Left In Lowell

Scabs Pout over “Force Account” Preference at LHA

by Jack at 12:45 pm.

Did you ever, for a minute, think the kerfuffle around LHA was about public health, or any of the touted altruistic motives that were puked up by the Blog of Record?

It was always about UNION BUSTING!

Associated Builders & Contractors
Massachusetts Chapter
Political Action Committee (PAC)

Dear Jack,

The Associated Builders and Contractors Political Action Committee (ABC PAC) plays a critical role in our effort to advocate on behalf of the merit shop construction industry and your company’s right to work in an open, competitive construction marketplace. Never has your support for the PAC been more important.

Unions in Massachusetts and across the country were emboldened by the results of the November elections. Not only will they push harder than ever on Beacon Hill and the licensing boards that oversee the trades for more project labor agreements and other anti-competitive policies, but they will be appealing to officials who might not be in office but for union political efforts.

Once again last year, we at ABC were able to use our own growing political stature on Beacon Hill to block a number of bills, such as one that would have changed the rules to make it harder even for companies that participate in our new Merit Apprenticeship Program to compete for public work.

But the best defense against policies and politicians like that is to have a good offense. This year, ABC has filed eight common-sense bills this legislative session that would promote fair and open competition in the construction industry.

Two of the bills address union-only project labor agreements. One would prohibit government from determining who can work on a state job based on labor affiliation, and the other requires all awarding authorities to justify a decision to require a PLA, which codifies a decision by Massachusetts’ Supreme Judicial Court.

Greg Beeman recently wrote a column in the Boston Herald about shenanigans at the Lowell Housing Authority as a result of a practice known as “force account,” which allows authorities to complete small projects or repairs using their own employees, sometimes with the help of outside labor. One of the bills would end use of the practice by housing authorities.

ABC is also behind a bill that would allow a prevailing wage deduction for apprenticeship training, one that would require all collective bargaining agreements to be accessible on line, and legislation that would clarify the common-law definition should be used for fraud.

A final bill would promote fairness on the boards of registration that are so important when it comes to setting the rules for licensed trades. The legislation would require that each board have both signatory and non-signatory members.

The bills are attracting bipartisan support and several of them were filed by Democratic legislators. We believe several of them have a legitimate chance of passing. But even if they don’t, fighting them forces unions to divert resources that would otherwise be used to promote exclusionary policies to defend against our efforts.

Much of our success can be directly attributed to ABC’s ability to support candidates for office through our PAC. As we continue to build bipartisan relationships at the State House, we must continue to demonstrate a strong commitment to support elected officials and candidates who favor free enterprise.

Please complete and return the enclosed invoice along with a personal check of up to $500 made out to “Associated Builders and Contractors PAC” as soon as possible. I also ask you to encourage your employees and colleagues to consider making a contribution to the ABC PAC because their ability to work and earn a living is also on the line!

Now more than ever, we need your help to take back our government! Thank you in advance for your support.

Sincerely,

Jim Rudolph
Past Chair of ABCMA
General Counsel of ABCMA

These little things seethe and ooze in Lowell politics. When C.Kennedy moves in to squash C.Elliott’s dreams to be Mayor, assuming both are on the Council come January 2014, Kennedy will do it with an alleyoop from the local unions. (Well, except for any Local associated to the NEPBA. They love Scott Brown.)

[Filed under MA politics, Local politics, City Council, Economics, Conservatism, Workers and Wages] [link]

25 Responses to “Scabs Pout over “Force Account” Preference at LHA”

Tax Payer Says:
March 7th, 2013 at 3:29 pm
The Lowell Police Assoication was the first Police Union to endorse Scott Brown. Cant wait until he is Govenor!
Lynne Says:
March 8th, 2013 at 9:37 am
Yeah good luck with that.
Jack Says:
March 8th, 2013 at 12:17 pm
I’d say Brown’s chances to be Gov are fairly good. Did you see the UML Poll?

