Eddie is going at it - Democratic Underground

nadinbrzezinski

(1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore

Wed Apr-07-10 05:22 PM
Original message

Eddie is going at it

and going to bat for EFCA...

And we NEED to expand the role of labor and the POWER of labor in this country

Printer Friendly | Permalink | | Top

demosincebirth

(1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore

Wed Apr-07-10 05:24 PM
Response to Original message

1. He's on fire for the workingman! He could have gotten a better union advocate, though.

Edited on Wed Apr-07-10 05:25 PM by demosincebirth

Printer Friendly | Permalink | | Top

hlthe2b

(1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore

Wed Apr-07-10 05:26 PM
Response to Reply #1

3. His sincere dedication to working class and labor...

is what finally endeared him to me. He can be somewhat "thick-headed" on some things and is not always the most informed, but God love him, he sincerely cares about the plight of the working and middle class.

Printer Friendly | Permalink | | Top

nadinbrzezinski

(1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore

Wed Apr-07-10 05:27 PM
Response to Reply #3

7. THank his wife

she took him to a homeless shelter, and a few stories slowly changed him.

Wendy is very much so what makes Big Eddy what he is. After Katrina I was touched by his foundation.

Printer Friendly | Permalink | | Top

hlthe2b

(1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore

Wed Apr-07-10 05:32 PM
Response to Reply #7

13. Yes... I know.

Early after his "conversion," he still had quite a few "kneejerk" conservative ticks and notions that I found disquieting and made me distrust him. He was very hypercritical of the more "Left of center" progressives and movements. With time, that has subsided quite a bit and he's learned to "listen" a bit more to more progressive ideals.

Printer Friendly | Permalink | | Top

nadinbrzezinski

(1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore

Wed Apr-07-10 05:33 PM
Response to Reply #13

15. He will not be a leader

(no news paper or reporter should) but he can be a fountain of info

Printer Friendly | Permalink | | Top

malaise

(1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore

Wed Apr-07-10 05:25 PM
Response to Original message

2. Really good

Worker didn't know about the safety violations - WTFFFF???

Printer Friendly | Permalink | | Top

nadinbrzezinski

(1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore

Wed Apr-07-10 05:26 PM
Response to Reply #2

4. I watched the inverview

and there was fear in them eyes. I suspect that even if he did, with the Massey goons, he'd not admit it.

Harlan County went to war to unionize once... we are going down the same road...

Printer Friendly | Permalink | | Top

demosincebirth

(1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore

Wed Apr-07-10 05:27 PM
Response to Reply #2

6. They are supposed to be posted in a conspicuous place

Printer Friendly | Permalink | | Top

Frustratedlady

(1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore

Wed Apr-07-10 05:31 PM
Response to Reply #2

11. That shocked me, too.

Also, that the CEO took home $19M last year.

How do these people sleep at night?

Printer Friendly | Permalink | | Top

nadinbrzezinski

(1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore

Wed Apr-07-10 05:32 PM
Response to Reply #11

14. Very well thank you

the fines are cheaper than the safety issues.

And he did say that some people would die... implied that's the cost of bidness.

Printer Friendly | Permalink | | Top

malaise

(1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore

Wed Apr-07-10 05:59 PM
Response to Reply #11

20. Big pharma helps them out

I wish them all that is bad

Printer Friendly | Permalink | | Top

gateley

(1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore

Wed Apr-07-10 05:34 PM
Response to Reply #2

16. I always assume our coal mines are awash in safety violations. I wasn't the least

bit surprised.

Printer Friendly | Permalink | | Top

Beacho

(1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore

Wed Apr-07-10 05:26 PM
Response to Original message

5. I just go through watching it

And he said everything I've been feeling and then some.

Printer Friendly | Permalink | | Top

nadinbrzezinski

(1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore

Wed Apr-07-10 05:30 PM
Response to Reply #5

10. Been working on a genral history of labor

and you know what angers me? Been here before... all the way. The issues today are not that different.

For Christ sake there was a war, an honest to goodness shooting war, in Harlan County... and the mine owners shot down a bunch of workers (That is where the term red neck comes from by the way, they workers wore red bandannas)

Now unless the NLBR gets somewhat involved to stop the suppression, nobody will stand up to Massey... not unlike when they used the Pinkertons. So the methods are different, the result is the same.

Printer Friendly | Permalink | | Top

pscot

(1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore

Wed Apr-07-10 05:41 PM
Response to Reply #10

18. For 8 years the NLRB

was in a coma.

Printer Friendly | Permalink | | Top

nadinbrzezinski

(1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore

Wed Apr-07-10 05:49 PM
Response to Reply #18

19. I could swear there was a death certificate

about to be signed.

Of course there is more... organization of labor these days has to be done across International borders... that's what our neo liberal system does, well time for labor to take the hint.

We should start with truckers and teamsters... imagine a union spanning Canada, the US and Mexico... raising salaries for all... suddenly bringing cheaper labor don't work any longer. Samuel Gompers wrote of that back in 1888, he was onto something... he realized that we'd need to do that with International Federations...

Printer Friendly | Permalink | | Top

malaise

(1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore

Wed Apr-07-10 06:00 PM
Response to Reply #18

21. What I noticed is that the violations increased big time

Edited on Wed Apr-07-10 06:00 PM by malaise

with the change of administration.

add (s)

Printer Friendly | Permalink | | Top

Beacho

(1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore

Thu Apr-08-10 08:23 AM
Response to Reply #10

22. Too true, short story about Gramps and Lumber Mills in the 20s

He worked in a plywood mill in the PNW and one of the main reasons that he joined the IWW was that people were killed and maimed regularly in the shop. He was a trained engineer and he would suggest ways to improve safety that were always rejected because of cost. The same attitude existed then that were hearing in the media now. "Well, it's a dangerous job and that's how it is" was the common refrain. It sickens me that the MSM is pushing that meme now that was used then as excuse to maximize profits.

I really got my Prole Rage going on right now over this.

Printer Friendly | Permalink | | Top

lonestarnot

(1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore

Wed Apr-07-10 05:28 PM
Response to Original message

8. Hells yeah. Doing my part on that deal!

:applause:

Printer Friendly | Permalink | | Top

mod mom

(1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore

Wed Apr-07-10 05:29 PM
Response to Original message

9. and rightfully so. Imprison the Massey Management!

Printer Friendly | Permalink | | Top

nadinbrzezinski

(1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore

Wed Apr-07-10 05:31 PM
Response to Reply #9

12. As much as I identify wiht the sentiment

won't happen, not in this reality. But that is why we need EFCA and a few other reforms... and also for labor to start doing a few wild cat strikes.

Printer Friendly | Permalink | | Top

Mojeoux

(1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore

Wed Apr-07-10 05:37 PM
Response to Reply #9

17. Agreement! n/t

Printer Friendly | Permalink | | Top

DU AdBot (1000+ posts)

Mon May 13th 2024, 10:47 AM
Response to Original message

Advertisements [?]

Top

Powered by DCForum+ Version 1.1 Copyright 1997-2002 DCScripts.com
Software has been extensively modified by the DU administrators

Important Notices: By participating on this discussion board, visitors agree to abide by the rules outlined on our Rules page. Messages posted on the Democratic Underground Discussion Forums are the opinions of the individuals who post them, and do not necessarily represent the opinions of Democratic Underground, LLC.