Dishonest and corrupt politicians, the foundation-funded outfits like Take Action Minnesota where employers and millionaire labor leaders come together for a "meeting of the minds" and the union leaders like Minnesota AFL-CIO President Shar Knutson--- who can't negotiate any contracts besides concessions--- all pushing this pathetic poverty Minimum Wage of $9.50 as they proclaim themselves to be for "living wages" refuse to acknowledge that the price increases and inflation working people, especially poor working people, are subjected to is different from what the Bureau of Labor Statistics cites as the annual inflation rate.
Let us just say, for argument's sake, that the annual inflation rate is still just 1.5% according the the Bureau of Labor Statistics (even though most working people know this is a "fudged figure;" but, how does this official inflation rate compare with that of a working class family in Minnesota paying over $4.00 a gallon for propane this winter who will end up with a heating bill of $3,000.00 to $5,000.00 dollars... and last winter their bill was less than half of this?
Does the BLS proclaiming an official inflation rate of 1.5% mean anything to most working class families?
No. Because the BLS figures are based on 8 categories and 200 sub-categories which Congress has mandated them to track.
Would a 1.5% inflation adjustment to a Minimum Wage of $9.50 an hour mean anything to a working class family? Anyone got a calculator handy? What does $9.50 times 1.5% come to?
Surely not to many working class families sitting around shivering watching the Super Bowl will laugh over this joke.
Apparently millionaire labor "leaders" like Eliot Seide buy into this bullshit according to the last contract he negotiated for Minnesota state employees.
Perhaps it is because Eliot Seide and Shar Knutson don't understand "cost-of-living" that their own members are upset with them.
Does the BLS proclaiming an official inflation rate of 1.5% mean anything to most working class families?
No. Because the BLS figures are based on 8 categories and 200 sub-categories which Congress has mandated them to track.
Would a 1.5% inflation adjustment to a Minimum Wage of $9.50 an hour mean anything to a working class family? Anyone got a calculator handy? What does $9.50 times 1.5% come to?
Surely not to many working class families sitting around shivering watching the Super Bowl will laugh over this joke.
Apparently millionaire labor "leaders" like Eliot Seide buy into this bullshit according to the last contract he negotiated for Minnesota state employees.
Perhaps it is because Eliot Seide and Shar Knutson don't understand "cost-of-living" that their own members are upset with them.
Pity the 1,300 poor workers employed by American Crystal Sugar now employed under the terms of a poverty wage contract most of whom are freezing their asses off out on the wind swept prairie heating their homes with high-priced monopoly-fixed prices for propane or heating oil after losing a year's pay during a lockout trap Shar Knutson and Mark Froemke walked them into.
Well; consider this...
According to the National Energy Assistance Directors’ Association, this year nearly seven million US households will need heating assistance. And Obama cut heating assistance the same way he cut food stamps while making sure the Military-Industrial Complex is getting fed to be fat and sassy ready for the next war Obama intends to start. Of course, the
doesn't consider any of this.
The typical heating oil customer who lives in the colder climes will spend more than $2,000 on fuel this winter, up 35 percent from the winter of 2008-2009
according to the
National Energy Assistance Directors’ Association
.
Those heating with propane will see an even greater surge in home heating expenses; but, again, the
National Energy Assistance Directors’ Association
doesn't consider the monopoly price-fixing going on with propane.
Families living in older homes will spend as much as $4,000 to $7,000 to keep their house warm this winter.
I wonder how many Minnesota State Legislators are having problems coming up with the money to pay their home heating bills?
Does our billionaire Governor Dayton have problems paying his heating bills?
What about Shar Knutson or Eliot Seide--- do you suppose they have problems paying their home heating bills?
These people are bringing in the top gun of the United States labor movement to try to sell Minnesotans on a poverty Minimum Wage instead of the living wage they said they were for--- do you think millionaire labor "leader" Richard Trumka has a problem paying his heating bill?
What about Kathleen Blake, the foundation-flower for Take Action Minnesota--- do you think she has a problem paying her heating bill this winter?
Does our billionaire Governor Dayton have problems paying his heating bills?
What about Shar Knutson or Eliot Seide--- do you suppose they have problems paying their home heating bills?
These people are bringing in the top gun of the United States labor movement to try to sell Minnesotans on a poverty Minimum Wage instead of the living wage they said they were for--- do you think millionaire labor "leader" Richard Trumka has a problem paying his heating bill?
What about Kathleen Blake, the foundation-flower for Take Action Minnesota--- do you think she has a problem paying her heating bill this winter?
In fact, after concession after concession contract, most Minnesota state employees are now making poverty wages.
Is it any wonder members of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) here in Minnesota are now circulating this leaflet? Maybe they just got their monthly heating bill?
We don't want Eliot Seide and his toothless, management-loving paper unionIs it any wonder members of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) here in Minnesota are now circulating this leaflet? Maybe they just got their monthly heating bill?
Our Dues - Our Union.
OUR AFSCME
Our rights.
Our Livelihoods.
Building a rank and file caucus for a democratic, fighting, militant, united union.
Brothers and Sisters,
With every new contract we have had our rights and our livelihoods decimated. Only a paper union with leaders taking our dues while doing nothing to represent us would have allowed this to happen.
This isn't Eliot Seide's union. This is our union. Let Eliot Seide go into the business world to build his fortune instead of building his fortune on our backs, off our unresolved grievances and problems.
Eliot Seide negotiated a concession contract with a Democratic governor.
The wage increases are far off-set with the rising prices we pay for groceries, home mortgages and rents, home and car insurance, gas, electricity, home heating fuels, child care and college tuition for our children. Our co-pays for healthcare have increased. This is going backwards, not forwards.
Our pensions are at risk.
We get no support or help from union leaders as unfair and unpaid disciplinary suspensions mount. Grievances have become a hassle. Arbitration has become too costly. What do our dues pay for?
One by one we are being picked off and fired as we gain seniority with increased pay levels.
Our union has shamefully endorsed a Minimum Wage for other workers based on what the Chamber of Commerce wants instead of the living wage morality, human decency, justice and solidarity requires.
We have a union leadership covering its betrayals with glowing hypocritical statements of admiration to real leaders like Rosa Parks, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and Nelson Mandela as a cover for refusing to stand and fight the injustices of the present.
We ask you to build a caucus of OUR AFSCME in your AFSCME local and in your workplace. Together we can get our AFSCME back on course. This is OUR union. OUR dues.
We need an active and involved membership. We need to understand self-serving power in our union and the power of management concede nothing without struggle. Our union was built in struggle. Our union will survive in struggle fighting for our rights, for safe workplaces and for our livelihoods.
Forward together. Together In Struggle. Together in Solidarity. OUR AFSCME the voice of the rank-and-file
Alan L. Maki
Director of Organizing,
Midwest Casino Workers Organizing Council
58891 County Road 13
Warroad, Minnesota 56763
Phone: 218-386-2432
Cell: 651-587-5541
Primary E-mail: amaki000@centurytel.net
E-mail: alan.maki1951mn@gmail.com