Obama Administration Laments ‘Weak’ US Labor Laws in UN Report

Obama Administration Laments Weak US Labor Laws in UN ReportThe U.S. State Department last week issued its own report to the United Nations Human Rights Council on conditions in the United States.  The report–the first of its kind from the U.S.–immediately drew scrutiny for its inclusion of Arizona’s new immigration law as a purported violation of human rights.  As Politico reported, Gov. Jan Brewer slammed the Obama administration‘s underhanded criticism of her state’s law as “downright offensive.”

But that’s not all.

Just outside of the scope of the mainstream media’s attention, the State Department’s also included a rough critique of U.S. labor law.   According to the report, this is another area where the United States falls short in protecting the human rights of its citizens:

Freedom of association also protects workers and their right to organize. The labor movement in the United States has a rich history, and the right to organize and bargain collectively under the protection of the law is the bedrock upon which workers are able to form or join a labor union. Workers regularly use legal mechanisms to address complaints such as threats, discharges, interrogations, surveillance, and wages-and-benefits cuts for supporting a union. These legal regimes are continuously assessed and evolving in order to keep pace with a modern work environment. Our UPR consultations included workers from a variety of sectors, including domestic workers who spoke about the challenges they face in organizing effectively.  Currently there are several bills in our Congress that seek to strengthen workers’ rights—ensuring that workers can continue to associate freely, organize, and practice collective bargaining as the U.S. economy continues to change.

Among these bills, undoubtedly, is labor unions’ prized Employee “Free Choice” Act–a measure that actually makes it easier for unions to organize, not workers.  The EFCA “card check” would simply encourage bullying of employees by union bosses to expand dues bases and special interests’ campaign war chests.

The United States has a legacy of being the most free country on earth, taking special pride in our constitutionally guaranteed freedom of association.  But this basic human right could not be better served by eliminating the secret ballot in democratic union elections.

Comments (26)

  • Rickfromillinois
    Posted on September 8, 2010 at 9:24am

    The State Department lamented to the U.N. that we don’t have Card Check under Human Rights? Are you kidding me? Card Check that they want passed does away with the secret ballot when a shop votes whether or not to go union. The unions want the votes to be public so that they can “convince” those who voted against going union to change their minds. What do you think the union thugs really mean when they say “convince” them to change their minds? Are broken bones involved? Our State Dept complained about this not passing to the UN? This is the one of the most unamerican laws that anyone has ever proposed. Outlaw a secret ballot? Complain about not being able to do so to the UN? We need to vote these people out of office, and we need to get rid of these union thugs. Hogs at the trough constantly squealing for more. Oink oink oink.

    Report Post » Rickfromillinois  
  • Doubtful
    Posted on September 4, 2010 at 4:26pm

    For those of you who are not aware of the work of the Senate’s Select Committee on Improper Activities in Labor and Management, established on January 30, 1957, and its chief counsel and investigator, Robert F. Kennedy, then you know very little about the corruption of labor unions in America. It was this corruption that brought the unions down.

    Report Post »  
  • nosocialism
    Posted on September 3, 2010 at 9:33am

    I hope we have Gov. Brewer running in 2012 and I also hope that sheriff Joe becomes the head of the D.O.J or the head of I.C.E

    Report Post »  
  • nosocialism
    Posted on September 3, 2010 at 9:29am

    i want to know why it is that only 41 thousand American’s have shown support for Gov. Brewer and AZ by going to keep az safe . com , that is shameful for only 5.00 dollars you can show support, and 41 thousand is not near enough !
    I want to know why no one is talking about our nation allowing a non American like Morton ( who is a green card holder not a citizen ) make national security and law enforcement decisions like not enforcing our laws of deportation of all illegals? we must stop calling the illegals ( immigrants ) they are not immigrants! they are “ illegal alien invaders ” from all over the earth, our constitution out right states that these united states must insure the safety and security of our nation and keep our nation free from invasion ? why it is that we the people have no ability to impeach our federal leaders for not securing our country and stopping our nation from these illegal invaders?

    Report Post »  
  • USAF_Vet
    Posted on September 3, 2010 at 12:42am

    Once upon a time, there WAS a need for unions. Way back in American history, there were mean, dishonest, greedy people (no, not politicians… that came later.) They forced their employees to work in wretched conditions, for miniscule wages and for long, hard hours at a time. The original unions were created to band these otherwise workers together to insist on better wages and conditions.

