Alternative Visions Radio Show, Friday, March 2, 2018
SHOW ANNOUNCEMENT
Today’s show focuses on the pending US Supreme Court decision, Janus vs. AFSCME, which represents an escalation of the billionaire-corporate-right wing attack on unions. Dr. Rasmus welcomes guest, Joseph Bryant, Vice President of Service Employees International Union (SEIU) local 1021 in San Francisco, California. The billionaires behind the case—from the State Policy Network to ALEC to the Koch Brothers, Bradley Foundation, Donors Trust Fund and others are noted. How the Janus case seeks to gut union representation by bankrupting the union. Rasmus provides an overview of anti-union tactics and strategies of the past 40 years, that have already devastated union membership in the private sector, now down to only 6.5% organized. Now the attack moves to destroy them in the public sector as well, in the Janus and other pending cases. VP Bryan explains responses being planned by his union when the Janus decision comes down, likely against the unions. Rasmus and Bryan discuss possible further direct action responses by public unions, perhaps in unity with other social movements now arising—like #MeToo, Black Lives Matter, Fight for $15, DACA and immigrant rights, and Florida students against the NRA. Why the public unions’ response must be more than just legal or even electoral. What might be done. (For more information on Janus and union response, go to SEIU 1021’s website at SEIU1021.org)
TO LISTEN TO THE SHOW PODCAST GO TO:
http://prn.fm/alternative-visions-attack-unions-intensifies-janus-supreme-court-decision-03-02-18/
Dr. Jack Rasmus @drjackrasmus
Jack Rasmus 
TRADE AND SERVICE UNIONS
DEFINITION: A number of persons joining together for some common purpose.
TYPES OF UNIONS: Private and public
FACTS: Private and public unions negotiate with employers to obtain specific goals for those persons being represented.
Subjects for negotiations include wages, benefits, and working conditions.
If negotiations result in additional costs to an employer:
a. A private employer will absorbe those costs or will pass some or all to the customers.
b. A public employer will have its “rainy-day” funds reduced or will raise additional revenue from its taxpayers.
ANALYSIS:
a. If a private employer absorbs additional negotiated costs, margins will be affected, which will reduce taxable income, which will cause a reduction in the value of the employer’s business. If the employer passes on the additional costs to its customers, it would be inflationary and the customers would have less spendable funds for other expenditures, which may adversely affect the economics. In most instances of higher costs, those costs will be passed on to the customers.
b. If a public employer raises additional revenue from its taxpayers, the taxpayers will have less spendable funds and that may adversely affect the economics.
c. When a politician, economist, or anyone else calls for “high-paying” union jobs, they are implying that there be a shift of wealth from customers to the “high-paying” union jobs.
mz
mikiesmoky@aol.com
February 26, 2011
Great post. Yes, education is extremely important but it is as difficult as it is important. It is no easier to talk an issue through to an NPR Liberal than a die hard Trump supporter. As Gore Vidal told us, if you talk about our class system, the entire mainstream media will immediately boom out in unison like the Mormon Tabernacle Choir that there is no class system in the United States. Meanwhile, a recently published MIT study claims that Uber/Lkyft drivers make about $3.50 per hour after adjustments for all reasonable costs