MSNBC's Roberts: Indiana's New Right-to-Work Statute a Blow to 'Union Rights'
MSNBC's Thomas Roberts isn't even trying anymore to be an objective journalist.
Yesterday's passage of a right-to-work bill in Indiana was a measure "stripping the state of union rights," Roberts insisted during the 11 a.m. Eastern hour of MSNBC programming. "That makes Indiana not just the 23rd union-busting state, but the first new right-to-work state in ten years," the anchor noted as he introduced right-to-work opponent Indiana State Senator Vi Simpson (D).
What follows are Roberts's questions to Simpson:
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As we were looking at those images, and I want to show them again, there are thousands of workers that are marching on Lucas [Oil] Stadium and the Super Bowl village there, Gov. Daniels didn't waste the time, signing this measure, but, tell us about the impact of this bill and what can be done to reverse it at this point with such an outcry?
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As we talk about the political landscape, Democrats are the minority in Indiana's legislature. You tried to stall the vote as I understand it, by boycotting it, on and off to push it closer to this Sunday's big game. So are you hoping this publicity of the Super Bowl and the outcry that we're seeing by these protesters will give this more of a national story, national clout?
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As we look at this as a national issue, there are Republicans in Arizona, they're pushing a bill to ban collective bargaining. This following in Wisconsin's footsteps. Is this setting the stage for a recall effort in Indiana, do you think, against Mitch Daniels, like they're doing with the governor, Scott Walker, in Wisconsin?
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Well, certainly a lot of eyes, you have the attention of the country for the Super Bowl [this Sunday in Indianapolis], so we'll see what comes out of the protests that are taking place there. Indiana State Senator and Democratic leader Vi Simpson. Thanks for joining me this morning, I appreciate it.
You'll notice there are no critical questions of Simpson from the right or any representations of the conservative argument for right-to-work. What's more, Roberts failed to bring on a state legislator or other Indiana official who supports the right-to-work legislation to balance out Simpson, although he told viewers that Gov. Daniels would be interviewed in the 1 p.m. Eastern hour on Andrea Mitchell Reports.
But for her part, Mitchell devoted her opening two questions to the upcoming Super Bowl in Indianapolis and the rest of the interview to the 2012 Republican presidential primaries, including a question about whether Daniels holds open the possibility of jumping into the presidential race.
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Comments
"A blow to union rights"
Submitted by pockets64 on Thu, 02/02/2012 - 4:30pm.
Whatever happened to employees' rights?
Are unions now people?
Submitted by Galvanic on Thu, 02/02/2012 - 4:38pm.
Recounting the brouhaha over Romney's statement that "corporations are people," the implication in Roberts' question is that unions are people, too.
The Union Label... What Does It Mean?
Submitted by Motormouth KOS on Thu, 02/02/2012 - 4:37pm.
Pensions that are 120% of the workers highest annual pay.
You want to see an eye-opener?
I work for a major aerospace company. I have been employed for 30+ years. I am reasonably well-compensated. Guess what my pension is as a percentage of my highest annual pay?
37%
That's right, I said 37%!!
So, tell me why a profit making behemoth (my employer) can only afford to pay me 37% of my highest annual pay after 30 years of service, but public service employees and unions can afford between 80-120%?
In California, some of these are approaching 200%. We can build Hondas and Hyundais in Tennesee with well-paid workers who get health care, vacation and reasonable benefits and the parent companies make money, but the same workers in Detroit cost twice as much when you factor in all their bloated benefits. The hourly wages are pretty close. Small wonder that GM has to get bailed out.
The union label is not free, nor is it even cost-competitive.
The Obamination... A crisis leading to a catastrophe..(please donate to MRC)
Ditto
Submitted by JLin on Thu, 02/02/2012 - 5:08pm.
My wife and I were friends with a couple in Jax Beach before we moved in 2007. He retired at 55 a few years before, after 30 years with the DuVal County fire department. He got a $250K lump sum payment plus 85% of his 80K salary and full health benefits. Wonder why state and municipal governments are in trouble?
