Goats are at the center of a public union grievance against Western Michigan University for taking jobs that supposedly belong to union workers.
The jobs in question involve clearing the land of poison ivy and other noxious weeds that goats are willing to do for free.
Please consider Are Goats Taking Jobs from Union Workers?
A battle is brewing at Western Michigan University this summer between a group of hungry goats and a labor union.
The 400-member American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees has filed a grievance contending that the work the goats are doing in a wooded lot is taking away jobs from laid-off union workers.
“AFSCME takes protecting the jobs of its members very seriously and we have an agreed-upon collective bargaining agreement with Western Michigan,” said Union President Dennis Moore. “We expect the contract to be followed, and in circumstances where we feel it’s needed, we file a grievance.”
The grievance alleges that the university did not notify the union that it was planning to use goat crews on campus, according to a chief steward report supplied to the Battle Creek Enquirer.
University spokeswoman Cheryl Roland said a small goat crew has been on campus this summer, but not to cut grass.
“For the second summer in a row, we’ve brought in a goat crew to clear undergrowth in a woodlot, much of it poison ivy and other vegetation that is a problem for humans to remove,” Roland said. “Not wanting to use chemicals, either, we chose the goat solution to stay environmentally friendly.
“The area is rife with poison ivy and other invasive species, and our analysis showed the goats to be a sustainable and cost-effective way of removing them,” she added.
Best Way to Deal With Public Unions
In other cases, unions defend incompetent teachers, even child molester teachers. In Wisconsin, unions demanded that schools get rid of volunteer parents who cleaned blackboards or mowed the grass.
The best way to deal with public unions is to not deal with them at all. Ronald Reagan had the right idea when he fired all of the PATCO workers.
Scott Walker had the right idea in Wisconsin when he ended collective bargaining by some public unions. Unfortunately, Walker failed to include police and firefighters.
Actual Wisconsin results prove Union-Busting is a “Godsend”; Elimination of Collective Bargaining is the Single Best Thing one Can do for School Kids
We need to end collective bargaining by public unions and pass national right-to-work legislation.
Related Articles
- Paul Krugman, Stephen Colbert, Bill Maher, others, Ignore Extortion, Bribery, Coercion, and Slavery; No One Should Own You!
- President Obama’s Slave Trade; Senator DeMint Says Team Obama Acts Like Thugs; Death of Right-to-Work?
- Scapegoating Madness
If the incoming supreme court justices want to start off on the right foot, they can smash the public unions every chance they get. Several key battles are coming up.
Mike “Mish” Shedlock
What’s the problem? Unionize the goats!
I say if union members want to compete with the goats by eating poison ivy — let them. They’d be earning their high salaries/pensions for the first time.
Make sure to post youtube videos of that.
That could be pay-per-view, never mind YouTube 😛
First, I think that the goats should counter file because of discrimination by using gender insensitive pronouns. Who ever heard of calling goats “crews”? Since time immemorial goats have always been organized as herds. Using the insensitive pronoun of crews demeans the moral station and work ethic imbodied in the word “herds”. If this were Canada we could have the miscreant union steward sent to prison for at least 3 years for using the offensive pronoun.
Second, I demand that congress look into collusion between the union steward and Russian interference in the safe and humane functioning of goat herds in America. Make Wisconsin great again. Eat cheese.
CC
p.s. In the immortal words of that forgotten super hero, Captain Grocery Cart, “I am tired of being pushed around, today it is my turn to push back,” Hoorah!!! The union steward for the AFSCME needs to get a life.
What’s gonna happen when Robotics start taking over?
We can all have shorter work weeks and retirement much younger.
If we were on a fixed rate currency, I’d agree with you. But because we are subject to the whims of an “elastic” currency I’m fairly certain any benefits of automation will be unequally distributed.
Goats are really effective at destroying noxious plants because they will pull the plants up and eat the roots as well…..Goats should be put in charge of eliminating public unions!…
Public Unions are nothing more lobbyists
Mish, I know I’m going to repost this several times and I apologize,
Stop using the term “Public unions” in what way are they public?
