Heidi from Fairport---thank you for that example. Those are the types of things that unions are around for. Basically they combat the egotistical leadership of corporations and the abusive managers and such. I am sure that will be glossed over by Bob and his usual band of religious freaks that we have seen today.

# 40. 6/12/12 12:08 PM by Ben
the Bush tax cuts to the wealthiest 2% of our country ought to expire w/dignity and hopefully Congress will see that cutting taxes for those people did nothing to help our economy or create jobs so those rich people ought to be grateful they got a tax break and quit being dependent on tax cuts because they don't need them to survive anyway

# 41. 6/12/12 12:14 PM by Mike
those servant quotes from the bible ought to relate more to our government being our servant instead of the other way around but republicans got corporations to be labled as people so the govt is serving the corporations! what a joke, congress cuts programs to help those in need yet won't take one penny off taxing the rich what a bunch of corrupt ones running our country

# 42. 6/12/12 12:15 PM by GEORGE (THE OTHER ONE) - GANANOQUE ONTARIO CANADA
*

"Editor's Note: you might say that i'm a dreamer, but i'm not the only one."

Above us only sky? Imagine that!!

# 43. 6/12/12 12:31 PM by Moron
You mentioned ARC. We send a lot of our work to ARC who employees handicapped people.

Sounded to me like these are the people who they are looking to unionize.

My mistake dickwad.

By the way, ARC is able to undercut the competion because they are subsidized by the government. Doesn't seem fair in a free enterprize market.

# 44. 6/12/12 12:35 PM by Jodi - Wayne County East
Regarding the Syracuse airport military touch and go whiners.

In Germany during the cold war with the former soviet union we used to run tank columns through downtown village streets and conduct live fire exercises day and night during training maneuvers against a possible soviet invasion through east germany.

As the one caller stated yesterday we shoud be grateful it's our own and not our enemies planes keeping us up.

# 45. 6/12/12 1:08 PM by Tom Dey - Springwater, NY
I was Soooo naive when I got my 1st factory non-union summer job. Noticed I could do more than the "standard" # pieces after a few days training, so just produced more. Unaware the experienced workers were pissed. Imagine had that been union! Other experience visited a factory to help get things on track. Wondered why the "regular" workers segregated themselves from us - not a peep, eye contact or shared table in the cafe. Yep - union shop! It was us vs them and all I (again) wanted was to get production up. Win-win, shared credit - right? I'll take a non-union shop any day --- better for management, workers and the economy. Government - same conclusion - even more so...

# 46. 6/12/12 1:29 PM by Gramma
As the mother of a (now-adult) mentally handicapped child, I have great concern over this. Already my son has been deprived of needed dental and eye exams because of cuts in Medicaid funding. I know families who believe that Medicaid should pay for the births of their (planned) children! Any time the government gets its fingers in the pie of services for those UNABLE to care for themselves, they will become victims. There is absolutely NO PLACE for unions. Most of the personnel who have worked with my son over the years have taken their positions because they CARE about this population which desperately needs them. When the job is taken just for an increased paycheck and benefits, the clients again become SECOND-CLASS citizens. IT'S WRONG!!!!

# 47. 6/12/12 1:37 PM by Poplar Beach
#26, MJ, you just don't get it! A days work for a days pay, I have no problem with this, but in my experience with THAT union, (over 30 years ago) it was a days pay for half a days work.

Take your time, you are working too hard, was a refrain I heard from my far off, union superior on a regular basis.

I completed all the work listed and expected on that 120 day job in less than 60 days, when I informed my boss, (not the union guy) I was told to find something to keep myself busy for the next two months.

I have zero shame, in fact I may have been worth more than they were paying me, but I was raised by a hard working immigrant, and had I stayed and played the game (something strongly encouraged by the union) I would have been ashamed of myself!

If the SEIU unionizes those ARC workers, there will be less work done for more pay and if the budget (have you been paying attention to the fact that towns, counties, the state and federal governments are going broke) can not meet the payroll, some folks will lose their jobs.

So who will be the winners and who will be the losers? SEIU will gain dues paying members, those members who keep their jobs may make a bit more money; but many of their coworkers will lose their jobs and the folks they serve will get less service.

# 48. 6/12/12 1:49 PM by Cal - Rochester, NY
Bob,

I think that Matt is peeing into the wind... The way things are going here there is going to be nothing left if Obama gets his way. His bailout of GM to the tune of $90 billion, has led them to invest in China where they now have 11 GM assembly plants! It is now labeled China Motors... THE LARGEST IN THE WORLD. This is a result of NAFTA. AND YOUR UNION LEADERS ARE ALLOWING THIS TO HAPPEN! WHERE ARE THEY WHEN WE NEED THEM?! Oh I know... they are living high off the hog with our money!

# 49. 6/12/12 2:41 PM by Jeff - Rochester
Today's Poll: Who's the bigger nutcase, Jodi or Bethel?

# 50. 6/12/12 3:57 PM by Barb Meadows - Rochester, NY
This is the employees response to the way the agency has been treating them. It is so sad that management won't listen and has left their employees to resort to these measures to feel safe and supported in their workplace. Quite a few of us saw this coming!! Call it Karma...

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