Charlie Baker – 21.6% favorable, 10.6% unfavorable, 67.2% no opinion/never heard of

Kerry Healey – 24.2% favorable, 16.9% unfavorable, 58.4% no opinion/never heard of

Steve Grossman – 14.9% favorable, 5.6% unfavorable, 79.5% no opinion/never heard of

Look on the bright side. If Brown becomes Gov., Dave Nangle will cash in that ugly chit he earned by being a turncoat Dem. Nangle will get a fatter pension and Lowell will get another Rep. We just have to ensure we don’t get another ‘payday Democrat.’
Lynne Says:
March 8th, 2013 at 1:10 pm
Brown would make an absolute HORRID governor. I mean that in the truest sense of the word - worse than Mitt.

The job of head of the executive branch is hard work, and Brown is crap at doing the hard work. I don’t know why the hell he’d even WANT the job, frankly.
Jack Says:
March 8th, 2013 at 2:07 pm
He’d want the job, so he could give a bunch of his pals, high pay to screw up state gov’t. It amazes me how you can overlook the obvious, Lynne. ;v)

Also, if he in the state retirement system, being Gov, is a sweet cherry on top. How long was he a state gov’t? Since 1998? You know the drill. They talk shit about ‘Big Gubmint,’ but they take ALL the bennies.

Brown’s got a chance to grab a pension, courtesy of Commonwealth taxpayers; while he collects his retirement from the National Guard.
joe from Lowell Says:
March 8th, 2013 at 5:15 pm
The job of head of the executive branch is hard work

In Massachusetts, the job of the governor is to be a speed bump for the legislature.

I think Scott Brown could be a speed bump.
Jack Says:
March 8th, 2013 at 5:23 pm
Quote of the Week!
Tax Payer Says:
March 9th, 2013 at 8:34 am
I believe that a system of checks and balances can work. I think it woukd be beneficial to have a Rep. Gov. It cannot get any worse than Cadillac Deval Patrick. He says his new tax plan is to invest. When you invest you get something in return, simple economics. (Return on yout Dollar) What are the taxpayers in the surrounding Lowell area going to get out of this, absolultely nothing. Another Big Dig Enjoy this beautiful Saturday everyone!
joe from Lowell Says:
March 9th, 2013 at 4:07 pm
Just an FYI: throwing out the word “Cadillac” to demean someone who is black is not recommended. There’s some unfortunate history there. I’m not accusing you of deliberately race-baiting; I think the connection probably never occurred to you.

But trust me on this: people are going to take that the wrong way.
Lynne Says:
March 9th, 2013 at 4:39 pm
Especially since it was already taken the wrong way in THIS context for the last 6 years…

And it was a dumb meme to begin with, if you know the real story of that whole thing. It was utterly innocent, and totally NOT what the idiots thing it was.
Tax Payer Says:
March 10th, 2013 at 10:19 am
Cadillac refers to the car Deval drives. Thats a fact! I apologize. Curtains Deval Patricks then!
Joe80s Says:
March 10th, 2013 at 8:54 pm
Hey Joe from Lowell. The race card is all a lot of you got left. Pretty pathetic. The rest of us are in the 21st century. Don’t forget “The War on Women.” Your running out of faux outrage.
Ps. My wife drives a caddy… Great American made car.
joe from Lowell Says:
March 11th, 2013 at 8:19 am
Cadillac refers to the car Deval drives. Thats a fact!

It’s one fact among many you decided to pick out to characterize the commonwealth’s first black governor. Oddly enough, there are no other governors who are commonly referred to by the vehicle they drive - just the black guy, who gets the nickname “Cadillac.”

Hey Joe from Lowell. The race card is all a lot of you got left.

Actually, champ, we’ve got the White House, the Senate, the Governor’s office, the entire Massachusetts Congressional delegation, the state senate and the state house of representatives. I’m not sure who “the rest of us” are supposed to be, but you don’t seem to be doing a very good job relating to the lives of Americans.

You know, there are some of us - not you, obviously, but some of us - who actually do care about racism, and object to it without needing any other agenda.

