Anti-labor hysteria rears its ugly head in Phoenix Council race.
Posted by: Donna
While much of the gasping and clutching of pearls by Sal DiCiccio’s online fans is transparently disingenuous, the most obvious problem they have with Dana Kennedy is that she works for the AFL-CIO.
I’ve come to the conclusion that the fervor to which some anti-union people cling to their hatred of organized labor and anything associated with it qualifies as a form of religious insanity. They must truly believe that weekends, vacations, sick pay, child labor laws, and safety standards were bestowed on American workers because benevolent plutocrats woke up one morning and decided to be nice to the peasants. I can’t think of any other reason for their willingness to carry water for the corporate predator class the way they do. Then again, some of them identify so closely with the corporate predators that they agree with them that stripping workers of all those rights and returning to the Robber Baron era is just what this country needs. They, of course, will be rewarded for their loyalty and given a nice overseer position in the sweatshop.
What these deluded fools forget is that two very large and important groups of Phoenix employees, police and firefighters, are union. Sorry to break it to them, but those unions aren’t going away anytime soon, despite their best efforts to dismantle them. (Speaking of which, it’s ironic how they refer to union members as “goons” all the time when most of the intimidation and bullying of the past few decades has come from the union-busting industry.) Dana Kennedy’s background would give her an understanding of the dynamics of a dispute between members of a union and their management, and the wisdom to know when the Council should butt out. Wouldn’t that be helpful the next time a situation like the one with Chief Harris arises?
I don’t expect any of what I just said to get through the thick skulls of irrational people who think the boss is always right, workers should shut up and be grateful for whatever they get, and we could attract excellent cops and emergency responders for $9 an hour if those pesky unions would just go away. Clutch away at your pearls, guys. Rational people should have no trouble grasping the concept.
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I’m a member of the firefighters union in Phoenix and we didn’t support Dana for this race, we supported Sal. You sound like somebody who’s never mowed their own grass or cleaned their own toilet, but think it’s cool to protect the rights of people who do. I don’t know what a “benevolent plutocrat” is but I know Sal comes from a working class family, put his self thru school and has that kind of work ethic we can relate to. I apreciate the work Dana has done for unions and organized labor but she’s not the for the Phoenix firefighters and not for Phoenix.
That’s your choice, Union Worker. I’m not telling you whom to support for City Council. I am pointing out that one candidate’s supporters are bashing unions and characterizing you as a “goon”. Sal may have come from a working class background, but he seems to have left it far behind now that he’s a wealthy businessman.
Before you make assumptions about me you should know that I spent 10 years as an enlisted sailor in the Navy, where I scrubbed many a toilet, in addition to many hours spent swapping decks, slinging chow, heaving lines, and greasing torpedo tubes. I also know my way around a lawnmower, though a do pay a landscaper now. I still clean my own house. But since I’ve been a civilian, I refuse to make my bed. It’s my one joyful rebellion against those oppressive hospital corners!
PS: Is your email address really itchyprostate@_____.com?
Would you happen to know where I could find employment in the “union-busting industry?” I’ve looked on Craigslist, Monster, and the usual job boards. I searched on Google for “union busting jobs” and I couldn’t find anything. “Goons” was a little more productive.
Also, I can’t believe anyone would have a problem with Dana Kennedy being employed by the AFL-CIO. If anything, union interests in government at all levels are severely underrepresented. I constantly see union bosses thwarted at every turn, wholly unable to get their demands met. Like the AEA, for example, it just can’t catch a break.
Oh and you totally missed a potential vulgar sexual term to throw around: “clutching at pearl necklaces.” That’s a freebie; I’d also like to see you work “Cleveland steamer” into your repertoire. Keep it classy, Donna Gratehouse!
I’m starting to understand your worldview better and better. You honestly believe that government is the only thing that is holding back “corporate predation,” whatever the hell that is. Were it not for the benevolent bureaucrats and the altruistic politicians, we’d basically be relegated to slaves and indentured servants within months thanks to our corporate overlords.
It certainly explains your stridency and your condescending dismissiveness towards those who differ with you. You know better than everyone else what we should be doing and any statement of our own self-interest must be subjugated by any means necessary for our own good.
That is such a sad, Hobbesian view.
Get Real, I’m starting to think you have a crush on me.
“Clutching your pearls” is a metaphor that has nothing to do with a sexual practice, you moron.
When you wikipedia things like “Hobbes” so you drop references and make yourself look smart, you might want to read the accompanying article. You clearly have no frigging clue about Hobbes-ian worldview.
And just so you know, your ip address shows up when you post here. Something you should be aware of given who your employer is, which I know because you’ve posted on this blog from your workplace. Not very bright of you.
I’m quite familiar with Hobbes. I didn’t even have to go to Wikipedia to find out who he is. But thanks for the weak attempt to brand me as ignorant. Maybe you should try supporting your statements instead of merely asserting.
I am fully aware of what is recorded when a comment is left on a WordPress blog. I am also quite familiar with IP addresses. If you’d like, I can even provide you with the number to my HR department so you can report that I was using the Internet from work and even left a comment. I guess that’s the level you’ve sunk to, attempting to intimidate someone who has the gall to disagree with your ignorant, ill-informed rants.
Trust me, the only feelings I have for you are contempt and disdain.
Incidentally I am quite aware of the non-sexual nature of the cliché you used. I was just surprised that you passed up the chance for crudity.
“I was just surprised that you passed up the chance for crudity.”
And yet, oddly enough, it was you who used a crude expression here.
The reason I alerted you to the fact that I know where you work is that your posts here are taking on an increasingly ugly tone. My experience with trolls tells me that you might start escalating your commentary to a more menacing level and I just wanted to forewarn you in case you were tempted to go there.