That is a great LTTE! The artwork will be a nice addition for any museum... however, we still have to deal with all of the greedy and selfish union bosses determined to further ruin our state and country. God bless our USA.
and this progress will be further improved when the new Right-to-Work legislation is passed in Maine. The Far-Left union bosses have been taking advantage of honest and hard working people in Maine for too long. It's time to cut the puppet strings and let Maine workers enjoy more of the freedoms they deserve (FMI, see www.MaineRTW.com). It's time for our local labor unions to start acting like labor unions again and stop wasting our tax dollars on their blatant Far-Left political games.
You've asked, "Where are they?" Did you forget that some people have to work for a living so they can pay the excessive taxes which support the Extreme Far-Left movement and all of their daily protests. It's a real shame we have so many wagon-riders these days, but that is now beginning to be addressed by our more fiscally conservative leaders in Augusta.
Jonathan is correct about the two proposed laws - Right-to-Work is 100% Right-for-Maine workers and labor unions will even benefit if they simply start acting more like true labor unions and stop serving as Political Action Committees (PACs) for the extreme liberal agenda. Read the facts and benefits about becoming a Right-to-Work state at www.MaineRTW.com. IMO, the only people who won't benefit so much when Maine becomes a RTW state are some of those greedy union bosses (i.e., AFL-CIO, SEIU and NEA) and certain politicians... but the hard working middle class will only benefit when RTW is passes.
Since a previous article has indicated that $60,000 state tax dollars were spent on the artwork, it belongs in a state museum and not in Portland's City Hall... unless the taxpayers of Portland want to buy it from us state taxpayers.
Brad, since you don't seem to be aware of the related Laws, this will be a teachable moment for you. In 1977 (Abood v. Detroit Board of Education), our U.S. Supreme Court ruled that compulsory dues for politics violates the First Amendment and that it is illegal to withhold forced dues from dissenters beyond the cost of collective bargaining. You can read the facts about this case at http://caselaw.lp.findlaw.com/cgi-bin/getcase.pl?court=US&vol=431&invol=209
In 1986 (Chicago Teachers Union v. Hudson), our U.S. Supreme Court found far-reaching rights in challenging compulsory dues withheld from teachers who refrain from union membership. The Court applied civil rights statutes and found that the teachers represented by NRTW attorneys were denied due process of law under the First Amendment. You can read the facts about this case at http://caselaw.lp.findlaw.com/cgi-bin/getcase.pl?court=US&vol=475&invol=292
In 1988 (Communications Workers of America v. Beck), our U.S. Supreme Court also ruled that workers covered by the National Labor Relations Act can withhold forced dues from the union for everything but the documented cost of collective bargaining. You can read the facts about this case at http://caselaw.lp.findlaw.com/cgi-bin/getcase.pl?court=US&vol=487&invol=735
In 1991 (Lehnert v. Ferris Faculty Association), our U.S. Supreme Court fleshed out earlier, vague language by establishing a rigorous three-part test, based on the First Amendment, to judge the chargeableness of union activities paid for by forced dues. It also clarified that non-members cannot be forced to subsidize union lobbying and public relations. You can read the facts about this case at http://caselaw.lp.findlaw.com/cgi-bin/getcase.pl?court=US&vol=500&invol=507
Now, if you keep all of the above-mentioned decisions by our U.S. Supreme Court (especially Lehnert v. Ferris Faculty Association), take a few minutes and review the vague spreadsheets for SEIU Local 1989 which serve as their 2009 & 2010 Hudson/Beck Notices (posted for review at http://www.keepandshare.com/doc/2099942/seiu-local-1989-2009-2010-report...).
If we start with one simple claim from their 2010 report (dated December 31, 2009), such as the $1,202,826 they’ve claimed as a Total Chargeable Expense for their “Field Representatives”, the union bosses at SEIU Local 1989 are unable to give a detailed accountability for those expenses. In other words, they cannot prove that money was used for non-political activities/expenses… and that is only the tip of an iceberg with the accounting practices being used within Far-Left groups like SEIU Local 1989.
BTW, as defined in Lehnert v. Ferris Faculty Association, “the union bears the burden of proving the proportion of chargeable expenses to total expenses.” Since a Procedural Audit of SEIU Local 1989 will surely expose an array of fraudulent accounting practices, it’s now time for that to happen. That labor union has used both Maine taxpayers and fee payers alike as financial puppets for too long, but a Procedural Audit will surely help resolve that fiasco.
Read the law and you'll see that the public sector unions are not supposed to be using those monies for political purposes. Be patient, Brad. Sooner or later the union bosses will get nailed for the fraudulent accounting games.
Dirigo needs to be replaced
How soon before the failure called Dirigo Health Plan will be replaced with a better program?
Thank you, Josh
That is a great LTTE! The artwork will be a nice addition for any museum... however, we still have to deal with all of the greedy and selfish union bosses determined to further ruin our state and country. God bless our USA.