A better term would be “Government employee unions”
The best would be “taxeater unions”
When you use the phraseolgy of the enemy, you are halfway to losing.
The term public unions has been around for ages
I see no reason to stop using it
BECAUSE IT IDENTIFIES THE PARASITES WITH THOSE PREYED UPON
For every goat hacking at the branches there are a thousand striking the root.
http://www.strike-the-root.com
The rank and file should at least get a chance to compete with the goats on the same terms (salary, conditions, and secondary benefits, like the company of other goats).
This post …… GOAT …………………
I, for one, am opposed to the use of government violence to suppress the American people’s first amendment rights. See NAACP vs. Alabama.
I will be happy to give the Union one of my secret recipes for “Poison” Ivy 🌿🌿🌿🌿🌿🌿🌿🌿🌿🌿🌿🌿🌿
It is sure to cure all that ails them!
https://youtu.be/nlYlNF30bVg?t=11
Have to put this here….
Around the 10 second mark, a goat gives its thoughts about the fiscal situation in Illinois, Connecticut, California, NJ, Maine, etc.
And at one minute in, another goat gives great commentary on public unions
These guys make so much more sense than current congress members, it’s not even fair…..
Mish I feal like one of the goats in this dilemma as I’m having trouble dealing with reality since my last 3 or 4 comments I have been posted as Anonymous which I suppose has become my alter ego on your blog.
One of the first and best things the Supremes could do is reverse this decision, which exempts unions from the Rule of Law: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_v._Enmons
Mish,
Ridiculous!!! Thank you for this stupid story, I’ll make sure I tell my friends about this grievance.
On another note. I am a reader and thoroughly enjoy your insights. My wife, Lesley, is one of LA’s best photographers. If you are interested, I have volunteered her to take a headshot of you the next time you are in LA/SoCal. All she asks is that you recognize her good work, after the headshot is done.
You can find Lesley’s website at http://www.bohmphotography.com
Thank you for your work.
Best regards,
Bob Thiergartner
I don’t think the union and its workers realize the hazard of poison ivy. Do they really want to work in hazmat suits during the summer heat and humidity and still chance the risk of coming in contact with poison ivy oils? Smacks of stupidity. End public unions now.
They don’t want to work. They just want to ban anyone else from working, so that they can get paid their union rates while the goats do the work anyway.
Of course the leadership wants to claim as much work as possible, employ more union members who will pay more dues. The union can’r pay it’s leaders the big bucks unless the rank and file increases in size or pays more dues per member.
People complain about everything. Particularly my wife.
I’d think they would have to know her to complain about her.
Naughty.
These animals are obviously scapegoats.
This is one of the few green projects that actually work without loosing money.
Pretty much everything goats are involved in, work well. They are the awesomest animals out there. There’s not a doubt in my mind, one of them would do an infinitely better job than Trump ever will, as President. Ditto for the rest of government jobs everywhere.
Oh these union haters.
Without unions u would work 7 days a week, your 6 year old would shuffle coals.
No vacations, no education, no health insurance, filthy water, destroyed environment etc.
Oops – that sounds like the new America
No kidding, HT! I dropped out of my trade union in 1972, and somehow none of that ever happened to me or my kids or grandkids. Guess we’re just lucky!
BTW in the interest of full disclosure you should mention what union you belong to, and are you an employee of the union?
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=VKHFZBUTA4k
No one here contests private unions. The issue is public unions. But then you either knew that and are playing stupid or you are just stupid. Your pick.
They should have IQ and aptitude testing for the goats and the union members.
Of course the goats will have a huge advantage if they do this.
People should replace noisy lawnmowers,edgers and leaf blowers with goats, man those things are bullet proof, eating poison ivy, WOW!
You got your wish in Ojai CA john, the town council banned leafblowers (dust & noise).
Big Brother knows what is best for you, and is working hard passing more laws & regulations to make a perfect world, especially in California.
Scarsdale NJ banned leafblowers a long time ago, only electric leafblowers are permitted now, and, of course, rakes.
