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Subscribe to RSSCHARLOTTE, N.C. -- The stage for the Democratic National Convention is an elaborate display of lights, carpeting and video screens. It’s worthy of a Las Vegas show. In fact, unionized workers from Vegas were “imported” to build the stage, according to delegate Dick Collins, who hails from Sin City.
“Most of the trade unions are boycotting this, because it’s held in a non-union town,” Collins proudly said. It’s also the least unionized state in the U.S. -- less than 3%, especially since state law forbids government workers from organizing.
NBC's Savannah Guthrie and Meet The Press moderator David Gregory join Brian Williams to discuss this week's events at the Democratic National Convention.
North Carolina’s right-to-work status has been a sore spot with unions. The building trades held their own political rally recently in Philadelphia. Local leaders quietly talked about not being motivated for the president and those down-ticket.
So into the discontent, AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka stepped Tuesday morning, meeting with several hundred labor leaders who are also delegates. He got a raucous welcome. The organization chose a hotel close to the Time-Warner Cable Arena. It didn’t matter, since no hotels are unionized in Charlotte.
“And the labor movement may be small here, but I could tell you that it truly does punch above its own weight,” Trumka said trying to mollify any holdover anger. He urged members to keep the greater goal in sight. “We have a chance to stand with leaders who champion working families.”
Besides, he suggests, labor’s presence might spark some movement on that front in North Carolina, and maybe the south in general.
Collins, a retiree from labor organizing in Buffalo who moved to Vegas, breathes a heavy sigh when asked about such speculation. “I hope he’s right. I hope he’s right.”
He’d rather be anywhere else. “Not only is it a non-union town; it’s a staunch anti-union town, which makes it even worse."
Sen. Dick Durbin talks about the atmosphere surrounding the DNC and answers the question about whether Americans are better off four years later.
Collins concluded, “They have so many ignorant people here that they don’t understand the goodness of unions."
But Labor Day, the first Monday in September, is not just for unions. Mark Mix of the National Right to Work Committee issued a video statement marking the holiday as a pre-emptive strike on the Democrats’ convention.
“Union officials are mounting a billion-dollar campaign to reelect President Barack Obama; and elect more pro-forced-unionism allies in Congress,” Mix says into the camera.
He claimed, “The National Right to Work Committee is mobilizing its 2.6 million members to call on candidates to support greater workplace freedoms.” They do politics, too.
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You people who have such a high opinion of Bain Capital and Romney at Bain are actually very ignorant. You have been fed a load of crap and swallowed it. Even Newt Gingrinch has exposed the TRUTH about Romney and Bain.
So, you don't want to read the Matt Taibbi article, because it would take too much effort I suppose. How about you watch a Newt Gingrich produced video. No effort at all. You just click on a couple links, sit back with your popcorn and beer and watch and learn. Can you do that? Or do you prefer to remain ignorant?
If you have the courage to do this, then watch the video described and available at this link
http://Bruce-1628250.newsvine.com/_news/2012/09/02/13615732-when-mitt-came-to-town
This could be the most valuable thing you do before deciding how to cast your vote for the President of The United States of America in 2012.
This could be the most important election you will ever cast a vote in, during your entire lifetime.
It's your choice. Vote informed or Vote ignorant. It's up to you.
Hey Bruce--how many successful companies did Bain buy into? Or were the vast majority of them struggling companies? Did Bain investment prolong the life of the company or hasten it's demise?
And I know this is hard for you, but that was WAAAAAY off the topic of this discussion. I know you have been posting the same thing over and over and over again on every single thread you can find, but why not just deal with the topic at hand?
Nothing like President Obama coming to town and a labor organizer call the local folks ignorant. Nothing like showing up with out-of-town talent to do the work. I'm sure Charlotte folks appreciate that.
NO class.
if they were paid what those people from las vegas are being paid then the whole working class of charlotte would be union,the unions are not the bogey man's nightmares the frigging republicans are,
Unions are good?? lets see....there is almost a 100 trillion dollars of unfunded promises that the democratic party and other local goverments have promised you to get your vote....which is against the law for unions and goverment to be in bed together...so your a problem.
iraq and afganistan were unfunded you misinformed lump of dung are all you crumbs liars or is the kool-aid that good?
The GOP trying to break Unions/labor is in their blood just like trying to break EPA, OSHA, MSHA, and other safety regulations/laws. Pretty strange though with Nixon/Ford creating EPA and OSHA, Reagan and Bush Sr. increasing major costly regs which were needed in Asbestos Acts(Reagan) and Clean Water Act (Bush Sr.).
