[GPSCC-chat] Apple Protest

Wed Sep 24 22:39:56 PDT 2014

       Are you aware that that SEIU sabotaged SB 52, the California 
Disclose Act, which would have required political ads to prominently 
identify the primary funders (e.g., David Koch vs. Citizens for 
Improving Democracy)? According to salon.com, in opposing SB 52 the SEIU 
stated, “There is no reason to make any additional changes".  "Other 
unions followed SEIU’s lead. In an example of the need for transparency, 
it’s hard to find formal opposition to the DISCLOSE Act on labor 
websites. However, Salon has obtained opposition letters from CTA, the 
California School Employees Association and the state Labor Federation, 
a coalition of over 1,200 AFL-CIO and Change to Win union affiliates. 
CTA even argued SB 52 would violate the Constitution’s free speech 
clause, a nod to the Citizens United ruling, even though the Supreme 
Court in that case affirmed disclosure as a viable method to police 
campaign spending." 
(www.salon.com/2014/08/27/principles_be_damned_how_campaign_finance_reform_just_got_crushed_in_a_liberal_state)


       Can someone explain to me why we should support an organization 
that opposes democracy by supporting the right of unions and big money 
to engage in deceitful political advertizing?


       We need a strong, intelligent labor movement.  However, I for one 
will not support any individual or organization like SEIU that seem 
committed to deceit.


       Organized labor in the US has been losing ground for 40 years.  
I'd like an honest discussion of why people think that has happened and 
what can be done to reverse that trend.  These same 40 years have seen 
increased consolidation of ownership of the commercial media with the 
virtual elimination of investigative journalism from the nation's 
airways, where most people get their news and world view.  Any media 
organization that sells advertising sells behavior change in their 
audience to advertisers.  Increased consolidation in ownership means 
reduced competition for audience -- and increased leverage for 
advertisers in shaping the editorial content.  Labor does not play in 
that arena.  (This helps explain Brian's observation that the SEIU Apple 
protest got zero coverage in the media.)


       Also, do labor unions contribute to all credible candidates or 
only those (usually Democrats) who support their political agenda?  Big 
money contributes to all credible candidates, and they win no matter 
which candidate wins.  If labor doesn't do that, they lose when their 
candidates lose.


       I'd like to see organized labor refocus their current political 
campaign budget to investigative journalism and not spend a penny on 
political campaigns.  They could increase the impact of their 
investigative journalism by sponsoring debates between leading figures 
on issues of the day organized by their own investigative journalists 
and disseminated over their own YouTube and similar channels.  Unions 
could then encourage their own members to support candidates and issues 
-- sometimes with different union member supporting different candidates 
in the same race.  This could then give them "access" no matter who 
wins.  If they did this, I believe they would change the political 
environment in the US today so much it would more than offset what they 
would lose by stopping their purchases of deceitful advertising.


       However, I have not researched this enough to be confident of 
everything said above.  I would appreciate further comments on this.


       Best Wishes,
       Spencer


On 9/24/2014 5:06 PM, Brian wrote:
> There was a SEIU protest outside Apple's flagship store in Palo Alto last week that went completely blacked out
> by the media.
>
> http://www.paloaltoonline.com/square/2014/09/22/street-level---the-unreported-news--seiu-shuts-down-university-avenue#comment_form
>
> Of course it would have been nice if SEIU could have provided some photos and/or videos to go with the story of
> the blackout.
>
> SEIU wants to organize the janitors and the security guards at Apple.  Currently those functions are served by
> non-union employees of outside contractors--and working conditions are poor.
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> From: rainbeaufriend at riseup.net
> Date: Wed, 24 Sep 2014 06:09:26 -0700
> To: wrolley at charter.net; sosfbay-discuss at cagreens.org
> Subject: Re: [GPSCC-chat] Apple Protest
>
> Yep that was us, and I got the audio from KGO and intend to pay it when I get the chance. My blog post was republished (slightly edited) at http://www.popularresistance.org/apple-could-lead-if-it-had-an-iconscience/
>
>
>
> Greenvolution is NOW!
>
>
>
> Drew
>
> On September 9, 2014 10:15:42 AM PDT, Wes Rolley <wrolley at charter.net> wrote:
>
>    
>
>      
>    
>    
>      Listened to morning news on KTVU (Channel 2) today and their story
>      re: Apple Announcement included a segment on a "planned protest"
>      organized by the De Anza Greens and joined by ......
>
>      
>
>      Not sure who got the word out, but good work.
>
>      
>
>      KGO story had no such reference.
>
>      --
>
>        "Anytime you have an opportunity to make things better and you
>        don't, then you are wasting your time on this Earth"
>        - Roberto Clemente
>    
>
>
> sosfbay-discuss mailing list
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>
>
>
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-- 
Spencer Graves, PE, PhD
President and Chief Technology Officer
Structure Inspection and Monitoring, Inc.
751 Emerson Ct.
San José, CA 95126
ph:  408-655-4567
web:  www.structuremonitoring.com

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