You cannot have the unproductive overhead government sector of a society dictate the course of the productive sector. Sooner or later the entire system collapses.
It's pretty bad when private workers in the productive economy are now forced to ascede to the demands of government employees and, effectively, carry them.
What about the unproductive sector known as ---
Submitted by matthewdean on Thu, 02/02/2012 - 7:17pm.
professional welfare recipients?
At least firemen and cops work for a living and earn their retirement pensions.
I would have loved to have been a professional football player but had neither the size, speed, or requisite athletic ability to become one; and so, while I feel that pro ballplayers earn ungodly amounts of money, I don't fault them for it.
Yes, retirement monies that amount to over one hundred percent of an individual's actual working salary are rightfully seen as obscene by those who don't have access to that system, but I sometimes get the impression, since acquiring a Fire Department or Law Enforcement civil service job is a competitive process, that the issue is more about sour grapes than anything else.
Get rid of the politically inspired nationwide entitlement programs and state/municipal entities will have more than adequate funds to operate with.
Stop the gift of entitlement money and benefits going to the wasteful, useless humps on welfare, and use some of the available funds generated by that action to provide better salaries for our active military personnel and higher retirement benefits for them as well.
Lord knows they not only earned better treatment than they get, they damn sure deserve better.
MD
I would not be real quick to jump on firemen retirees.
Submitted by The Vet on Fri, 02/03/2012 - 2:10am.
Seeing as how some are not so lucky as to retire.
Couple more things. Got busy last night and never got back.
Submitted by The Vet on Fri, 02/03/2012 - 12:53pm.
Our military, you can retire at 30 years at 75% pay. Well, it used to. Guys my age could retire at 75% pay. Now the pay is a little better and I think the top is now 60% or suntin.
The fireman that retired. He likely will never get much in the say of Social Security. Lots of cities saved money up front by not having to pay out Social Security. So he won't be seeing that $24,000 a year when he reaches 65.
Congratulations, KOS!
Submitted by almostacowboy on Thu, 02/02/2012 - 4:58pm.
You know what my "pension" is after 23 years with the same employer? ZERO! That's right, zip - nada - zilch! And I'm not complaining. When I hired on I was told what my wage would be, what my benefits would be and what the job was for that pay and those benefits. They asked me if I'd like the job. I said, "yes". They kept their part of the bargain and I kept mine. Because of the pay and benefits I was able to contribute to a 401k plan and that's my "pension". It's all mine. The company doesn't owe me a thing and I don't owe them.
As far as "profit making behemoths" are concerned - the person taking the risks reaps the rewards.
FYI, I am Not Complaining
Submitted by Motormouth KOS on Thu, 02/02/2012 - 5:00pm.
I am a hardcore capitalist! I am very happy with my pension.
I'm just old enough to qualify for one, LOL
But I think it is astounding to see the percentages and amounts (which I don't want to get into) between for-profit companies and taxpayer-funded civil service unions and I go WTF!!!!
The Obamination... A crisis leading to a catastrophe..(please donate to MRC)
say what?
Submitted by Dr. Ron on Thu, 02/02/2012 - 4:43pm.
Union "rights"...as in Bill of Rights? Natural law Rights? Oh, do you mean contractual and agreed-on '"rights"? Well, takes 2 to tango.
What can be more discriminatory than a closed shop, or the modern synonym, union shop? Sorry, bud, you can't work here unless you fork over for your union card and dues.
Time for folks to start saying bargained for/agreed on "rights"...maybe the original Taft-Harley bill should not have been modified to read union shops. If memory seves, it was Karl Marx who began to speak of/write on worker's rights...'nuff said?
There are no objective journalists at MSNBC.
Submitted by KyWriter on Thu, 02/02/2012 - 4:45pm.
In fact, there are no journalists at all at this arm of the Democratic Party.
Union rights?
Submitted by JLin on Thu, 02/02/2012 - 4:52pm.
