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*** UPDATED x1 *** Local “right to work” push not showing much success… yet

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* Union members and allies packed a Woodstock City Council hearing earlier this week to the point where it had to be moved to a much larger venue. The turnout worked, at least for now

Woodstock City Council members balked on Gov. Bruce Rauner’s “Turnaround Agenda” resolution aimed at organized labor, after a large contingent of labor unions addressed the council and criticized the measure.

Rauner has asked cities and villages throughout the state to join his push against unions and pass the resolution. It urges state lawmakers to grant local governments and voters the choice to create right-to-work zones and details changes to prevailing wage and workers’ compensation laws.

On Tuesday, hundreds of area union members came to Woodstock to address the council before members were set to discuss and vote on Rauner’s resolution. The large turnout forced city officials to relocate the meeting to the larger Woodstock High School.

The council ultimately voted 5-2 to table the resolution – a request initiated by Mayor Brian Sager.

* More from Woodstock

“I’m a part of Woodstock. If you vote for this resolution, this is what it does. You then give permission to Gov. Rauner to go around the state of Illinois and say Woodstock wants this,” Acosta said. “Well you know what? I’m a part of Woodstock and I don’t want this.”

But not everyone who addressed the council was part of a union.

“I’m a millionaire,” Woodstock’s Craig Hallenstein told the council. “I’m part of the 1 percent. I’m not a member of a union, and I agree with every comment made here. The biggest problem with this country is the declining middle class.”

* The governor’s idea didn’t go anywhere in Mt. Zion, either

A resolution to support several policies proposed by Gov. Bruce Rauner did not gain much traction with the Mount Zion Board of Trustees on Monday.

The board was presented with a resolution encompassing Rauner’s “Turnaround Agenda,” which ranges from changes to prevailing wage and workers compensation laws to the establishment of what are commonly called right to work zones, in which voters could decide if workers should be required to join labor unions.

* More

Shelby County Board Chairman Dave Cruitt said Monday that the proposal backing right-to-work won’t be voted on when board members meet Wednesday.

“Too many of our board members don’t know enough about it,” Cruitt said. “We’re not going to act on it.” […]

[Iroquois] County Board Chairman Kyle Anderson said he hopes to bring the matter before a board committee Thursday with the goal of getting it on the full board’s agenda next week.

He said despite all members of the board being Republicans like Rauner, he’s unsure whether the resolution will be approved.

Moultrie County Board Chairman Dave McCabe said the issue has been put on hold until at least next month.

Iroquois County’s committee meeting on the issue earlier this week was also flooded with anti-resolution folks. I grew up in Iroquois County. A liberal bastion it ain’t.

* And…


GovRauner's "turnaround agenda" voted down 7-0 in Pingree Grove #twill #workers4il

— IUOE Local 150 (@Local150) April 7, 2015

* But

At Gov. Bruce Rauner’s behest, the Kane County Board will approve a resolution supporting at least some parts of Rauner’s reform agenda. Deciding which parts may involve a discussion about the future ability of county employees to unionize.

Rauner met with county officials Tuesday to ask for the endorsement. County board Chairman Chris Lauzen said Rauner was explicit in saying the county should customize the endorsement to reflect only aspects where county officials agreed with the governor.

In a written statement, Lauzen indicated support of Rauner’s views about public employee unions. That view involves passing legislation giving local governments, such as Kane County, the ability to exclude several topics from union negotiations, such as wage negotiations, use of paid work time to conduct union negotiations, and the use of third-party contractors.

However

The debate on what to include in the resolution will begin in the board’s Legislative Committee, headed up by Aurora Democrat Brian Pollock. Pollock said the full board will debate the possible elements of the resolution and come to a consensus on what to say about unions.

“The chairman has said it’s up to the board to set the policy,” Pollock said. “And we’re looking forward to that discussion.”

So, it doesn’t look like the anti-union stuff has much of a chance there.

*** UPDATE *** From the governor’s office…

The following towns have passed the resolution.

