The War on the Middle Class

                                                                                                            By Louis Gabriele

Whether workers are unionized or not, as I have seen with Occupiers or in rallies, the dominant words are: "Corporate Greed has got to go!" CWA President Larry Cohen recently said that attacks from the right are building strong bonds among workers and unemployed. 

Effective December 21st, NABET-CWA Local 53 gave Fox Digital & Cable a written 30 day cancellation notice of the extended contract. The Company blinked and negotiations resumed in December. Fox presented NABET with a package that was accepted by the Members after a ratification vote on December 16th and 18th.

Fox's KTTV/KCOP management continued the War on the Middle Class in May 2011 when the Company presented the Union with proposals that had major decreases in wages and benefits. Since then, negotiations have not been going well.

KTTV/KCOP News and Engineering Members of Local 53 decided to take a Whack at the Murdochs by an overwhelming vote to grant the NABET-CWA bargaining unit strike authorization on Monday December 12, 2011. Now they are scheduled to return to the table on January 9th thru 12th.

After the conclusion of the NABET-CWA/ABC negotiations in January 2008,

NABET-CWA began negotiating with NBC UNIVERSAL for a new contract in the last quarter of 2008. NBC UNIVERSAL joined: "The War on the Middle Class."

The NABET-CWA NBCU Master Agreement expired March 31, 2009. Major issues under negotiations include reduction of job security, benefits and expansion of non-union employees. The Company has not offered decent proposals for the Members. Bargaining continued in December. Negotiators have hope; a resolution is imminent.

According to Labour Start, Fiat's management is trying to ".... crush the auto workers union at Fiat." and the Turkish government "... sent 25 teacher trade unionists to prison on trumped up charges of 'terrorism' since November 2009."

34th president of US 1953-1961: 

Dwight D. Eisenhower said, "I have no use for those -- regardless of their political party -- who hold some vain and foolish dream of spinning the clock back to days when organized labor was huddled, almost as a hapless mass. Only a fool would try to deprive working men and women of the right to join the union of their choice."

Over fifty years ago, people were saying:

They will raise the minimum wage to $1.00 and nobody will be able to hire more help.

 The post office was thinking about charging 7 cents just to mail a letter.

 Friendly Mobilization to save Jobs in 2011    

Take Action:

Stand Up to Corporate America; Demand Fair and Honest Bargaining!