President Trump campaigned on a theme of bringing back good paying jobs. He promised he would be the “greatest job producer God has ever created.” Both Trump and Iowa Republicans’ election successes resulted in part by convincing traditional Democratic labor voters to vote for Republicans in 2016. Trump sold labor and union voters on a phony claim that he would be a champion for blue collar Americans. Both Trump and Iowa Republican Legislators were able to win nationally and in Iowa because labor voters believed Republicans’ bogus claims that they would support and champion labor.
Now that Trump is President, his counterfeit support for labor has been revealed. Trumps appointments of mega-rich, corporate anti-labor, union busting nominees for his cabinet demonstrate his promise of bigger checks to labor just bounced. Trump’s Labor Secretary nominee, Andrew Pudzer, who should be the champion for laboring men and women, has a long history of hostility to laboring men and women. He opposed President Obama’s initiative to raise the federal minimum wage to $10.10.
Iowa Republicans, who also benefitted by Iowa labor voters’ support in the 2016 election, are betraying these voters as well by duplicating the Trump/Pence/Pudzer anti-minimum wage model.
President Trump’s actions and appointments prove his campaign promises were just bogus tricks used to fool blue collar and union workers into believing he supported them. Trump’s greatest show on earth is built on smoke and mirrors, and as the smoke clears, we see the reality of a corporate-dominated administration hostile to laboring men and women.
Labor Secretary nominee Pudzer’s fast food chain CKE (Hardees and Carl’s Jr) has been identified as the fourth worst labor law violator in an industry well known for abusing their employees. CKE has had numerous class action suits brought against them by their employees alleging wage theft. Pudzer’s former director of franchise development was quoted as saying Pudzer’s primary responsibility was, “to the shareholders and to the franchisees to be able to deliver profits…shareholders and profits first, workers last.”
In a March 2016 interview with Business Insider, Pudzer revealed his lack of respect for his employees and his championing of automation. Pudzer compared his preference to machines over his employees by saying machines, “always upsell, they never take a vacation, they never show up late, there’s never a slip-and-fall, or an age, sex or race discrimination case.” Trump nominated a Labor Secretary that as a corporate boss championed the replacement of workers with machines.
While Union leadership opposed Trump, he successfully peeled off many working class union households. They defied their union leadership and voted for Trump in hopes he could improve the economy for them. Iowa Republicans received those same Trump labor votes that resulted in Republicans taking control of the Iowa Senate.
Now those same Republicans are sharpening their knives planning to gut Iowa government protections of labor rights. It appears Iowa Republicans are planning on preempting the four counties that raised their minimum wages. In effect the Republicans plan to overrule local county governments by slashing the minimum wages of residents in three of the four largest Iowa counties (Polk, Linn, Johnson) as well as Wapello.
However, cutting the minimum wage is just the tip of the Iowa Republicans’ anti-labor agenda. Democrats are expecting Republicans to assault the forty-year tradition of fair and trouble-free bargaining rights of Iowa teachers, police officers, firefighters and other public employees.
Many union and labor voters were scammed by Republican lies and now we see the reality of their anti-labor agenda taking shape. Democrats must stand in solidarity with our union brothers and sisters. We must defend the hard won rights of public employees. Teachers, police officers, firefighters and all public employees deserve our support. Public employees protect us, educate our children, keep us safe, plow our streets and provide us with government services. We owe them our support against the vicious Republican attacks on their public service.
by Rick Smith
Posted 1/27/17
13 Comments on "Republicans Repay Union Voters With Anti-Union Agenda"
In the time between Election Day and Inauguration Day, President-elect Trump saved and created more jobs in the United States than President Obama did in 8 years. Those bad capitalist automobile corporations agreed to invest billions of dollars in new plants and assembly lines so thousands of middle class, blue collar workers could use their skills in high paying jobs in America. Those jobs will pay far more than the $10.10 minimum wage. Why? Because skilled workers are worth the higher salaries they will receive. There is one difference between private sector employees and public sector employees: The private sector employees are productive enough that companies can earn enough revenue to pay for their wages and benefits. Public employees receive high wages and benefits because the courts have ruled that the power to tax is a endless source of income, i.e. government can tax whatever it takes to pay public employees.
Gotta hand it to you, as it’s that kind of narrow view of things that fooled these blue collar, and public workers,that you just expressed.
Public employees serve the public not private enterprise. As a retired public servant of 20 years I resent your comments.
Well said, Henry
Obama created 15 MILLION JOBS….Trump has created 34 thousand jobs. That means, coming from a skilled Union worker as myself who knows math….002% of what Obama created. Also as a side note, Bush Jr. lost 3.5 million jobs in his last 6 months alone. All of the automobile corps. already had investing in american plants planned before Trump even won. I suppose your one of those people that are giving credit to Trump for the DOW going over 20k also….Last day of Bush presidency the Dow was at 7949.09. You only have to use google to find ACTUAL FACTS….but as we now know, Trump lives in the ALTERNATE FACTS fantasy land.
Grape or cherry?
Sorry Henry, you are fooling yourself if you believe wages are paid based on skills. Wages are paid only by what a company can get away with. That is call the freedom of the market. Everyone wants to get things for a bargain. That includes corporations.
We have had one of the largest job growth in history. Keep listening to Trump BS.
They voted for him
You have to pay attention to what people DO, not what they say
We have CRITICAL elections coming up in 2018
Start paying attention
Volunteer
YOUR VOTE COUNTS
This is not the first time blue collar, and other public workers have voted their emotions rather than what’s really in their best interests. The democrats lost them because they didn’t offer anything better, just more if,ands,and buts of inclusiveness type legislation that’s so cumbersome to facilitate,and administer, that it doesn’t work, and costs way too much. Simple laws, easily administered, and cost effective legislation is the best way to gain back their votes.
Trump CANNOT take any credit for the automobile companies deciding not to build in Mexico or whereever. Those decisions were probably made before the election. In no way can any company make that kind of a decision based on a presidential election. It takes thought and study by those companies. Trump just wants to take credit for it because it came out a short time after he was elected. If companies want to base their decisions on the election of unqualified and inexperienced officials they are not a very good company. Basing decisions on campaign rehtoric is not very good decision making.
Mr. Wulff, Mr. Flanigan, Please define your idea of “high wages and benefits” for public employees ie. Teachers, Policemen, Fire fighters and all others who serve the public…… You may be using inaccurate figures in your suppositions.
Yes I personally would like to know what “alternative facts” they are using. If the outcomes were not so disastrous for so many it might be funny. Reality is it is just tragic.