Two Top 10 lists related to unions were recently released online. Starting with a list from Human Events of Top 10 Labor Union Outrages: 1. Wisconsin on fire: When the Wisconsin legislature prepared to vote on requiring unionized government workers to increase paltry contributions to their health care plans and pensions, teachers abandoned their classrooms to protest and Democrats in the state senate fled to Illinois to avoid a vote. 2. UAW greed: While the government bailout money [used to shore up ailing US auto manufacturers] has yet to be paid back, union auto workers are getting record bonuses this year. 3. Campaign dollars: While President Obama carped during the midterm elections about all the corporate and foreign cash being spent on behalf of Republicans, he seemed to overlook the hundreds of millions of dollars spent by labor unions. 4. Government pensions: While the rest of us try to build up our 401(k)s during times of economic uncertainty, government workers are still receiving defined-benefit pensions. 5. ObamaCare waivers: Of the first 222 waivers granted by the Department of Health and Human Services, more than one-third of the workers affected were insured by union health plans. 6. SEIU thugs: Their latest favored tactic is to terrorize neighborhoods by protesting at the private residences of their targets. 7. Craig Becker: President Obama avoided a Senate confirmation battle and used his recess appointment power to install Craig Becker, the former SEIU and AFL-CIO counsel, to the National Labor Relations Board. 8. Card check: Before Republicans won back the House of Representatives, Big Labor thought it could get Congress to enact its highest priority: the misnamed “Employee Free Choice Act” bill, or card check. 9. New York snow job: When a massive storm dumped 20 inches of snow on New York City in December, Sanitation Department bosses told workers to slow down snow removal efforts because they were angry over budget cuts and layoffs among their union brethren in the agency. 10. Sports unions: Labor issues are once again threatening the upcoming National Football League’s season. And this humorous list appeared all over the web describing the top ten ways to tell if you might be a member of a public-sector union: 10.) You take a week off to protest in Wisconsin and your office runs better. 9.) On a snow day when they say “non-essential” people should stay home you know who they mean. 8.) You get paid twice as much as a private sector person doing the same job but make up the difference by doing half as much work. 7.) It takes longer to fire you than the average killer spends on death row. 6.) The worse you do your job, the more your boss avoids you. 5.) You think the French are working themselves to death. 4.) You know by having a copy of the Holy Koran on your desk your job is 100% safe. 3.) You spend more time at protest marches than at church. 2.) You have a Democratic congressman’s lips permanently attached to your butt. 1.) You pay more in union dues than you do for your healthcare insurance. David Letterman would be proud!