I have the PDFs coming.

Thanks,

posted by Rich Miller
Thursday, Apr 9, 15 @ 9:55 am

Comments

  1. I thought Rauner ‘never’ loses? Clearly, a few towns are going to have a ‘…problem’ if they don’t fall in line.

    Comment by How Ironic Thursday, Apr 9, 15 @ 10:08 am

  2. Governor “And I would have gotten away with it too, if it weren’t for you meddling kids” Rauner is taught another lesson.

    Will he learn, or are we going to be stuck on this level forever? I know he’s got plenty of quarters but this game is boring.

    Comment by LizPhairTax Thursday, Apr 9, 15 @ 10:09 am

  3. So much for the grass roots movement. At least sanity prevails at the local government level. I suspect that Rauner will start listening to voters and stop telling people what he thinks they should care about shortly after the Cubs win the World Series.

    Comment by AC Thursday, Apr 9, 15 @ 10:10 am

  4. Looks like BVR — Baddest Enemy #1 — backing down. His staffer had been telling towns “No Amendments” but guessin’ Lauzen (well known voice of reason :) ) told that was a non starter.
    Meeanwhile zip, zero, nada done on FY16 budget — except BVR predicting June adjournment.

    Comment by Anonyin' Thursday, Apr 9, 15 @ 10:11 am

  5. He’s quickly becoming a Quinnesque gadfly, eh?

    Comment by Ducky LaMoore Thursday, Apr 9, 15 @ 10:11 am

  6. Better watch out, the clean Carharrt might get used finally since he is anyone’s “baddest” opponent.

    Comment by Jorge Thursday, Apr 9, 15 @ 10:14 am

  7. There is zero need for this right to work push. It is divisive, illegal, needless and harmful to Illinois. Our economy is recovering. Our unemployment rate is virtually identical to Indiana’s, with much higher incomes and without Indiana’s Flintstonian social and political landscape.

    Comment by Grandson of Man Thursday, Apr 9, 15 @ 10:15 am

  8. As BLAGO would say…

    “It’s an Up day”..,

    Comment by Oswego Willy Thursday, Apr 9, 15 @ 10:17 am

  9. IMO, going to the local communities was going to be a non-starter from the get-go. As with everything in government, everything is bad until you localize it. “Those politicians in Springfield are corrupt! But not our legislator, we like our legislator”, etc.

    It’s going to be the same thing for right to work - those faceless, nameless “union bosses” are bad, but when you pit neighbor against neighbor, it becomes a lot more difficult to stomach.

    Comment by Hey Anonny Nonny Thursday, Apr 9, 15 @ 10:17 am

  10. Why does he insist on the blame message? I just don’t get it. I was under the impression that business leaders were more adaptable than that, always adapting to “market forces”? Maybe he should try going around the state, highlighting things we are doing well, meeting state workers who daily piss excellence, and restore pride and confidence in our state. It’s worth a shot I think. It’s not like we are doing every thing wrong. We have the largest economy, GDP, in the midwest and there are a ton of things we do really well. I don’t want to be polyannish(sp?) but let’s maybe go positive for just a bit.

    Comment by Honeybear Thursday, Apr 9, 15 @ 10:21 am

  11. Clearly all these local governments must be corrupt to fail to do Brucie’s bidding…

    Comment by D.P.Gumby Thursday, Apr 9, 15 @ 10:23 am

  12. - “I’m part of the 1 percent. I’m not a member of a union, and I agree with every comment made here. The biggest problem with this country is the declining middle class.” -

    Good on you, Craig.

    Comment by Anonymous Thursday, Apr 9, 15 @ 10:23 am

  13. Organized labor is already in a hole. The debate is about the “right to work” saying “workers are required to join a union.”

    The debate should be about workers’ rights and fair pay.