When I get mad as hell and can’t take it anymore I’ll start taking out leafblowers first LOL
Last stats I saw indicated that about 55% of public workers and 9% of private workers are in unions.
Why should those in a union get significantly better treatment that someone who is not in a union? It’s unfair.
Either EVERYONE needs to have the opportunity to be a union member or no one should be allowed to. Everyone is “equal” in the USA, right?
http://static.globalnoticias.pt/storage/DN/2015/dn2015_detalhe_topo/ng4885138.jpg
If I were a AFSCME member, I’d be embarrassed about this.
I have the solution… if AFSCME members are willing to do the job on the same terms as the goats, by EATING the poison ivy, they should have the jobs. Hell, I’d pay to see that.
While the goats are not “getting paid”, someone is. The bottom line of the grievance is that WMU is obligated to notify the Union whenever they intend to have any outside entity do anything that is within the job duties of AFSCME. This did not happen and therefore the leadership of AFSCME Local 1668 had no choice but to file a grievance.
Essentially
So what?
Taxpayers screwed by being forced into “collective enforcement” schemes
The Candlemakers’ Petition. http://bastiat.org/en/petition.html
First: I agree that this story seems “ridiculous”.
Second: I was in a union once, for a few months, at a summer job. I don’t recall that it was either a good or bad experience.
Third: Can unions become a problem? I agree that they can.
Fourth: What would happen if the US government banned unions? Is that possible, given your constitution and labour laws? I have no idea. Perhaps one of you could answer this for me.
Fifth: If all unions were banned, what effect would that have on the labour market? Would that improve the typical worker’s situation? They would not have to pay union dues. However, would each worker be able to negotiate a good salary, benefits, medical, pension etc.?
It seems to me that it’s already tough to get a wage increase these days (especially without the necessary skills). The middle class is shrinking and most economic growth goes to the top 10%. The top 10% are rarely in a union. They don’t need one.
.
The problem isn’t unions per se. But rather that government can, hence will if asked by a higher bidder, ban person A from hiring person (or goat) B to do a job, for pay that is agreeable to both of them. Something absolutely noone, besides A and B themselves, has any business even knowing whether took place or not. Much less any business interfering with, in anything remotely resembling a free country.
The unions have reached a new low, they now are competing against goats for jobs.
And, as usual, they can’t compete. So they run to Massa and beg him to ban and harass their superiors.
I agree that in this particular case, the union is being unreasonable. However, to argue that this is a reason to ban all unions, is also a stretch.
Many comments on this site refer to “unions” as some evil entity, yet a union is just an organization representing workers.
Many comments on this site also refer to the fact that workers are powerless and have no way to get their share of the nation’s growth.
It is my understanding that unions are shrinking in numbers, and representing fewer and fewer workers each year (so many of you are getting your wish).
If unions disappear, it seems to me that worker wages, benefits, conditions will keep deteriorating.
Please note that for most of my life I have been agnostic on unions. Only recently, as unions began disappearing, have I started to consider their role
Unions, as in organizations of workers, are not a bad thing. Government interference into the lives of others, is.
If A offers B X dollars to do a job, and B is OK with it; that is exactly no business of anyone at all, besides A and B. As long as that truism holds, unions are perfectly fine.
But of course, in our progressive dystopia, that’s not how things work. Instead, government can barge in and tell some dude who wants to do some work for a certain pay, he’s not “allowed” to. And because government CAN do those things, they WILL do those things. In favor of those who pay and support them the most. To the detriment of everyone else.
Hence, in such totalitarian dystopias, unions are no longer just organizations of workers. But instead political pressure groups, whose goal is solely to influence the totalitarian state, to rob others on their behalf. There’s nothing inherent to an organization of workers, that requires them to behave that way And in a free society, they wouldn’t be. But free is hardly the kind of society we live in.
So the problem that many people have is not with unions, but unions that are “political” and with the US government? That isn’t how I’m reading Mish, and many others who comment on his articles. They all seem to imply that unions are evil things to be destroyed.
Americans sure have a different perspective on things. I sometimes have trouble understanding their logic.
Public unions are indeed evil – period.
