As Jon previously reported, a huge controversy was kicked up today over an email apparently threatening/promising financial consequences in regards to passage of the Workers Privacy Act, prompting the Gov. Chris Gregoire, House Speaker Frank Chopp and Senate Majority Leader Lisa Brown, to pull the legislation altogether, refer the email to the state patrol and issue a joint statement.
News reports had suggested the email came from the Washington State Labor Council, which the WSLC now confirms by releasing the following statement:
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 11, 2009
Statement from WSLC President Rick BenderThe following statement regarding today’s developments surrounding the Worker Privacy Act is from Rick Bender, President of the Washington State Labor Council:
“We regret the incident. It was a result of frustration with the legislature’s failure to protect workers’ rights in the workplace. Our job is to always protect workers’ rights.
“We do not believe that any law has been violated and we have no additional comments until we know where this will go.
“Thank you very much.”
I’m still trying to get a copy of the offending email.
[COMMENT REMOVED; OFF-TOPIC. –Goldy]
Dumb, so dumb.
Even if nothing comes of the criminal investigation WSLC probably managed to kill the bill for this session.
Well, well, well…
The thugocracy that is WSLC tries to strong arm the patently unconstitional so-called “Worker Privacy Act” (read: Employer Gag Bill and then read Chamber of Commerce v. Brown, _____US_____, 2008, which struck down a similar California law), and they get caught in the process.
Are there some shoes in Oly with stuff sticking to them that are stinking up the place this afternoon???
The bill was a manifestation of the mentality that produced the blunt-object threats to DEMOCRATS in the legislature. You know things are bad when they start eating their own.
The Piper
This is very serious.
Bender has clearly crossed the line…what an idiot.
Time for Bender to resign…or be forced out by the members.
He can no longer be effective.
Hmmmmmmm, in that case, allow him to stay!
Welcome to WSLC Online! The Washington State Labor Council, AFL-CIO is the largest labor organization in the Evergreen State. A state federation of the AFL-CIO, the WSLC is a voluntary non-profit organization dedicated to protecting and strengthening the rights and conditions of working people and their families.
Looks to me it’s more about protecting their plumb positions than workers rights and conditions.
Yep, can you say self emasculation? Self Emasculation. Can you say pink lace panties tightening around his scrote? Pink lace panties tightening around his scrote.
Tooooooo
Damnnnn
Funnnnny
See ya.
So the Worker Privacy Act is “patently unconstitutional?”
So my employer can force me to attend anti-union meetings on penalty of firing, and that’s “constitutional.” But if the state protects my job when I tell them to shove their anti-union meeting up their fat asses, that’s “unconstitutional.”
Please tell me where in the state or federal constitution the right of an employer to force employees to attend anti-union meetings or be fired is protected. They can try talking to me, but I DO NOT have to sit there and listen.
But hey, there’s no time like now to start privatizing those Social Security accounts, right?
@6…DL…
Try reading the First Amendment, it’s been in all the papers, then go read the SCOTUS opinion in CofC v. Brown, op cit, which will tax your meager ability to comprehend other than bone-head leftist dogma.
Yes, if you employer says so, you DO have to sit there and listen. And he has to pay you for your time. So you get something out of it.
But it’s an open question as to whether you have a job or not, so no sweat (comes from working) off your brow.
The Piper
@6
Don’t forget that your employer can also shove their religion and politics down your throat too!
Don’t want to listen to a Muslim Imam or a liberal political speaker at work? Too bad you can be fired if you don’t attend.
Maybe Bender got his wires crossed and really wanted to send the letter to Pelosi since she employs non-union labor in her bidnesses.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PC1L03CFlrw
This isn’t new. Another PuddyFact placed here again…
8 PS
Oh, Piper, like you could do what I do.
Things are still coming out, but it looks to me as though the Gov along with Senate and House leaders Brown and Chopp are going to great lengths to protect the integrity of the legislative process.
If this is true, why is it that labor has lost sight of the ground rules?
Could it be that with jobs being cut and contracts being renegotiated that legislation without a fiscal note has become far more important to labor leaders as they seek anything to take back to the membership from this session?
