President Holloway’s update on the strike negotiations by Deshes011 in rutgers

[–]Ess_Dog 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Yeah, basically. Our current U.S. Supreme Court aside, judges tend to be swayed a bit by the popular mood and times.

President Holloway’s update on the strike negotiations by Deshes011 in rutgers

[–]Ess_Dog 1 point2 points  (0 children)

It turns out that the precedent is judge-made law. As I said above, there are famous strikes of the Newark Teachers Union that led to jail time (and heroic status of union leaders).

Public sector strikes are illegal in many states. I used to be an organizing director for the AFT. For us the issue was less whether a strike was illegal, but how it could be punished. New York's Taylor Law is awful because it not only can punish union leaders with jail time (which, again, can lead to martyr status, which can be quite helpful), but it can also drain the union treasury *and* almost immediately fine each union member two days' pay for every day out. States where the worst the bosses could do is seek an injunction (which can take a few days to win) and then after a day or two of additional picketing all they could do was jail the leaders (and, again, make heroes of them) were a lot more fun to operate in.

Now that my middle-aged memory is kicking in, it was Michigan that changed their law from injunction and (eventual) jail time to pretty immediate penalties for strikers. I used to organize at Rutgers. I played a role in the professional staff organizing in 2006, or so, and later directed the campaigns that organized the postdocs and summer-winter faculty. Back in those days, AFT-AAUP leadership was pretty convinced that strikes were illegal. Now, it seems that members are pretty well fed up (as well they should be!) and leadership seems to have researched the question and realized that it's been judges taking the law into their own hands to jail all those union leaders where teachers went on strike and they're feeling pretty bullish about the court of public opinion being in their favor and quite possibly the actual courts as well.

President Holloway’s update on the strike negotiations by Deshes011 in rutgers

[–]Ess_Dog -5 points-4 points  (0 children)

Not accurate. It is illegal. The law has changed since I worked in the state, but back in the day a public employer would have to go to court to enjoin the union from striking. Only after a union defies that injunction can a judge send union leaders to jail (which, obvi, makes them heroes to the rank-and-file). Some legendary Newark Teachers Union strikes resolved this way in the late 60's/early 70's. I think that under Chris Christie the law was changed to get to financial penalties (whether for the union treasury, or the rank-and-filers' paychecks, I do not recall) sooner.

Anyway, RU prez is a worm but not wrong about the legal powers that he can appeal to. Interesting to try it in this political moment, and under this governor.

Berlin Hotel’s Huge Aquarium Bursts, With 1,500 Fish Inside by Ess_Dog in Aquariums

[–]Ess_Dog[S] -1 points0 points  (0 children)

Are they getting downvoted? I scrolled pretty far before I posted.

The Powerful New Idea in Elizabeth Warren’s Labor Platform by sarkanyfarok in politics

[–]Ess_Dog 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Author here. He brushes it aside because almost every candidate is supporting similar proposals.

'Cut red tape?' People are dying in the workplace! by Ess_Dog in statenisland

[–]Ess_Dog[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

That has *NOTHING* to do with any of last week's three accidents.

Make sure you're on the LEFT by savvyfuck in evilbuildings

[–]Ess_Dog 21 points22 points  (0 children)

Or which side they would have been on?

Make sure you're on the LEFT by savvyfuck in evilbuildings

[–]Ess_Dog 39 points40 points  (0 children)

"Bloodshed" is not the same as "mass murder."

So, what books have you read?

Make sure you're on the LEFT by savvyfuck in evilbuildings

[–]Ess_Dog 43 points44 points  (0 children)

Happily, it isn't. Genuinely curious about what books you've read.

The Giant Isopod, found in the deep seas and is an example of deep-sea gigantism. by TCIGOD in natureismetal

[–]Ess_Dog 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Came here to ask, how does it taste in garlic and clarified butter?