Mark Mix

Job Losses Increase Pressure For Reform

On September 1, 2010, By NRTW Committee Staff

(Source: August 2010 NRTWC Newsletter)

Grass-Roots Right to Work Efforts Expanding in Midwestern States

Pro-forced unionism politicians like Gov. Jennifer Granholm (D-Mich., shown here with former Vice President Gore and President Obama) have lost credibility due to the extraordinarily poor economic performance of forced-unionism states. Credit: Radiospike.com

All across America, Right to Work states have long benefited from economic growth far superior to that of states in which millions of employees are forced to join or pay dues or fees to a labor union just to keep their jobs.

But over the past decade, the contrast between Right to Work states and forced-union-dues states has been especially stark in the Midwest.

Four Midwestern forced-unionism states — Michigan, Ohio, Illinois and Indiana — suffered absolute private-sector job declines over the past decade that were worse than those of any of the other 46 states. Midwestern forced-unionism states (the four just mentioned, plus Missouri, Wisconsin and Minnesota) lost a net total of 1.88 million private-sector jobs.

Combined, these seven forced-unionism states had 8.1% fewer private-sector jobs in 2009 than they did back in 1999.

Meanwhile, the five Midwestern Right to Work states (North Dakota, Nebraska, South Dakota, Iowa and Kansas) experienced an overall private-sector job increase of 2.3%.

Moreover, from 1999 to 2009, real personal income in Midwestern Right to Work states grew by 17.3% — an increase two-and-a-half times as a great as the combined real personal income growth in Midwestern forced-unionism states.

State Right to Work laws prohibit the firing of employees simply for exercising their right to refuse to join or bankroll an unwanted union.

At this time, 22 states have Right to Work laws on the books. However, because of intensifying grass-roots efforts in many of the remaining 28 forced-unionism states, the number of Right to Work states could be on the rise over the course of the next few years.

Recession’s End Won’t Suffice to Revive Big Labor-Controlled States (more…)

Elena Kagan Supports Forced Union Dues for Politics

On July 29, 2010, By NRTW Committee Staff

Right to Work President Mark Mix sat down with nationally-syndicated radio host Lars Larson to discuss Obama Supreme Court Nominee Elena Kagan’s support for forcing workers to contribute to union political activism.

NRTW Podcast

Tagged with: dues for politics • Elena Kagan • Lars Larson • Mark Mix
Posted in: Economics, Forced Dues, Forced-Dues for Politics, Government Grants to Unions, Legislation, Monopoly Bargaining, National Right to Work Committee, Obama Administration, Union boss power

When Big Labor plays with fire, taxpayers get burned

On July 9, 2010, By NRTW Committee Staff

Empire State pupils enrolled in K-12 public schools fell by more than 121,000 over the last 10 years, schools added 14,746 teachers and 8,655 non-teaching professionals to their payrolls

NRTW President Mark Mix commentary in the Washington Examiner:

July 8, 2010 Near midnight last Thursday, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and her fellow forced unionism apologists in the U.S. House of Representatives disgracefully amended a “must-pass” war funding bill to include language that is designed to force police officers, firefighters, and Emergency Medical Technicians (EMTs) into “exclusive” union bargaining in every state in the country.

It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out that policies expanding public sector monopoly unionism have played a major role in driving many states to the verge of insolvency. (more…)

Tagged with: AFSCME • AFT • Barry Hirsch • David Macpherson • Gerry McEntee • Huffington Post • Mark Mix • NEA • Public Employees • Washington Examiner
Posted in: AFSCME, Economics, Forced Dues, Forced-Dues for Politics, Government Grants to Unions, Intimidation Tactics, Legislation, National Right to Work Committee, Public Employee Monopoly Bargaining, Public Employees, Union boss power

‘Mandatory Union Membership’ Is PLA’s Purpose

On June 22, 2010, By NRTW Committee Staff

Committee President Mark Mix: The Right to Work movement and its allies are challenging President Obama’s 2009 executive order promoting union-only "project labor agreements" on federal taxpayer-funded public works.

(Source: June 2010 NRTWC Newsletter)

Ohio Town Council Cuts Through Big Labor/White House Fog

Marietta, which has only about 15,000 residents, but enjoys a place of honor as the oldest city of any size in Ohio, is located more than 230 miles outside the Washington, D.C., Beltway.

