So much for reasoned discussion about working conditions, and talk about insensitivity to those who have recently lost loved ones. A recent struggle between union workers and a chain of funeral homes resulted in vandalism and threats of protests at the funerals of greiving families.
http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/opinion/oped/bs-ed-unions-20110808,0,5659136.story
from the article:
On July 10, three Chicago-area Alderwoods funeral homes were viciously
vandalized. All were Dignity Memorial network facilities that had also been
targeted for a strike by local Teamsters..... Then — shock! — the funeral homes got trashed. As company spokeswoman Jessica
McDunn explained, "Three of those four funeral homes were vandalized … with
vulgar profanity, broken windows, damage to the front door and damage to an
associate's car."
Teamsters Local 727, which represents 16 Alderwoods embalmers, drivers and
funeral directors, had been negotiating with the company that owns the homes
after their labor contract expired June 30. The union complained that the other
side had bargained in bad faith and had "…proposed a three-year wage freeze and
a company health care package that is more expensive and less comprehensive than
the union's health and welfare benefits," reports the Chicago
Sun-Times. And so the Teamsters targeted four funeral homes for
strike.
Making union protestations of innocence hard to believe were nasty fliers
bearing a Teamsters banner, pictures of which have popped up all over the
Internet, warning ominously: "Any family that makes arrangements with a
Chicago-area Dignity Memorial funeral home during this time may encounter a
labor dispute at the location."
Even assuming no union connection to the vandalism, the explicit threat to
disrupt funeral services is shockingly tasteless. But such tactics are the bread
and butter of unions. And it seems to have worked; on July 12, after the
vandalism, both sides came to an agreement "with no changes in the health plan,"
reportstheChicago Tribune.
------------------------------------------------
Everyone agrees that the church that protests at the funerals of fallen members of the military are wrong and deserving of nothing but contempt, but what about this kind of thug behavior. Does it also derserve contempt from decent people?
http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/opinion/oped/bs-ed-unions-20110808,0,5659136.story
from the article:
On July 10, three Chicago-area Alderwoods funeral homes were viciously
vandalized. All were Dignity Memorial network facilities that had also been
targeted for a strike by local Teamsters..... Then — shock! — the funeral homes got trashed. As company spokeswoman Jessica
McDunn explained, "Three of those four funeral homes were vandalized … with
vulgar profanity, broken windows, damage to the front door and damage to an
associate's car."
Teamsters Local 727, which represents 16 Alderwoods embalmers, drivers and
funeral directors, had been negotiating with the company that owns the homes
after their labor contract expired June 30. The union complained that the other
side had bargained in bad faith and had "…proposed a three-year wage freeze and
a company health care package that is more expensive and less comprehensive than
the union's health and welfare benefits," reports the Chicago
Sun-Times. And so the Teamsters targeted four funeral homes for
strike.
Making union protestations of innocence hard to believe were nasty fliers
bearing a Teamsters banner, pictures of which have popped up all over the
Internet, warning ominously: "Any family that makes arrangements with a
Chicago-area Dignity Memorial funeral home during this time may encounter a
labor dispute at the location."
Even assuming no union connection to the vandalism, the explicit threat to
disrupt funeral services is shockingly tasteless. But such tactics are the bread
and butter of unions. And it seems to have worked; on July 12, after the
vandalism, both sides came to an agreement "with no changes in the health plan,"
reportstheChicago Tribune.
------------------------------------------------
Everyone agrees that the church that protests at the funerals of fallen members of the military are wrong and deserving of nothing but contempt, but what about this kind of thug behavior. Does it also derserve contempt from decent people?