    Comment by Sir Reel Thursday, Apr 9, 15 @ 10:25 am

  14. ===“I’m a millionaire,” Woodstock’s Craig Hallenstein told the council. “I’m part of the 1 percent. I’m not a member of a union, and I agree with every comment made here. The biggest problem with this country is the declining middle class.”===
    Hope somebody in the labor movement signs this guy up. They can use this guy in a PR campaign. I think its been Wiley who keeps saying here, that labor needs to start thinking macro.

    Comment by Been There Thursday, Apr 9, 15 @ 10:30 am

  15. I know several Kane county Board members and they have stated they do not support the Governor’s agenda and will not vote to support it.

    Comment by proillinois Thursday, Apr 9, 15 @ 10:35 am

  16. Gov. Rauner and his right to work campaign could end up being one of the best things to happen to the unions in a long time. Seems like their members are starting to wake up and activate.

    Comment by Bluefish Thursday, Apr 9, 15 @ 10:37 am

  17. Not exactly a groundswell of support. So much so it reinforces the opposition. Didnt they do any advance work, so they would some quick successes?

    Comment by Langhorne Thursday, Apr 9, 15 @ 10:41 am

  18. Sorry, stupid phone went all caps on Blago…

    Yes, the Unions need to go into macro thinking.

    To the Post,

    With the “Tournaround Tour” and these Dopey votes on resolutions with “limited” traction, we are seeing “Sonny Mode” trump Gov. Rauner and his thoughtful Crew who actually work out solutions.

    However, lying to the Speaker, that undercuts both “Sonny Mode” and the hard work of the Crew actually doing the work.

    If it’s Rauner’s intention to show groundswell, local official, support, it’s not going too well. At all.

    What legislator, not co-opted by Rauner, is going to trust Rauner’s instincts or political acumen at this point?

    “Who?” Who will trust Rauner? Owls?

    Keep all the campaign rhetoric going, especially on the road, that helps….

    Of the 177 legislators, “who” agreed publicly that the ILSC is corrupt? “Who? Who agreed?”

    Z and Lance haveta get Rauner off his horse and fighting all these windmills, and stop the “corrupt” nonsense, and stop lying to the Speaker and double-crossing on deals…

    Maybe stopping these resolution fiascos might be a good start(?)

    Comment by Oswego Willy Thursday, Apr 9, 15 @ 10:43 am

  19. The other interesting issue is prevailing wage. While presented by Rauner as a cost issue, for many local governments, it’s actually about keeping work that goes out for bids local. Most residents prefer that their tax dollars stay in their communities and like to have a local contractor to hold responsible if there are problems with the work.

    Comment by Pot calling kettle Thursday, Apr 9, 15 @ 10:44 am

  20. Maybe Rauner needs to start spreading some of that $20 million around for some “tough votes.” Watch your quid pro quo.

    When this dog-and-pony show was announced, I assumed they already had some local governments lined up. Isn’t that how “AstroTurf movements” usually work? A few slam-dunk winners to demonstrate “movement?”

    Comment by Wordslinger Thursday, Apr 9, 15 @ 10:48 am

  21. =“I’m a millionaire,” Woodstock’s Craig Hallenstein told the council. “I’m part of the 1 percent. I’m not a member of a union, and I agree with every comment made here. The biggest problem with this country is the declining middle class.”=

    I’m a multi-millionaire, and since I don’t have employees and I’m not forced to join a union or pay them tribute, “right to work” won’t affect my income or net worth a bit. “Right to Work” isn’t about cutting wages or making the rich richer, its about stabilizing labor and hopefully avoiding work stoppages and strikes over a militant 51% driving union policy, and giving membership minorities more protection from union exploitation. Its not wages that are driving Caterpillar and Deere out of Illinois, it’s the uncertainty that 51% of the membership will shut things down and cause loss of business if unreasonable demands aren’t met.

    Most businesses aren’t really all that concerned about slightly above average costs of doing business in Illinois, It’s things like Workman’s comp where an employee gets injured away from work, or that the employer is only minimally responsible for the injury, and they’re hit for the cost of full benefits. It’s the unfunded pension liabilities that sooner or later taxes will have to skyrocket to pay.