This is the second substantial bill in less than a week that was grounded as a result of how its advocates behaved. From where I am sitting, both events were handled in 100% the right way by democratic leadership who are refusing to become intoxicated by having all of the power. Hats off people!
Hmmmm…
So from 2001-2007 we had Republican control of Congress and the presidency. Result? Low Congressional approval ratings.
From 2007-2009 we had Democratic control of Congress, but both a Republican presidency and record-high number of filbusters (TWICE the previous historical high) from Senate Republicans blocking Democratic legislation. Result? Low Congressional approval ratings.
Beginning 2009 ae have a Democratic president and even-higher numbers of Democrats, enabling legislation to pass even the Senate, where Republicans from Blue states vote with us to keep their seats (maybe). Result? DOUBLED Congressional approval ratings (and probably rising) and the Congress finally passes popular and needed legislation.
Hmmmm…
I’ve never been convinced that this legislation is entirely necessary. Much of the harms it seeks to remedy (religious or ideological evangelization, etc.) , can also be used as evidence of a “hostile work environment” in a discrimination lawsuit.
As for the anti-union meetings, any attempt to threaten or coerce employees not to join a “collective bargaining unit” is also prescribed – the employees could file an unfair labor practics act claim.
But as for the current brouhaha, I suspect that the governor and the Democratic leadership in the legislature were looking for an excuse to sideline this bill. Gregoire is trying to get Boeing to commit to building it’s second 787 assembly line in Everett. Boeing is playing it’s usual game of grumbling about how it really wants to move elsewhere. Personally, I don’t believe it – it makes no economic sense at all to have one assembly line in Washington State and another assembly line building the same airplane in another state. But Gregoire is worried, so she just doesn’t want this issue on this year’s legislative agenda. But it was moving forward to the point that it would soon require a vote. So this short-circuits the legislation, and they can blame it’s proponants rather than take the blame themsleves.
As for whether the e-mail has legal issues – that’s pretty hard to say without seeing it. A person or entity cannot offer a quic-pro-quo of contributions in return for specific legislative actions, or vice-versa. But there’s lots of gray areas where politicians and their fundraisers act all the time. After all, BIAW wouldn’t have supported Rossi if they didn’t have some solid expectations that he would deliver something in return, would they?
So the crackpiper takes a break from writing insanely inane crap about the ferry system to grace us with his wiggy asshattery.
yayyyy…
…NOT.
@14 This is from the EFF site of Pooper’s.
“The last time WSF asked for a bid to build a new boat, they were completely clueless – 40% off the mark clueless – as to what it would actually cost to build the thing?”
I wonder if Pooper thinks the Republican Bush administration, who told us that the Iraq war would last a few months and would pay for itself, had a clue?
Like the dumbass even cared.
IOKIYR
I wonder if Pooper’s back because he heard of the Golden Goat Award? He’ll be struggling to contend with both Mr. Clynical and the Truth operating in such fine form this week.
However, Pooper’s unwarranted conceit just might be worth few points in the Golden Goat chase.
He certainly is full of himself, isn’t he?
Steve
Piper does have one disadvantage in the Goat sweepstakes–he is capable of writing a coherent paragraph. Nonetheless, I think he can overcome that weakness with some Limbaughian blowhardery.
@19 Hmm, he does have the bloated, bloviating bastard thing going for him.
@17
Puddy is in fine form as well.
Let us not forget manoftruth either. What he lacks in sheer posting volume and frequency he makes up for in hate and crazy.
20, 21
I can’t believe manoftruth hasn’t been around this week. Shoot, after winning the Goat, I figured he’d be strutting his stuff all over this blog. Hell, I figured the GOP would elevate him to Joe the Plumber status. Actually, as I think about it, maybe that’s why he hasn’t been around this week–maybe the RNC sent him to Iraq on a factfinding mission.
http://seattletimes.nwsource.c.....ail11.html
this is it. times got it.
@19…PL…
Typical liberal…if a word doesn’t exist, make it up and define it yourself. Sheesh…
Still…you address only the distractions, not the core issue: the stupid nature of the bill at issue and the thug-ugly way the WSLC and dim-bulb Rick “The Club” Bender fubared the whole affair.