    Those issues are no longer with us today, since federal laws prohibit such treatment of workers. So I ask YOU… why do we still have unions? What have unions done for this country for the past 50 or more years? If you answered, “Drive up the cost of everything touched by union workers” or, “Compelled companies to outsource the manufacturing of their products to facilities outside the U.S.A.“ you get an ”A”!!!

    Report Post »  
    • Fred Rullman
      Posted on September 3, 2010 at 9:07am

      I want to tell you that your comments are EXACTLY parallel to mine in regard to unions. They have caused american industry severe damage. Their campaign donations to the politicians are their insurance policy for their survival. I’m a retired USAF CMSGT. We’re on the same page!!

      Report Post »  
  • Mousey
    Posted on September 2, 2010 at 11:22pm

    The gap between the mindset of this man and me leaves me speechless. I can not comprehend what people were thinking of when they voted for this anti-american.

    Report Post » Mousey  
  • BECKELICIOUS
    Posted on September 2, 2010 at 10:25pm

    To be serious for a moment, honestly this is truly the first time in my life
    where I get the sense
    that the President Of The United States Of America,

    on his best day is ashamed of this country,
    and on his worst day just despises this country,

    and sees the very country he’s leading, as an adversary, as his personal antagonist,

    and that he would seek the highest position in
    the World with the sole intention, as the saying goes, “cut it down to size.”

    It is truly a stunning thought.

    Report Post »  
  • stevejar
    Posted on September 2, 2010 at 10:19pm

    What? Are armed UN blue hats going to come in and make us all hire union workers or become union members? Just try it. This internationalist clown has got to go.

    Report Post »  
  • davecoolworld
    Posted on September 2, 2010 at 8:53pm

    Citizens of America…proceed with determination to hold our Union together. No one can afford to have an “uhoh” moment later. It will be too late. After Pearl Harbor was attacked, the Japanese leaders realized they had awoken a sleeping giant. WAKE UP PEOPLE! Become that giant again, you must reach out to the people around you and make them see what is happening to the greatest country that has ever been! If the United States of America falls…the entire world will slip into anarchy.

    Report Post » davecoolworld  
  • letonagasi
    Posted on September 2, 2010 at 8:46pm

    The Union Big wigs are killing the unions

    Report Post » letonagasi  
  • wolfthree
    Posted on September 2, 2010 at 7:00pm

    When the unions have their rally on Oct. 2nd in DC they will bus in Acorn and SEIU members, they will pay them to show up.

    Report Post »  
  • saneromeo
    Posted on September 2, 2010 at 6:49pm

    Unions are killing the Union…

    Report Post » saneromeo  
  • proud mom
    Posted on September 2, 2010 at 4:20pm

    The US has the best labor laws, all they want is to distroy our great country…America better wake up!

     
  • dkm466
    Posted on September 2, 2010 at 7:21am

    Illegals are being let into this country for what reason besides jobs? Backdoor Army Maybe? Lets say that Obama, Van Jones and crew decide to Socialize the USA. Having a revolution and offering Illegals a chance to stay in the “New USA” would give about 12 million YOUNG illegals an official chance to fight to stay in the USA. Nuts … yes maybe, but illegals are here, and if socialist minded people decide the USA is to broke to take care of itself, A Socialistic Society would let Mexico invade to offset the backlash from true citizens.

    Illegal aliens are your backdoor army that could be mobilized for a green card. Illegals are here, some without a place to go, and will fight if asked is my guess. Just my 2 cents.

     
    • VanGrungy
      Posted on September 2, 2010 at 1:09pm

      Jihad and LibTheo-Revolution are poised to take control as soon as America ceases functioning…

      Bet on it… They lie in wait for the signal…

      VanGrungy  
  • Daragon29
    Posted on September 2, 2010 at 3:08am

    How about the rights of the LEGAL Citizens, and Individual Rights? Obama Should be Impeached, He should be tried for Treason.

     
    • FireEagle
      Posted on September 2, 2010 at 1:21pm

      Ok some people need to remember their history about labor unions and illegals. Prior to the 80′s the labor unions kept the illegals out though both keeping them out of work sites and making sure that the migration laws were being enforced. Now if you have not notice the Repubs have been in control gutting labor laws and instituting a war against unions. You know the illegals were used lots of places to brake the unions. Unions are now 7% of the work force and illegals are being use to lower wages and working conditions everywhere. Now that the Dems are trying to do something about this situation you want the Repubs back?

       
    • tlday1
      Posted on September 2, 2010 at 7:22pm

      The only thing I can imagine liking more right now than seeing Obumma tried for treason is seeing his entire staff tried right along side him.

