As I headed out from ICP I came across this group of Union people picketing the construction site of a new Times Square Hotel.
This gentleman is biking 4000 miles in support of police and fire personnel (union members mostly) killed in the line of duty and in support of wounded vets.
Members of the New York City District Council United Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners of America are picketing RNC Industries who, they say, does not pay area standard wages and benefits. It was a small but very vocal demonstration.
The core issue, of course, is that if one company does not pay area standards then every company won’t and wages will be depressed even further than they are which will help to continue the erosion of the middle class. Click on the chart below to see how the decline in union membership mirrors the decline of middle class income. Or read the article at The Erstwhile Conservative which is where I first saw this chart. You can also find it on Maddow Blog, thinkprogress.org and other places. Is it cause and effect? I can’t say but it is certainly suggestive.
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6/12/11
June 13th, 2012 at 10:25 pm
I’ve had my business picketed, however, not by unions; by people who disagreed with the type of business
June 16th, 2012 at 12:33 am
Should I ask?
June 16th, 2012 at 7:50 pm
Nah!