BTW…here’s the offending e-mail at issue.
Really…are they putting stoo-pud pills in the water cooler down there at WSLC???
The Piper
KLOWNS–
The reason the Governor and Democrat Legislators spilled the beans on Bender is not because they are so righteous, it’s because others knew about it and the whole thing was about to BLOW UP IN THEIR…..PINHEADS!
This is one of the worst scandals in Washington politics.
Hopefully authorities will bring in outside investigators to protect the integrity of the investigation.
“
Sounds like Pay-To-Play to me!!
I wonder how this e-mail got out??
I know some Union folks hate Bender.
They just threw him under the Prius!
Yeah, Chris Puddy is in great form cuz Puddy identifies the dishonorable Rick Bender from his web site? Puddy is in great form cuz the YouTube video on Pelosi exposes her for the labor union charlatan she is?
Well it looks like Puddy is in great form.
What is it about the truth that skeeeeers Chris Stefan?
Goldy’s timer went nuts so here is the full response.
Yeah, Chris Puddy is in great form cuz Puddy identifies the dishonorable Rick Bender from his web site? Not another dime from labor Bender? Does this mean bender will stop collecting those ripoff dues for political payoffs?
Puddy is in great form cuz the YouTube video on Pelosi exposes her for the labor union charlatan she is? She doesn’t allow union organizing. Sooooooooo will she stop card checking if her employees want to unionize?
Well it looks like Puddy is in great form.
What is it about the truth that skeeeeers Chris Stefan?
Well here they come fellas…jockeying for position. It’s wednesday, time to get serious!
Who will come away with the Golden Goat!!!!!
@3 What the fuck is “unconstitutional” about a law that protects workers from being force-fed political and religious dogma by their employers as a condition of keeping their jobs? Thank God you’re not a lawyer anymore, because you have a fucked-up concept of constitutional rights, and I’d sure hate to depend on you to protect my constitutional rights!!
@8 The solution is simple: DON’T WORK!!! Why would anyone agree to be an employee? Employees have no rights, are treated like shit, paid like slaves, and taxed to death! I don’t work. The government pays me for not working by giving me a hefty discount on my taxes, and if some lame-ass starts spewing that union organizers are “communists” or believing in the Great Mother Rabbit Spirit is blasphemy, I get up and hop out!!! I don’t have to take that shit off anyone.
Whenever I see someone post on a rightwing blog that he doesn’t hire liberals, I ask him to post the name of his business, so I can tell liberals not to shop there.
Your political orientation is none of your employer’s damn business.
@30…RR…
Mr. Selective Constitutional Rights for Only Those With Whom You Agree….
How about the employer’s constitutional right? And employees who attend such meetins, as directed, have a right to be paid.
Your inability to see the elemental point proves that you’re really not that bright…
The Piper
I’d take the rabbit over the crackpiper in a battle of wits anytime. the crackpiper just doesn’t have the armament.
yeah…those big bad workers…forcing those poor defenseless employers to pay a living wage. Geeez…the fucking NERVE.
32. Roger Rabbit spews:
Conservatives are wise to hire only Conservatives because they WORK HARDER and are way more productive. I offer up as evidence HorsesAss.org as Exhibit 1!
Liberal business owners also hire Conservatives…for the same reason.
Liberal business owners know Liberal workers are lazy & shiftless Rog.
Look at you!
Hey Puddy..
Look at the KLOWNS shifting the discussion away from Bender’s e-mail…
looks like we’ve hit yet another soft spot between their ears!
Cynical, remember unless you vote union labor… “Not another dime from labor” Bender
When their side goes moronic they can’t believe it.
@ 37. Cyn, are you implying this is your job to add FUD to this blog. It confirms my opinion you are on some conservative org’s payroll.
Blue John–
You are a MORON…you probably believe that there was no 9-11 attack by terrorists and lots of other conspiracy theories.
No one would EVER pay anyone to post on HorsesAss.org.
You are a delusional, pot-smoking loser who complains because you cannot buy a $200,000 house in Seattle while supporting all kinds of regulations that add $200,000 to the cost of a home built in Seattle.
Connect the dots you idiot.
Oh that’s right, you are too smoked out to do so.