Great point
If she doesn't like that decision, what are the chances she'll give back the $60,000 tax dollars in exchange for the mural?
We are now moving in a better direction
and this progress will be further improved when the new Right-to-Work legislation is passed in Maine. The Far-Left union bosses have been taking advantage of honest and hard working people in Maine for too long. It's time to cut the puppet strings and let Maine workers enjoy more of the freedoms they deserve (FMI, see www.MaineRTW.com). It's time for our local labor unions to start acting like labor unions again and stop wasting our tax dollars on their blatant Far-Left political games.
That's funny Dan
You've asked, "Where are they?" Did you forget that some people have to work for a living so they can pay the excessive taxes which support the Extreme Far-Left movement and all of their daily protests. It's a real shame we have so many wagon-riders these days, but that is now beginning to be addressed by our more fiscally conservative leaders in Augusta.
Right-to-Work is 100% Right-for-Maine workers
Jonathan is correct about the two proposed laws - Right-to-Work is 100% Right-for-Maine workers and labor unions will even benefit if they simply start acting more like true labor unions and stop serving as Political Action Committees (PACs) for the extreme liberal agenda. Read the facts and benefits about becoming a Right-to-Work state at www.MaineRTW.com. IMO, the only people who won't benefit so much when Maine becomes a RTW state are some of those greedy union bosses (i.e., AFL-CIO, SEIU and NEA) and certain politicians... but the hard working middle class will only benefit when RTW is passes.
Portland does not own the artwork
Since a previous article has indicated that $60,000 state tax dollars were spent on the artwork, it belongs in a state museum and not in Portland's City Hall... unless the taxpayers of Portland want to buy it from us state taxpayers.
Maine's official tourism website
If you've never seen the state's official tourism website, it's certainly worth a look at www.VisitMaine.com
This is a teachable moment for Brad
Brad, since you don't seem to be aware of the related Laws, this will be a teachable moment for you. In 1977 (Abood v. Detroit Board of Education), our U.S. Supreme Court ruled that compulsory dues for politics violates the First Amendment and that it is illegal to withhold forced dues from dissenters beyond the cost of collective bargaining. You can read the facts about this case at http://caselaw.lp.findlaw.com/cgi-bin/getcase.pl?court=US&vol=431&invol=209
In 1986 (Chicago Teachers Union v. Hudson), our U.S. Supreme Court found far-reaching rights in challenging compulsory dues withheld from teachers who refrain from union membership. The Court applied civil rights statutes and found that the teachers represented by NRTW attorneys were denied due process of law under the First Amendment. You can read the facts about this case at
http://caselaw.lp.findlaw.com/cgi-bin/getcase.pl?court=US&vol=475&invol=292
In 1988 (Communications Workers of America v. Beck), our U.S. Supreme Court also ruled that workers covered by the National Labor Relations Act can withhold forced dues from the union for everything but the documented cost of collective bargaining. You can read the facts about this case at http://caselaw.lp.findlaw.com/cgi-bin/getcase.pl?court=US&vol=487&invol=735
In 1991 (Lehnert v. Ferris Faculty Association), our U.S. Supreme Court fleshed out earlier, vague language by establishing a rigorous three-part test, based on the First Amendment, to judge the chargeableness of union activities paid for by forced dues. It also clarified that non-members cannot be forced to subsidize union lobbying and public relations. You can read the facts about this case at http://caselaw.lp.findlaw.com/cgi-bin/getcase.pl?court=US&vol=500&invol=507
Now, if you keep all of the above-mentioned decisions by our U.S. Supreme Court (especially Lehnert v. Ferris Faculty Association), take a few minutes and review the vague spreadsheets for SEIU Local 1989 which serve as their 2009 & 2010 Hudson/Beck Notices (posted for review at
http://www.keepandshare.com/doc/2099942/seiu-local-1989-2009-2010-report...).
If we start with one simple claim from their 2010 report (dated December 31, 2009), such as the $1,202,826 they’ve claimed as a Total Chargeable Expense for their “Field Representatives”, the union bosses at SEIU Local 1989 are unable to give a detailed accountability for those expenses. In other words, they cannot prove that money was used for non-political activities/expenses… and that is only the tip of an iceberg with the accounting practices being used within Far-Left groups like SEIU Local 1989.
BTW, as defined in Lehnert v. Ferris Faculty Association, “the union bears the burden of proving the proportion of chargeable expenses to total expenses.” Since a Procedural Audit of SEIU Local 1989 will surely expose an array of fraudulent accounting practices, it’s now time for that to happen. That labor union has used both Maine taxpayers and fee payers alike as financial puppets for too long, but a Procedural Audit will surely help resolve that fiasco.
Any questions? Class dismissed.
Hey Brad...
Read the law and you'll see that the public sector unions are not supposed to be using those monies for political purposes. Be patient, Brad. Sooner or later the union bosses will get nailed for the fraudulent accounting games.