And from the vantage point of Marietta’s community building at Lookout Park, where the town council considered adoption of a so-called “project labor agreement” (PLA) on May 13, it appears to be far easier to see and state the obvious than it is at the White House or on Capitol Hill.

This spring, building trades union bosses lobbied furiously to convince the council’s seven members to impose a Big Labor PLA on employees and firms seeking to participate in the renovation of the town’s former Ohio Bureau of Employment Services building into a new municipal court facility.

Parkersburg Marietta Construction and Building Trades Council union President Bill Hutchinson claimed, time and again, that the reason he and his cohorts were twisting arms to get a PLA was to ensure that “local” workers got the jobs.

Finally, at the council’s May 13 meeting, Councilman Jon Grimm decided to test building trades union bosses’ sincerity.

Mr. Grimm called attention to the provision in the PLA mandating that 50% of any contractor’s employees be registered with the union and pay union dues, even if they weren’t union members, and didn’t want to join. (more…)

Tagged with: Barry Hirsch • Bill Hutchinson • David Macpherson • Department of Veterans Affairs • E.O.13502 • Jon Grimm • Marietta • Mark Mix • National Right to Work Committee • Ohio • PLA • Rancho Santiago • Roland Riggs
Posted in: Court Cases, Economic Impact of Unionization, Economics, Exclusive Representation, Forced Dues, Government Grants to Unions, NRTWC Newsletter, National Right to Work Committee, Organizing, PLA, Pension Funds

UAW-GM “Pays Back” Taxpayers with Taxpayer Money

On May 20, 2010, By NRTW Committee Staff

In an Investor’s Business Daily op-ed this week, National Right To Work President Mark Mix exposes the collusion between United Auto Workers (UAW) union chiefs and General Motors (GM) management to secure yet another taxpayer bailout:

…GM leaders and the UAW officials who colluded with them to extract $43 billion out of taxpayers in exchange for arguably worthless stock are now patting themselves on the back for paying back on April 21 the balance of a $6.7 billion loan they took out from taxpayers as part of the 2009 bankruptcy package.

In a weekly radio address to the nation late last month, President Obama suggested that the fact that taxpayers have now recouped 14% of the taxes he diverted into GM coffers on their behalf vindicates his decision to bail out GM and the UAW brass.

But ordinary Americans, with whom the GM and Chrysler bailouts have become overwhelmingly unpopular over the past year, are unlikely to agree. Especially not if they learn that GM was able to “pay back” the loan only because it had not yet spent all of the other $43 billion in taxpayer money it raked in last year.

Read the rest of the op-ed by clicking here.

Tagged with: GM • Mark Mix • UAW
Posted in: Economic Impact of Unionization, Economics, Forced-Dues for Politics, Government Grants to Unions

Union Only Contracts: Fewer Bidders = Higher Costs For Taxpayers

On May 19, 2010, By NRTW Committee Staff

White House Federal-Contract Policy Rewards Big Labor Patrons

(Source: May 2010 NRTWC Newsletter)

Union-free construction workers, their employers, and taxpayers were all dealt fresh blows last month as President Barack Obama’s Administration implemented an executive order promoting union-only “project labor agreements” (PLAs) on federally funded public works.

On April 13, the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) Council published a “final rule” implementing Executive Order 13502, issued by the President in February 2009.

“E.O.13502 itself and the final rule both pressure federal agencies to acquiesce to PLAs on all large public works,” said National Right to Work Committee President Mark Mix. “Experience indicates federal bureaucrats will not resist.”

“That means, until further notice, to participate in public works using $25 million or more in federal funds, nonunion companies will have to consent to impose union monopoly bargaining on their employees and hire new workers through discriminatory union hiring halls.

“Independent workers who already have their own retirement funds will nevertheless be forced to contribute to Big Labor-manipulated pension funds.

“Rather than compromise the freedom of their employees and the efficiency of their operations, most independent construction firms will, in all probability, simply refuse to submit bids on federal projects.

“And sharply reducing the number of bidders will surely jack up taxpayers’ bills. The nonpartisan, Boston-based Beacon Hill Institute estimates that construction costs will be inflated by at least 12% to 18% on every project that uses a PLA as a result of E.O.13502.”