I say we need to look at and stand with the other major industrial modern nations and their labor and safety laws/regs - Canada, Britain, Germany, France, Sweden, Japan, etc. - do we want our safety and standard of living for labor and the whole public of USA to be compromised and lowered more than those countries are at? Their safety regulations are very similar to the USA, in fact the international safety professional societies work together to develop guidance these countries implement through their specific regulations. If the Unions/labor and public lose in these elections and we join the Big Business race to the bottom on wages/benefits and safety regulations so we end up like Chinese and other foreign labor and safety regs, watch out Canada, Britain, Germany, etc. you are going to be pressured to do it next if you have greedy GOP type of leaders.
Does every other countrys unions stem from the mafia and threaten people to do their bidding? Maybe if our unions were halfway civilized and not 100% corrupt, people wouldnt bash them, but i guess we'll never know.
They have become a socialist haven for the lazy and inept.
another blowhard recrumblican
Turdbin and Obama on TV the same night, that's two people who are not allowed on my TV.
Can anyone tell me why 34,000 of the 62,000 AFSCME in Wisconsin QUIT when given the chance?
fact checker please
Collins concluded, “They have so many ignorant people here that they don’t understand the goodness of unions."
This would be a great Democratic political ad that should run south of the Mason-Dixie line. I might great those southerners thinking....NOT.
With all of this anti-union sentiment in Charlotte, was there a behind the scenes, secret handshake reason why the Dems chose this city for their Convention??? So you Union Leaders, figure it out yet? There has to be a real good reason for them to chose Charlotte, so would one of those steller MSNBC/ DNC reporters, ASK SOMEBODY WHY!!!
Right to Work doesn't prevent unions from forming. It does prevent workers from being forced to join a union. Unions can't stand competition.
Unions need to quit avoiding the right to work states and start trying to organize in a big way in these states and win back unions rights to exist there. Right to work should also include the worker's right to organize themselves to negotiate with their employers. This might even involve rethinking what a union really is and how it is organized and structured. Union dues pays the bills, but unions to organize themselves in a way that is cost efficient and union dues is voluntary until unions get enough political weight in the state to get more legislative rights. What unions need to remember is that when they were founded they had no rights, and often businesses used goons and state national guards to break them up. Avoiding the Democratic convention and complaining about it being in a non union state is not the answer. Organizing and gaining political status is. After all unions are organizing workers all around the world in many different countries. Why should the right to work states in the United States be any different. Go for wages and worker safety before benefits in these states. Everyone appreciates a fair wage.
there are so many brain washed workers in this country that think unions are the devil but they are being told these stories by greedy scummy people who only tell lies so they can continue the slave-like conditions they have created,THEY BUILT THIS LIE AND THATS THE STORY THEY ARE STICKING TO UNTIL SOME OTHER FALLACY COMES ALONG ,MAY THEY DIE A VIOLENT DEMISE.
About 40 years ago the secretaries who work in the Detroit UAW offices tried to form a union... and the UAW fired them!
So if Romney wins and doesn't get everyone on unemployment back to work, you all know he and Tea Party and Gingrich and Ryan will reduce your unemployment pay and your food stamps? Yes you will be on the streets begging at the church/salvation army steps when they cut your job then your unemployment then your food stamps. So do you think Romney will guarantee he will create all those good jobs that keep you employed for the rest of your life and not need those stamps and unemployment checks he/Ryan/Gingrich/Tea Party want to cut because they think Obama has been too nice to you? I think the GOP is planning on making about 50 million people dissappear dying homeless on the streets in the next 4 years. Sorry, GOP we got your game plan and it is Nazi-Like.
It is Unions who are destroying Unions. They've become their own special interest groups and suffer division within their ranks. If Elizabeth Warren is defeated, for instance, it'll be due in large part to Massachusetts' Union voters. Massachusetts' Unions are divided and Massachusetts Union voters did a lot to elect Scott Brown. At this point the future for Unions seems certain. Unions are dissolving and deteriorating from within, and seem to be on an utterly unavoidable road of self destruction. Every Union vote for the GOP is actually an anti Union vote.
Again why does money have to be the main force of A UNION. If you have enough PEOPLE that are OK with being UNION. That FORCE alone should make any POLITICIAN TREMBLE.
The DUES and all the UNION POLICIES are old hat and should be changed to attract PEOPLE FOR THE CAUSE.
Then the UNION will be quite POWERFUL on their stance for FAIRNESS and EQUALITY. The Unions should be in our CONGRESS to fix that MESS of CORRUPTION.
This is just wrong!
“Union officials are mounting a billion-dollar campaign to reelect President Barack Obama; and elect more pro-forced-unionism allies in Congress,”
I am a Republican, and I have been part of several unions in my life. I didn't want my dues to go to any political party, it should be illegal for union dues to be used to support political partys.
reveal5 is correct! Unions are destroying themselves.
And for those of you who are still living in la-la land! You need to wake up! Unions are BIG BUSINESS!