The union can simply forge the signatures and make itself the representative of the workers.

An Ohio union organizer has been fired after he was caught forging documents to deduct money from public employees' wages to pay for political activity, the Service Employees International Union said yesterday.

Becky Williams, president of the SEIU District 1199, said she thinks this is an isolated incident, but the union is continuing to investigate.

"There's not another organizer or group of members that were affected," she said.

The organizer, whom Williams declined to identify, had forged about 40 "PAC cards," which are documents that allow the union to deduct about $14 per month from employee wages to pay for the union's political activity.

Now in this case it was merely stealing a few bucks from employees – but imagine if a few unscrupulous folks simply forge the signatures of enough workers to get the union declared the official bargaining unit at a particular workplace. Will workers even know that they have been signed up for a union without their knowledge – or will a simple declaration that “we’ve got a majority” from the union be sufficient to entrench the union as the representative – with any attempt by the employer to help the workers undo the fraud labeled as an “unfair labor practice”?

Posted by: Greg at 10:06 AM | Comments (42) | Add Comment
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Yes, NY Governor David Paterson is black. So what? Does that mean he ought to have the automatic support of African-Americans in New York?

In a sign of just how far Mr. PatersonÂ’s fortunes have fallen, the governor now faces growing doubts from a group that has been among his most loyal: black elected officials, clergy members and voters.

It is a remarkable turnaround for a man whose ascension to the governorÂ’s office just over a year ago set off a swell of pride and joy in black communities. Mr. Paterson became New YorkÂ’s first black governor and, along with Deval Patrick of Massachusetts, is one of only two in the country.

Now set aside the question of the tendency of blacks to support Democrats, and issues of racial pride. Why does Paterson deserve the support of black elected officials, clergy, and voters? What has he done to earn that support other than take office after the fall of his predecessor in a sex scandal? Has he done anything to significantly improve the lives of African-Americans in the state – or of New Yorkers in general, which should be the more important criteria? Shouldn’t competence and accomplishment be the basis for support rather than skin color and heritage?

Posted by: Greg at 09:41 AM | Comments (2) | Add Comment
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