Ps. My wife drives a caddy… And is that her nickname? Gee, I wonder why not.
Tax Payer Says:
March 11th, 2013 at 2:16 pm
No Cadillac refers to the fact that he was the first Gov. to drive one during a recession when everyone and everything was being cut. He could have picked a more modest car to drive inthe face of recession as he was laying people off. It would have shown good character on his part. Don’t ever accuse me of being racial, one of my best friends is black and I work side by with many other whom I call friends/colleauges. I would have called Scott Brown Cadillac Scott if he did the same thing!
Tax Payer Says:
March 11th, 2013 at 2:18 pm
and PS. You assumed I was white, guess your wrong!
joe from Lowell Says:
March 11th, 2013 at 4:41 pm
I would have called Scott Brown Cadillac Scott if he did the same thing!

Bull. I defy you to find one white politician who had the nickname “Cadillac” something, since it’s so normal.

There’s always some excuse why the coded language that just happens to become oddly popular in right-wing circles isn’t what it sounds like, and why what it sounds like is something that absolutely nobody who likes it so much would ever put together in a million years.

Yes yes, you have a cover story. Congratulations.

BTW, I don’t recall writing anything about your race, just your attitude.
Jack Says:
March 11th, 2013 at 4:51 pm
If this was an MMA bout, you two would be clasped together on the mat, sweaty and immobile.

Please, continue, but how about something related to Union busting?
joe from Lowell Says:
March 11th, 2013 at 8:31 pm
That is so hawt.

Taxpayer, what are you wearing?

Something flag-themed, right?
Jack Says:
March 11th, 2013 at 9:12 pm
You caught me off guard. Hilarious. Touche!
Eric J. Says:
March 13th, 2013 at 10:41 am
“Bull. I defy you to find one white politician who had the nickname “Cadillac” something, since it’s so normal.”

How about Lincoln Continental?
Tax Payer Says:
March 13th, 2013 at 2:27 pm
The mobster “Cadillac” Frank Salemme he is white so guess that’s racial too… Give me a break and open up your narrow mindedness. Its 2013 enjoy life!
joe from Lowell Says:
March 15th, 2013 at 11:26 am
So, all of your searching yielding not a single politician nicknamed “Cadillac,” other than the black guy. Not one, so you brought up a mobster instead.

I think the point has been pretty definitively proven, and I thank you for the assistance, but I’ve got one more thought to run by you:

You wrote, earlier, Curtains Deval Patricks then!

Isn’t it funny that it wasn’t “Curtains?” Isn’t it funny that, when right-wingers sought out a nickname to hang on this prominent black politician, of all of the available options, the one that stuck was the one that also carried racial baggage?

Just a coincidence, of course. It isn’t about race. It’s never about race.
Tax Payer Says:
March 15th, 2013 at 1:17 pm
Joe blah blah blah take it for what it is, it’s a nickname relevant to his actions and occuraces. Theres no need to look into further that what it is! I think you need a Happy St. Paddy’s Day! yeah kiddddddd
joe from Lowell Says:
March 17th, 2013 at 9:28 am
Theres no need to look into further

Of course not. The purpose of a dog whistle, of course, is that people like me aren’t supposed to think about its meaning.

Anyway, now you know: the “Cadillac” nickname carries racial baggage. Whether you keep using it, knowing it carries this baggage, and knowing that people are going to hear those echoes, is completely up to you, but at least now, you can’t claim to be using it out of ignorance.

You’re either going to make the choice to keep referring to a prominent black political leader by a term that carries echoes of racism, or you’re going to choose not to do that. I know which way I’d lay my money.
Tax Payer Says:
March 17th, 2013 at 10:41 am
You make it racial thats your opinion, I’m telling you it refers to the car he choose during a recession when middle class families were/still struggling. Name the last Gov. that choose to drive a Cadillac? Look forward to hearing from you and Happy St. Paddy’s Day wait Patrick’s Day don’t want to make ir racial.

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March 7, 2013

Scabs Pout over “Force Account” Preference at LHA

25 Responses to “Scabs Pout over “Force Account” Preference at LHA”

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