Even FDR recognized that
Unions are evil because of their political involvement. Not because organizations of workers are evil a priori. Unions champion government banning A from voluntarily working for B for whatever the heck wage A and B can agree to. Anyone championing government running around banning and harassing other people, are evil. Period. Nothing special about Unions. Homeowners championing the same totalitarian government banning others from building whatever the heck they want down the street, are no better. Just another version of the same old government apologist scum.
And ditto for the AMA championing, again, totalitarian government preventing others from competing with their members on equal terms. And corn producers the same vs sugar producers. And trial lawyers tobacco producers, divorcees, “deadbeat dads” and whatever other imaginary hobgoblin they can get some busybody halfwit audience to pump their pathetic fists over at any given moment.
Stealing from others is bad, period. That your favorite theft mechanism happens to involve government doing the actual dirty work, has exactly zero mitigating effect. If someone if forced to pay someone else against his will, he is being robbed. You either support robbery, or you don’t. Those that do, are evil.
Supporting forced transfers from some people, to others, is what unions are primarily doing, these days. Not providing a place where workers can get together, hold hands play cards and drink beer. Hence, unions are evil.
But what enables unions to be evil unions, rather than good, or neutral, ones, is government. And ditto for homeowners, doctors and the rest, heck even lawyers, are government. Bring that creation of the totalitarian imagination back to proper size, and all the above will have no choice but to be good again. Simply because everyone else will be free to simply and casually route around them without any more ado, if they insist on remaining evil.
CA government salary data highlights high wages
By Samantha Weigel Daily Journal staff
Jul 10, 2017
In an effort to promote transparency about how the taxpayer’s dollar is being spent, the California controller released a wide spectrum of salary data on government workers that showed San Mateo County employees often earn high compensation packages.
The recently released 2016 salary data for city and county governments showed California paid a cumulative $59.6 billion on employees’ wages and benefits.
San Mateo County’s top law enforcement officials were some of the highest paid elected officials in the state last year and its longtime county manager receives a hefty compensation package. But when it came to average wages, the county ranked just 21st out of 53 in the state. The county’s 10,104 workers make $54,570 on average in wages with $23,506 offered in benefits — those averages included hundreds of part-time or “extra help” positions, some of which were paid as little as $40, according to the data.
But overall, the county government doled out $551.4 million in wages and another $237.5 million in benefits, according to the state controller.
Neighboring Santa Clara County topped the chart with its average employee making $85,650, totaling nearly $1.77 billion on wages for its 20,705 employees, according to the controller.
…
https://www.smdailyjournal.com/news/local/government-salary-data-highlights-high-wages/article_aa455a86-6522-11e7-b149-175c5b9c6f43.html
Is this story of any real consequence? Who cares? Do we collectively advance our understanding of anything of real impact through consideration of this? How about some consensus around not bothering with with trivial nonsense, unless of course it is just summer beach reading fare.
Of course it is meaningful. It shows the absurd length public unions use to extort money from taxpayers.
Did anyone catch the Liberal hypocrisy? The conflict of organized labor vs environmentally friendly solutions.
Unions champion government banning A from voluntarily working for B for whatever the heck wage A and B can agree to.
If A offers B X dollars to do a job, and B is OK with it; that is exactly no business of anyone at all, besides A and B.
If A offers B X dollars to do a job, and B is OK with it; that is exactly no business of anyone at all, besides A and B. Unions champion government banning A from voluntarily working for B for whatever the heck wage A and B can agree to.
If A offers B X dollars to do a job, and B is OK with it; that is exactly no business of anyone at all, besides A and B. Unions champion government banning A from voluntarily working for B for whatever the heck wage A and B can agree to.
If A offers B X dollars to do a job, and B is OK with it; that is exactly no business of anyone at all, besides A and B. Unions champion government banning A from voluntarily working for B for whatever the heck wage A and B can agree to.
Precisely!
If A offers B X dollars to do a occupation, and B is OK with it; that is exactly no patronage of anyone at all, besides A and B. Unions champion administration banning A from voluntarily working for B for whatever the heck earnings A and B can match to.