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Capitalistpig's Hoenig berated AFL-CIO's Acuff for disputing Hoenig's suggestion that employers "have a right to fire" workers who unionize

March 13, 2009 9:15 am ET

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    • Author by jjamele2880 (March 13, 2009 9:22 am ET)
         

      I like the banner- "Do More Unions Mean Higher Prices?"  

      Groan.  Well, let's see.  More unions mean better wages.  Which means a larger middle class, more people with health insurance, healthier, better-educated children and a rising standard of living for more and more Americans.  And yes, that almost certainly means higher prices.

      So- the message we are supposed to get out of this is We Should Oppose Unions Because They Mean Higher Prices?  Got it.

      Nothing like living in today, with no thought or interest in tomorrow, let alone the long term, huh?

       

       

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      • Author by carlileb5935 (March 13, 2009 6:31 pm ET)
           

        Remember the days when this country had like 40 % union membership, and 90 % tax rates on the rich?

        Let's see-- Mom didn't have to work, Dad could buy a new car every two years, and the kids were able to live in a HOUSE !!!

        What an awful time that was, eh? 

        Report Abuse
    • Author by fairliberal (March 13, 2009 9:31 am ET)
         
      This is a distortion, Hoenig did not say that employers have a right to fire, he asked the question,  if workers have a right to unionize do employers have a right to fire. MMFA has conveniently left out a few words to distort the meaning. 
      Report Abuse
      • Author by harley (March 13, 2009 10:03 am ET)
           

         

         

        Typical radical righty, play the victim and whine that something was "taken out of context."  You're boring and obtuse.

         

         

        Report Abuse
      • Author by bwither012965 (March 13, 2009 10:57 am ET)
           
        " if workers have a right to unionize do employers have a right to fire."

        Because that is what he's defending; the right of employers to fire employees who try to unionize. The right to coerce and intimidate workers who even THINK about organizing.
        Report Abuse
      • Author by wookie (March 13, 2009 11:04 am ET)
           
        It's like saying to a cop. "I wasn't asking for some smack, I was just asking the question if you would be willing to sell it".
        Report Abuse
      • Author by mikehuck1976 (March 13, 2009 1:39 pm ET)
           
        I have to say I am surprised to hear you try to deny this.  Clearly, he is suggesting that employers should have the right to fire employees who try to unionize.  Part of understanding the English language is being able to pick up on inflection in human speech.  Surely, you can see that his question is actually a statement of dibelief that someone would believe that you cannot fire your employees for trying to unionize.  You do see that, right?
        Report Abuse
        • Author by carlileb5935 (March 13, 2009 6:32 pm ET)
             

          I have to say I am surprised to hear you try to deny this.

          I'm not. 

          Report Abuse
        • Author by fairliberal (March 13, 2009 9:21 pm ET)
             
          When I first saw this topic I immediately thought back to a MMFA topic a few days ago where MMFA claimed that some media outlet had "cropped" someones statements to distort what the person was saying. I do not remember exactly what the story was about, now I wish I could. So I felt and still do that MMFA was doing the same thing in this thread. That was my purpose in making the post, to stir the pot a little, perhaps you have realized I like to do that. Now as far as what Hoenig did say, I do not really think he was suggesting that employers have the right to fire just for attempting to unionize, he was pointing out that the other gents position was rather extreme, saying that Walmart was cheating all of us and particularly its workers and stating that in his world management had no rights  at all. Maybe I am wrong, I cannot read his mind and MMFA did not give us too much to work with. But Hoenig did not berate him and did not suggest that employers have a right to fire, they were having a discussion about it. And as far as my position on unions, there is no disputing the fact that unions have done much good in protecting American workers from "bullying" companies that were abusing them. But there are also times when unions have been the bullies. So I think the issue of unions is quite complicated with many peripheral considerations. Do I agree with the firing of employees for attempting to organize, NO I don't. But I do recognize the right of employers to hire and fire their employers and it is the law. Ask yourself this question, if you owned a company wouldn't you want the right to hire and fire as you saw fit, I suspect you would. But an individual who would fire simply for trying to organize is immoral and unfair in my opinion.
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          • Author by LuvLuLu (March 13, 2009 10:52 pm ET)
               
            What a tool you are. MMfA didn't take anything out of context. The context is exactly as they portray it.
            Report Abuse
            • Author by mescal (March 14, 2009 2:33 am ET)
                 
              Amen, Lulu.
              Report Abuse
            • Author by fairliberal (March 14, 2009 9:42 am ET)
                 
              Well let me ask you this since you are quite the expert, is MMFA ever wrong on anything? Are the libs always right and the reps always wrong? And speaking of tools, how do you classify yourself. Take a peek in the mirror.
              Report Abuse
      • Author by foghornleghorn (March 13, 2009 3:06 pm ET)
           

        he asked the question...

        Kind of like this one:  Have you stopped beating your wife?

        Report Abuse
      • Author by shaggles (March 13, 2009 5:27 pm ET)
           

        You're right to a degree.  He did put it as a question but them he seemed to defend the idea that they should be able to fire them.

        Report Abuse
    • Author by bwither012965 (March 13, 2009 11:06 am ET)
         
      Let's review this:

      If workers have a right to unionize, does MANAGEMENT THEN HAVE A RIGHT TO FIRE THOSE WORKERS?

      So then, Fairliberal, do YOU think an employer should be able to fire a worker for trying to unionize? Is petitioning your boss a terminable offense?
      Report Abuse
      • Author by carlileb5935 (March 13, 2009 6:35 pm ET)
           

        One of the stupid things that Hoenig didn't think out is that if employers fire their people for unionizing, they will have to fire everybody. 

        Then who will work? 

        Report Abuse

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