Unions are a racketeering operation for crying out loud. They should be outlawed across the board. The fact they are in government at all is a mind-boggling outrage. They are the reason we have a looming financial crisis at the state and local level.
audition
Submitted by Tjexcite on Thu, 02/02/2012 - 4:53pm.
One continuing audition to be moved from the 11am hour to the 7pm hour and replace the Matthews re-run.
According to progressive economic theory.......
Submitted by almostacowboy on Thu, 02/02/2012 - 5:01pm.
the only way one person (or worker) can benefit is at the cost of another (union). I wonder how they like that economic model now?
Where in the constitution is that right?
Submitted by ohio granny on Thu, 02/02/2012 - 5:21pm.
Where in the constitution does it say a union is a right? Apparently nowhere because a number of states are right to work. You MAY join a union but you cannot be FORCED to join one.
Of course that is why the unions fight right to work so hard. The only way they can gain new members in the private sector is to force unionization. In the private sector a business or company can be put out of business by the actions of unions. That is not so in the public sector. For that very reason public sector unions should be illegal.
Teachers here in Ohio teach students approximately 170 days per year. That works out to 34 weeks at 5 days per week. I know they have teacher in service days and parent-teacher conference days on top of that. In the private sector most people get 6 - 8 holidays per year. If you get 6 paid holidays plus 5 weeks vacation (most people get less) you work approximately 46 weeks per year. Benefits are usually much better in the public sector also. I am using a private unionized company here for comparison. Not only do these people at this private company work 10 -12 more weeks than teachers, they also may put in as much as 11 - 12 hours per day. They don't make much more, if any more, than a teacher with 10 years experience. To get 5 weeks vacation per year they have to have 15 years seniority. In another case the person has been on his job for 47 years and gets 4 weeks vacation.
So teachers quit bitching. You knew what was involved when you decided to go into teaching. If you hate it so bad and think you have it so bad QUIT. Go to work in the private sector and find out what having a real job is. No more 2 weeks off during Christmas, 1 week for spring break, 2 - 2-1/2 months off for the summer. And you still get sick days. A lot of the private sector workers do not get sick days, they must use vacation time or take the time unpaid.
Stop complaining about how bad you have it and how you are under appreciated. It is the poor taxpayers paying your salary that are under appreciated.
Unions?
Submitted by helomech on Thu, 02/02/2012 - 5:05pm.
They've outlived their usefulness these days since there are Labor laws now. The notion of having to pay out a pertion/percentage of your paycheck to some self-important dickwad for 'representation' only to not have it when you really need it?
I found myself in that very situation over twenty years when about 200 of us were suddenly laid off. We went to the union 'steward', some hack who han't picked up a wrench in 10+ years and asked for some kind of help, only to hear his useless a$$ tell us 'I'm gonna do all I can to help you guys' which translated to 'you kidding me? I'm not risking my 25+ years for you hacks'...then and there I vowed to never work in any job that had a union. I was never a fan of unions up to that point but that experience really cemented it.
I've worked in a union-free job ever since and wouldn't have it any other way.
I'm glad Indiana went through and busted the union stranglehold for that state. Now, if Michigan were to ever follow through with it and bust the Detroit union/mafia, that auto industry might have a chance to get some respect back. Until then, f--- 'em
Union Busting?
Submitted by mmilesll on Thu, 02/02/2012 - 5:23pm.
MSNBC has "journalist"? This proves yet again that Comcast must not care about making money-they "cable channel" has no ratings, totally one-sided reporting. I dropped Comcast several years ago, Roberts can "love" nobama as much as he wants, but he won't get my money doing it.
Democrats are the minority in Indiana's legislature. YIPIEEE
Submitted by upcountrywater on Thu, 02/02/2012 - 5:31pm.
Looks like the vote in 2010 is beginning to pay off.
GREAT JOB REPUBLICANS
Oh look another company ripe for bail out..... Need a Government Airlines...
You Didn't Build That.