    Based on this feedback, I think Rauner should empower localities to control “right to work” rules. Municipalities, like those above, likely won’t enact them. that’s fine and fair. But others, when faced by industries to enact “right to work” as a precondition to a business coming to their communities or prevent them from leaving, should have this strategic advantage to keep businesses from leaving here for Indiana or Kentucky.

    The statewide issue that Rauner should be concentrating on is public unions. Right to work for them, as well as public sector striking prohibition, is a necessary first step in getting skyrocketing school and municipal unreasonably large cost increases under control.

    Comment by Rapscallion Thursday, Apr 9, 15 @ 10:49 am


  22. Didnt they do any advance work, so they would some quick successes?

    I suspect Rauner thinks everybody outside of Chicago is an idiot. And therefore anti-union.

    If you live downstate — in say, Quincy — you can’t possibly — possibly — believe in unions. Right?

    Comment by Frenchie Mendoza Thursday, Apr 9, 15 @ 10:53 am

  23. - to hold responsible -

    Exactly. Employers against prevailing wage are cheap hustlers that want to make fast cash and don’t care about quality.

    Real contractors want experienced, reliable employees that will help them build their brand.

    Rauner wouldn’t know anything about this since he’s never built a business.

    Comment by Anonymous Thursday, Apr 9, 15 @ 10:54 am

  24. I look forward to Rauner holding press conferences with individual households who have agreed to sign on to Right to Work. There’s really no where else for him to take this thing … and talk about grassroots!

    Comment by Sam Weinberg Thursday, Apr 9, 15 @ 10:55 am

  25. BTW — if this slow roll of “thanks, but no thanks” — doesn’t show Rauner’s growing weakness, I don’t know what will.

    Someone should pull the plug on this — and tell Rauner to revisit post-2016. It’s a slow drip that’s slowly sapping whatever (real or imagined) power Rauner has. The more the locals refuse this — or refute it — the bigger issue Rauner has.

    Rauner should realize — probably more than most folks — that a perception of authority matters. It’s what gets things done. He talks like a thug — kind of a weak, old-guy thug — but if he can’t deliver action that exemplifies thuggery and power — then he’s done. He’ll become a laughing stock. He’s close to that point now, I suspect.

    Comment by Frenchie Mendoza Thursday, Apr 9, 15 @ 10:56 am

  26. Frenchie, I thought during the campaign that Rauner was just an ego-tripper who would say anything to get elected.

    That still holds true, but with this addition: he’s also a dilettante ideologue who wants what he wants.

    And what he wants is for everyone else to make less money in the service of some warped dorm-room ideology.

    Comment by Wordslinger Thursday, Apr 9, 15 @ 11:03 am

  27. Ah, he only needs five or six “Yes” votes from localities to claim some success with this “movement.”

    It wasn’t ever actually going anywhere anyway, but it can add to his image.

    Comment by walker Thursday, Apr 9, 15 @ 11:10 am

  28. – right to work isn’t about cutting wages —

    Who do you expect to believe that?

    Comment by Wordslinger Thursday, Apr 9, 15 @ 11:11 am

  29. ““Right to Work” isn’t about cutting wages or making the rich richer, its about stabilizing labor and hopefully avoiding work stoppages and strikes over a militant 51% driving union policy, and giving membership minorities more protection from union exploitation.”

    Then why does RTWFL result in the former and not the latter?

    If you don’t want employees to be able to strike, back a law prohibiting it. If you don’t want 51% of the union to be able to call a strike (but 51% is fine to elect a Governor, I guess), back a law that requires a higher threshold. Just don’t tell me that your goals are X, Y, and Z, so you’re backing a law that accomplishes A, B, and C.

    Comment by Arsenal Thursday, Apr 9, 15 @ 11:14 am

  30. Also, Rauner has explicitly sold RTWFL as a way of getting public finances under control. That necessarily means “spend less money”, which necessarily means “pay people less”.