       
    • Doubtful
      Posted on September 4, 2010 at 5:35pm

      Giving more power to the Unions is not the answer. We’ve seen before what this country was like when the unions ran it. It is believed by some that in 1942 during World War II, the Roosevelt Administration had to make back-room deals with the Longshoremen’s Union because union dock workers (Longshoremen) jmay have set fire and sank what had been the French luxury liner, “Normandie”, which had been seized with the fall of France, and was in the process of being re-fitted as a troop ship in New York harbor to show that if they wanted to they could bring America to its knees. Later, in the 50′s the unions became so powerful and so involved with organized crime that, beginning in 1952 the U. S. Senate began investigations into the unions’ illegal activities, first under Senator Joseph McCarthy, who appointed as assistant counsel one Robert F. Kennedy. Resigning in 1953, Kennedy becae the committee’s chief counsel in 1955, when the Democrats took the majority of the Senate. Senate Committee on Government Operations was established under Democratic Senator John McClellan. Hearings began soon after into labor racketeering, focussing on the scandal of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters. Dave Beck, the union’s president, fled the country to avoid prosecution. It was discovered that in 1955, Jimmy Hoffa conspired with the Mob to create fake unions to inflate Hoffa’s power in the union. In 1957 the Select Committee on Improper Activities in Labor and Management was established. Robert F. Kennedy was Chief Counsel, investigating the UAW, Transport Workers, Amalgamated Meat Cakery Workers Union, United Textile Workers, Int‘s Longshoremen’s Assn., as well as Sears, Occidental Life, Anheuser-Busch, Continental Baking, and other entities. The Committee worked closely with the FBI, IRS, Dept of Labor and other agencies and officials, but their main focus was the Teamsters. It was through these investigations that ties to such mobsters as Sam Giancano (a boyfriend of Marilyn Monroe, who was later recruited by the Kennedy administration, along with other obsters, to assassinate Fidel Castro); Carlos Marcello (In the autobiography of Calogero Minacore, MOB LAWYER, he claimed he was sent by Marcello to New Orleans by Hoffa to meet withSanto Trafficante to plan the killing of President John Kennedy….he claimed that the meeting was successful, and that Hoffa had Kennedy killed.); Vito Genovese, head of the Genovese crime family; Carlos Marcello; Anthony Corrallo, Anthony Provenzano, and Joey Glimco were exposed. The investigans led to the passage of the Labor-Management Reporting and Disclosure Act. Later, when John Kennedy became President, his brother, Robert, as Attorney General, was determined to fight organized crime. He had written the book, THE ENEMY WITHIN, published in 1960, in which he told of his efforts to break the power of the combination of the unions and organized crime, forming the “get Hoffa Squad”, its focus to bring down Jimmy Hoffa. Eventually, Hoffa resigned as president of the, due to Robert Kennedy’s efforts, which may have cost his brother, and eventually himself, his life. The unions were for a time an important part of America. Unfortunately, the lust for wealth and power, which in time sent many American jobs out of the country, took much of their power away.

      Report Post »  
  • bellaintl
    Posted on September 2, 2010 at 2:07am

    Obama is such a traitor. He should call himself the Governor of the United States since he’s giving the UN our sovereignty. Looking at all his accomplishments and attempts to destroy freedom in America, I wonder if it’s just the terrorists that hate America. Who does he actually work for anyway? Certainly not the citizens of the United States.

     
    • Freelancer
      Posted on September 2, 2010 at 11:02am

      I’m assuming he works for George Soros since he does everything Soros wants….

      Report Post » Freelancer  
    • nervousinvestor
      Posted on September 2, 2010 at 12:34pm

      This is why, unlike the UK, Canada and other countries, the Constitution retains Sovereignty in the PEOPLE and NOT in the Government. The Constitution merely delegates LIMITED powers to the Feds and other LIMITED powers to the States. The PEOPLE must call out of control Government to heel – this is why Free Speech, the RIGHT to bear arms and the Ballot Box are so important. It is these things that enable the PEOPLE to mobilize, to give pause to leaders with despotic tendencies and in due course to vote the bums out.

       
    • franlowcountry
      Posted on September 2, 2010 at 7:18pm

      George Soros hands him money. He is working for George Soros.

       
  • Jynnipher
    Posted on September 2, 2010 at 1:48am

    I’ve got a “basic human right” complaint as a citizen…I want to know why I’m not being protected by my government from the illegal invasion. They want to strengthen “worker’s rights” but what about my rights? I’m a legal citizen!
    November can not come fast enough…

     

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