'The Mitch Who Stole Christmas'

America's RN Union targets Sen. McConnell for "attack on American workers and families."

(SACRAMENTO) - The nation's largest union of registered nurses today announced a new online and advocacy campaign targeting Republican Senator Mitch McConnell for his Grinch-like efforts to block a bailout for the auto industry unless unionized auto workers accept devastating and punitive cuts in wages and healthcare coverage for their families.

The new online campaign warns – the auto workers today, next they will come after other working people's wages and families.

The campaign invites people to send a message to McConnell to protect American working families.

"The Mitch tried to steal Christmas from auto workers, their families, and their communities, It was the auto workers today, but tomorrow it will be other working people's wages and benefits," said Geri Jenkins, RN, a co-president of the California Nurses Association/National Nurses Organizing Committee - composed of 85,000 nurses in all 50 states.

"Wall Street CEOs like Martin Sullivan of AIG get their bailouts with no strings attached. Sullivan earned $21,000 an HOUR last year, while American workers and families are facing economic calamity. Yet, Sen. McConnell and some of his Republican colleagues want to place further hardships on working people and their families, after eight years of devastating erosion of living conditions and health security."

Further, notes CNA/NNOC Executive Director Rose Ann DeMoro, McConnell and company have made clear that they view the demands for massive concessions by the UAW as just a first step in an all-out attack on unions and union members. An e-mail message circulated among Senate Republicans declared that denying the auto industry a loan was an opportunity for Republicans to "take their first shot against organized labor."

"The voices of labor will not be silenced. Not about our jobs, our healthcare, our respect, our dignity. Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell's shameful attacks on organized labor will not be ignored," said DeMoro.

"Years of eroding living standards and health security for American workers are apparently not enough for McConnell. These types of attacks on the working people who built this country are disgraceful all year but especially during the holidays. And, not surprisingly, his actions directly led to at least temporary layoffs for thousands of workers. Sen. McConnell can now add another title to his resume: The Mitch Who Stole Christmas.

"Please join us in our fight to save these jobs and these families. Go online to send a message to the Mitch. Tell him to either find some Christmas cheer or a new line of work," DeMoro said.

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Non-union worker December 19, 2008 2:11 pm (Pacific time)

Detroit television station catches UAW workers drinking while on the clock. This investigative video should be seen by all taxpayers. These workers do not deserve any bailout period! See this video and you will agree, it lays it out. http://www.clickondetroit.com/video/10235271/index.html

PS December 19, 2008 11:39 am (Pacific time)

HR the Washington Post article that you referenced is historically wrong, and it is also entirely absurd. This is what is known as politically pandering, and the author knows that his editor (he/she okayed it) will "not" call him on it for it's truthfullness/veracity nor will the dinosaur msm. The growing/successful media knows this guy and will ignore him. Once again this Nurses Union is simply providing a distraction, and our current economy will in the not too distant future cause this union to fade away, along with many others. Workers should be able to keep their hard earned money rather than see it usurped via dues that are spent on propaganda that they find anathema to their values/mores. People do you realize the UAW members, when layed off receive 95% of their wages and benefits? How about you others out there who have been layed off, what do you get? You want your taxes to provide these UAW benefits while you just get unemployment? Are they more important than you? Is their job more important than say someone who produces food, energy, healthcare, etc. ? Of course not!

Editor: Sir, you are not qualified to determine if the article in a major national magazine is correct or incorrect. Just because you disagree with it on a personal level does not deem it honest or otherwise. The nurses have been treated unfairly and I know this. We have several family members who are nurses that are struggling through all of these problems right now.

Henry Ruark December 18, 2008 1:12 pm (Pacific time)

PS: "Distraction", like truth, is i the eyes and mind of the person experiencing it. Best possible antidote to that reality is the trut one must impost in someone's ability to speak honestly and truthfully. To that point here is WPost premier writer Meyerson today, at www.wpost.com: (Final pgh in his column, titled "GOP's Targeting ofUAW is Shameful",R/G,Eugene 12/18) "In a narrow sense, what the Republicans are proposing would gut the benefits of roughly a million retirees. In a broad sense, they want to destroy the institution that did more than any other to raise American living standards, and they want to do it by using the power of government to lower American living standards -- in the middle of the most severe recession since the 1930s. The auto workers deserve better, and so does the nation they did so much to build." -------------- Yours, too, shameful for its personal distortion of history for political pander-purpose. But that's entire purpose of your participation in what is honest, open, democratic S-N effort to inform, aid in learning, and share truthful dialog. Do you now contend that the Washington Post is a lying politically-driven daily ? You have already dispatched the world's leading daily of record,MY Times, to the fate of anything or anyone showing up your deceitful stuff, and you continue to deny necessary proof of any credibility.

PS December 18, 2008 9:38 am (Pacific time)

HR- To begin with, this above union tactic is a distraction. As you are well aware of the democratic majority congress controls the agenda, not the senate minority leader, so let's be sure to acknowledge that key bit of info. I do not think Americans are stupid at all, especially when they get the full picture. Currently the vast majority of Americans want these bailouts to stop. This will always be a heated debate between union and non-union perspectives. So peace to you brother, it's an endless cycle, for now. HR here is an update for you that I predicted a while back (note: this spring depositions begin): CINCINNATI – An Ohio agency director resigned Wednesday in the wake of a finding that she improperly used state computers to access personal information on the man who became known as "Joe the Plumber" during the presidential campaign. Two other officials who were suspended from their positions for their role in the computer search will not be returning to their jobs, an agency spokeswoman said.

Henry Ruark December 17, 2008 8:39 pm (Pacific time)

Ps: You wrote:"Since we cannot bail everyone out that loses their job, then no one gets bailed out." SO when auto plants close down due to attacks like reported here, we let families starve and freeze ? OR do we "bail them out" as for AIG chieftains and their parties, and Wall St. predators and their fancyfrill eateries and "friendly" nightclub damsels ? How stupid do you think our readers ARE ? The bigboys already gottheirs, but the workers are still free to snatch themselves up out of the muck and the snow by their bootstraps --if those don't snap off.

Henry Ruark December 17, 2008 6:51 pm (Pacific time)

PS et al: This is perfect example of the distortion/perversion of fact which permeates such stuff. Surely there are those who disagree in any union action, just as in any other group. Difference is that unionism demands solidarity for any strength vs multiple monies and muscle from corporate sources. Re "incompetents" fired, that is surely over simplification of facts since all involved surely not ALL loafers and union chiefs riding on worker pay--again an intentional mistruth surely obvious to writer when composed. Could go on and on, but with some so solidified in bias and basic attitude it is waste of time, attention here, and space costly to Tim. SO simply remember details like this analysis whenever needed to put this stuff in proper file, for solid reasons you can "see with own eyes" right here in their own words.

PS December 17, 2008 12:56 pm (Pacific time)

I have spoken to two nurses today who belong to this union (not by choice!) who do not endorse this action. A significant percentage of union members are conservative and are simply ignored when they ask that their union dues not be used for things they disagree with. I'm sure if this was money spent that many of you disagreed with, you would like to see that these types of endorsements/expenditures are not made. As it is, the majority of Americans do not want to see anymore bailouts. Why should UAW members be treated any different than other workers that have lost their jobs, or say like me, someone who is tired of seeing my tax money bailing out incompetents. Since we cannot bail everyone out that loses their job, then no one gets bailed out.

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'The Mitch Who Stole Christmas'

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