    Once again, RTWFL proponents: pick a lane. Either this is GOOD for workers, in which case you need to drop the “it’ll help balance the budget!” argument, or it’s going to help balance the budget, in which case you need to drop the “good for workers” one.

    Comment by Arsenal Thursday, Apr 9, 15 @ 11:17 am

  31. At any rate, I don’t know why any local government would go out on this limb. The GA wasn’t going to touch this before, and now that everyone feels betrayed about the grants, they’re definitely not going to do Rauner any favors. The most you’ll get is the bill being called so every Dem can vote against it.

    Comment by Arsenal Thursday, Apr 9, 15 @ 11:31 am

  32. Looks like his RTW agenda has as much chance at suceeding as his next election.

    Comment by taxman Thursday, Apr 9, 15 @ 11:36 am

  33. Based on the Gov’s office update, this will become a “success” for Rauner with his base and many others, including out-of-state funders.

    It might rebound in the long term, as it fails to pass the legal hurdles, but this will play well politically for Rauner for at least a couple of years.

    Comment by walker Thursday, Apr 9, 15 @ 11:39 am

  34. O.W. we thought everyone was honorin’ Capt fax requests to hold the Blagoofian comparisons til 5-1-15(that the same date goin’ backwards and forwards btw). did he cancel that request?
    Can we ask resident Charleston expert-in-chief Schnorf to update us on the votin’ there? uiewANAN

    Comment by Anonyin' Thursday, Apr 9, 15 @ 11:41 am

  35. Maybe Clinton passed the Right to Work resolution in order to save the Nuclear Plant there by de-unionizing the workforce.

    Are Exelon and Rauner in cahoots on this?

    Comment by okgo Thursday, Apr 9, 15 @ 11:45 am

  36. - Anonyin’ -

    My apologies. I hope I get a pass on this one, after beggin’ for forgiveness. I do not… want… “a #%+& problem”

    Comment by Oswego Willy Thursday, Apr 9, 15 @ 11:48 am

  37. Wow! Mikanda!! Maybe Cantrall could follow suit.

    Comment by Anonymous Thursday, Apr 9, 15 @ 11:52 am

  38. Rauner is batting 0.36% so far with his resolution. That’s 5 out of the 1299 municipalities and 102 counties in the State. That batting average won’t get you out of little league.

    Comment by Norseman Thursday, Apr 9, 15 @ 11:57 am

  39. Yes, Makanda, population 561. That will put a dent in the push! Not much there but Cedar Lake and Sen. Paul Simon’s (now Sheila’s) house.

    Comment by Rusty618 Thursday, Apr 9, 15 @ 11:59 am

  40. Paul Simons hometown? Sad.

    Wonder if these were lame duck measures anywhere.

    Comment by hisgirlfriday Thursday, Apr 9, 15 @ 12:08 pm

  41. The following towns have passed the resolution.

    East Dundee
    Clinton
    Cambridge
    Makanda
    Charleston

    Whaaaaaat?

    Where’s Towanda?

    Comment by NewWestSuburbanGOP'er Thursday, Apr 9, 15 @ 12:12 pm

  42. Five cities, total population 34,188, of which 21,149 are in Charleston. Yup, that’s a groundswell.

    Comment by Skeptic Thursday, Apr 9, 15 @ 12:17 pm

  43. BTW Bloomberg businessweek has a story on the attorney behind the national push to get local RTW accepted by the courts, Brent yessin. Any direct rauner connections?