Administration Knows PLAs Will Surely Reduce Number Of Bidders on Public Works

“The Obama Administration knows full well that its pro-PLA policy is extremely likely to reduce the number of bidders on public works,” Mr. Mix continued. (more…)

Tagged with: Beacon Hill Institute • Denver • Executive Order 13502 • Mark Mix • New Orleans • Orlando • OSHA • PLA • USDOL
Posted in: NRTWC Newsletter

New Jersey’s ‘Day of Reckoning Has Arrived’

On May 13, 2010, By NRTW Committee Staff

Government Union Monopolists Have Brought State to Brink of Ruin

(Source: May 2010 NRTWC Newsletter)

From 1999 to 2009, according to the U.S. Labor Department, New Jersey’s private-sector employment fell by 2.4%, a percentage decline seven times worse than the national average.

Over the same period, New Jersey’s state and local public employment jumped by a whopping 15.2%, substantially more than the hefty-enough nationwide increase of 12.5%.

For most hard-working Garden State workers and employers, these statistics sum up why New Jersey is in even worse shape, economically, than the nation as a whole.

For years, the state’s heavily unionized public sector has been sucking resources and vitality out of beleaguered private-sector employees and businesses.

But for government union officials, the relentless expansion of the Garden State’s public-sector employment from 1999 to 2009, even as the state’s private-sector employment alternately stagnated or shriveled, is a magnificent achievement that must be preserved and built upon, whatever the cost.

During his successful campaign for the state’s highest executive office and since he was inaugurated in January, GOP Gov. Chris Christie has sided with the vast majority of New Jerseyans who appreciate that state and local government must now be rolled back to give the private sector room to grow. (more…)

Tagged with: AFSCME • AFT • Barry Hirsch • Chris Christie • David Macpherson • Mark Mix • NEA • New Jersey • New Jersey Education Association • Public Employees • SEIU • Tax Foundation
Posted in: Arbitration, Big Labor Ethics, Economic Impact of Unionization, Economics, Forced-Dues for Politics, Government Grants to Unions, NRTWC Newsletter, New Jersey, Public Employee Monopoly Bargaining, Public Employees, Union boss power

Police-Fire Union Scheme Prepped For Floor Vote

On May 9, 2010, By NRTW Committee Staff

Bill Would Herd Now-Independent ‘First Responders’ Into Unions

(Source: May 2010 NRTWC Newsletter)

U.S. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) has sent out an unmistakable signal that he is dead set on pushing through a bill that would undermine state Right to Work laws and soak state and local taxpayers for billions of dollars in additional goverment costs.

On April 12, Mr. Reid reintroduced as S.3194 the Police/Fire Monopoly-Bargaining Bill, which was already pending in the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee as S.1611.

Mr. Reid’s clear purpose in carrying out this tactical maneuver was to make it possible for him to bring up this federal government union power grab for a Senate floor vote at any time, with as little as 48 hours public notice and with no HELP Committee action whatsoever in advance.

Harry Reid and his cohorts cynically mislabel their legislation, also introduced in the U.S. House as H.R.413 by union-label Congressman Dale Kildee (D-Mich.), as the “Public Safety Employer-Employee Cooperation Act.”

States’ Bitter Experiences Illustrate Dangers of Harry Reid’s Scheme

But that moniker has nothing to do with reality. S.3194/H.R.413 would institute a federal mandate foisting union “exclusive representation” (monopoly bargaining) on state and local police, firefighters, and other public-safety employees nationwide.

Reid-Kildee would force countless policemen, firefighters and EMT’s to accept as their monopoly-bargaining agent a union they never asked for or voted for, and want nothing to do with. (more…)

Tagged with: H.R. 413 • Harry Reid • Mark Mix • North Carolina • Reid-Kildee • Right to Work laws • S. 1611 • S.3194 • Texas • Virginia
Posted in: Economic Development in RTW States, Economic Impact of Unionization, Forced-Dues for Politics, Government Grants to Unions, NRTWC Newsletter, Police/Fire Monopoly Bargaining, Public Employee Monopoly Bargaining, Public Employees, Union boss power

Elena Kagan Supports Forced Union Dues for Politics

When Big Labor plays with fire, taxpayers get burned

UAW-GM “Pays Back” Taxpayers with Taxpayer Money

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