    Comment by hisgirlfriday Thursday, Apr 9, 15 @ 12:22 pm

  44. okgo-

    The Clinton Power Station is that in name only. It is well outside the municipal boundaries of the City of Clinton. Anyway, this resolution will do little to change what may become the “I told you so” moment for Exelon if they don’t get their “bailouts” from the Fed and State (and, ultimately, tax and rate payers). Unfortunately, this is going to cost DeWitt County and the communities there a great deal, and no one has been willing to plan for the time when the plant is closed and gone into a decommission mode. See for some of these “clues”:

    http://www.chicagotribune.com/business/breaking/ct-lasalle-nuclear-relicensing-1210-biz-20141209-story.html Note: Clinton license not yet renewed.

    http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2014-03-09/business/ct-exelon-closing-nuclear-plants-0308-biz-20140309_1_quad-cities-plant-byron-plant-exelon

    Comment by Anon221 Thursday, Apr 9, 15 @ 12:50 pm

  45. OW we are prepared to excuse your gaff..if that is what it is…BTW Sen. Simon lived in Makanda at the time of his death. we think he was from Troy

    Comment by Anonyin' Thursday, Apr 9, 15 @ 12:53 pm

  46. Please don’t get me wrong- I am totally opposed to the bailout ideas for nuclear, and will be glad when the plant closes. Already people are starting to talk about planning for change- something most in the county refused to even consider over the past couple of decades because of the “largesse” of the plant’s tax contributions (which they are still contesting!).

    Comment by Anon221 Thursday, Apr 9, 15 @ 12:56 pm

  47. - Anonyin’ -, it won’t happen again.

    I’ll keep my word…

    Comment by Oswego Willy Thursday, Apr 9, 15 @ 12:57 pm

  48. There was lots of discussion that the REAL reason for Exelon shutting down Zion was the recalcitrant union staff there. There were real conflict issues, and I understand that there was concern if the operator union didn’t get what it wanted, there were serious safety concerns. That was the station with the most contrary and militant union in the network. Many think it was a “PATCO” moment when they closed the station. I don’t recall that Clinton station had such labor problems, although many workers WERE from Decatur, which is known for having perhaps the most belligerent union culture in any community in Illinois, even when jobs were drying up there at a fantastic pace due to the threat of labor unrest.

    We need positive discriminators to get manufacturing jobs back to Illinois, and if we can get on a path to success for the public pension liabilities, overcome tort, workman’s comp, and corruption issues, as well as getting the union labor situation to a level playing field, Illinois manufacturing may yet have a fighting chance, as well as the middle class here.

    Comment by Rapscallion Thursday, Apr 9, 15 @ 1:08 pm

  49. ===We need positive discriminators===

    LOL

    Comment by Rich Miller Thursday, Apr 9, 15 @ 1:10 pm

  50. Makanda?!?! The town in Southern Illinois known for it’s hippies where you can get buzzed just driving the one block of main street?

    Comment by Makanda Thursday, Apr 9, 15 @ 1:11 pm

  51. I don’t recall ever hearing about labor problems at Clinton Power, but then again there is little coverage of any pesky “family” issues in the county anymore in the major media outlets that reside in the county. Most are too worried about losing ad revenues. The one paper that would turn the rocks over was run out of business. Now the best reporting comes from another local outside the county!

    Comment by Anon221 Thursday, Apr 9, 15 @ 1:14 pm

  52. – We need positive discriminators –

    No, that’s Indiana.

    Raps, you’re really blowing the lid off that whole Zion crisis. Sounds like we just missed out on a nuclear incident.

    How’d you get the skinny and no one else did?

    Comment by Wordslinger Thursday, Apr 9, 15 @ 1:19 pm

  53. Annoyin, I haven’t been in Chuck in a long time and after taking the paper for about 20 years, I stopped taking it about 25 years ago, so I’m pretty low information.

    Comment by steve schnorf Thursday, Apr 9, 15 @ 1:27 pm

  54. True in Charleston. Just talked to the mayor and he referred me to the resolution as endorsed, on the city’s website. Nothing in the local media about this yet. Talks about repealing prevailing wage, forced union membership, local empowerment zones, among many other points. Interesting position, given a lot of union membership at the university here.

    Comment by anonymous Thursday, Apr 9, 15 @ 2:04 pm

  55. @word

    =How’d you get the skinny and no one else did?=

    Actually, it was pretty common knowledge in the power industry community. I know a lot of Comed/Exelon folks, and it was no big secret that labor issues played a major issue in that decision. There were all sorts of issues like security and operators sleeping on the job, and the union fighting like the Dickens to prevent them from being disciplined. Lots of insubordination and conflict. I won’t even get into the issue about workers going into “hot” zones to get maxed out in radiation dosage so that they could sit home the rest of the quarter due to exposure limitations. I’ve been in a few reactor containments, and where dosimitry usually “beeps” when radiation goes up, some workers would linger where there was a straight, steady tone. Lot of bad stuff that management tried to fix, but was fought tooth and nail by the unions there.

    Comment by Rapscallion Thursday, Apr 9, 15 @ 2:43 pm

  56. – I won’t even get into the issue –

    LOL, but you just did.

    Please tell more about workers purposely exposing themselves to dangerous levels of radiation so they could sit home and watch “South Park.”

    Comment by Wordslinger Thursday, Apr 9, 15 @ 2:48 pm

  57. ====We need positive discriminators===

    LOL=

    Hey Rich, we ALL discriminate in one way or another. We do it based things like cost or appearance when we buy something (or perhaps who we date)and all too often based upon things like race, religion, sexual preference or political views. I get the “discriminator” thing in Indiana, but they actually drive pretty much all of politics as well.

    I suggest you read “Positioning to Win” written by a Lockheed marketing guy regarding how to win work through proposals, and the mindset that enables you to win. Most of what is in the book has a direct bearing on politics as well.

    Comment by Rapscallion Thursday, Apr 9, 15 @ 2:52 pm

  58. @wordslinger

    All too often people injure themselves in the workplace. I think it’s nuts, but these folks seem its ok. I knew one guy in canning company who frequently worked the boxing machine, and when he wanted to go home early he let the arm slam into his hand a dozen times, then went to the boss and said he needed to go home because he was injured. If you’re doing mechanical maintenance in nukes in a hot area, there’s a radiation survey that shows where the “hot spots” are so that you stay away from them to prevent overdose. One time I was in a containment and heard some ones dosimetry giving off a constant tone, meaning he was soaking up a LOT of radiation. I went over there, he was working alone, and straddling on a radioactive valve. I went over there and asked him what the heck he was doing. He wasn’t working, he was just sitting there. He was union, so only his supervisor could give him direction to get off it. I got in touch with the super, and was told there was nothing that they could do about the guy, he had seniority, so he got to chose his assignments. Apparently he and the other union workers got beyond the legal limits (which are pretty low, by the way) for the quarter or year. Workers didn’t see the radiation as much of a threat, so they pulled this garbage.

    Drove me nuts to see this, but there was nothing I could do about it.

    We can set up all the safety precautions in the world, but if workers get sloppy or use injuries as a payday, there’s little you can do. Protecting workers who put themselves at risk is perhaps the biggest problem I have with unions.

    Comment by Rapscallion Thursday, Apr 9, 15 @ 3:05 pm

  59. “….Lockheed marketing guy on how to win business through proposals and the mindset that enables you to win.–

    Is that a gag?

    You think Lockheed wins business through “marketing,” snappy Powerpoints and the power of positive thinking?

    Are you aware of the business Lockheed is in?

    Over the decades, Lockheed has won business through bribery, the Pentagon revolving door, government-approved monopoly and taxpayer bailouts.

    It’s not a secret, You can look it up.

    Comment by Wordslinger Thursday, Apr 9, 15 @ 3:05 pm

  60. 90 minutes of public comments this morning at the Mchenry County Board meeting on His Excellency’s “turnaround” 28 against it, none for it. The County Board passed His (capitalization for effect)(snark) resolution 16-5. All this after bypassing their own Legislative Committee, due to meet tomorrow to discuss this resolution, and trying to sneak it past the public.

    Comment by 3234 Thursday, Apr 9, 15 @ 3:42 pm

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