Allegra Escorts Collective
Toronto Escorts

Bernie Sanders' unionized staffers clash with campaign over guarantee of $15 an hour

O

OnTheWayOut

King of socialism actions speak louder than words ............. seems Bernie's own workers are not worth the promises he makes for others.


https://www.cnn.com/2019/07/19/politics/bernie-sanders-campaign-union-clash/index.html

(CNN)Sen. Bernie Sanders is a staple on the front lines of the labor fight, leading the charge in Washington and around the country to raise the minimum wage for workers to $15 an hour. But within his own campaign, which unionized earlier this year, tense discussions over pay have spilled out into public view.

The dispute threatens to undermine Sanders' political message and, if it were to escalate, his ability to credibly advocate for workers around the country currently engaged in their own struggles to negotiate higher wages and better working conditions.
Word of the discontent first emerged publicly on Thursday night, in a Washington Post report detailing campaign field staff's frustration that their base pay, in some instances, does not match the $15-an-hour mandate that Sanders, as a legislator and candidate, has pressed for as the base minimum wage across the country. As the campaign ramps up, field staff are often required to work 10-hour, 6-day weeks, driving down their average hourly compensation.
A source tells CNN that campaign officials were in a room with representatives from the union, discussing the topic, when the campaign was first made aware of the Post's story.
In a statement to CNN, Sanders campaign manager Faiz Shakir said that the campaign offered the field staff a boost in pay that would guarantee a $15 an hour salary commensurate with a 40-hour work week. That proposal, according to Shakir, was rejected by the membership.
"As strong supporters of organized labor, this formal process is the sole process for making changes to the collective bargaining agreement. It would be anti-union, and likely illegal, for the campaign to negotiate outside this process," Shakir said. "We look forward to continuing those discussions and obviously are disappointed that some individuals decided to damage the integrity of these efforts before they were concluded."
As the negotiations continue, Shakir said he would be limiting the work week for field staff to only 40 hours a week.
Jonathan Williams, a spokesperson for the UFCW Local 400 would not comment on the specifics of the negotiations, but in a statement the union said it would continue working with the campaign to sort out the ongoing concerns.
"First and foremost, our union is a democratic organization. We cannot comment on specific, ongoing internal processes between our members and their employer, particularly without the consent of our members," the union said. "We can say that our union is proud to advocate for every member in every workplace we represent to earn a better life -- both during contract negotiations and beyond."
The leaked details from the negotiations and internal messaging within the campaign came at a particularly uncomfortable time for Sanders, who had only hours earlier praised the House Democrats for their historic vote to pass of the Raise the Wage Act of 2019, which would raise the federal minimum wage to $15 an hour.
Bernie Sanders' staff unionizes in presidential campaign first
Bernie Sanders' staff unionizes in presidential campaign first
"Four years ago, when I first introduced legislation to increase the minimum wage to $15 an hour, it was considered an impossible dream," Sanders said in a statement on Thursday. "Today, I am proud to say that a $15 minimum wage has gone from laughable to inevitable."
Its fate within his own campaign, though, remains unresolved. Campaign work hours are notoriously hard to plan out and predict, which is one of the reasons three current presidential hopefuls' staffs -- including Sen. Elizabeth Warren's and former Housing and Urban Development secretary Julián Castro's -- have unionized and others down the ballot have done the same.
A source directly connected to the ongoing negotiations between the Sanders campaign and the union representing his field staff, the United Food and Commercial Workers Local 400, confirmed to CNN on Friday that the two sides are actively negotiating staffers' pay scale within the confines of the collective bargaining agreement agreed to in early May.
"Political campaigns are cause-driven and because there is always more work that can be done, staffers are typically worked to the bone," Local 400 President Mark P. Federici said back on May 8, after their contract was ratified. "But it doesn't have to be this way. Even political work must be subject to minimum standards. I congratulate our members on the Bernie Sanders campaign for making their own revolution."
But the details revealed on Thursday night underscore the difficulties that have made the unionization of political campaigns so difficult, and unusual, for so many years.
Still, Sanders has been supportive of the effort and the campaign voluntarily recognized staffers' bargaining unit.
"We cannot just support unions with words, we must back it up with actions," he tweeted back in March. "On this campaign and when we are in the White House, we are going to make it easier for people to join unions, not harder."
Sources from both the campaign and the union confirmed that the collective bargaining agreement, ratified in May, set a base pay rate for field staff at $36,000 a year. That salary works out to under $15 and hour based on the 60-hour work week. But in addition to the pay scale, the CBA also provides full health insurance without a premium, mental health benefits, parental leave options, a gas card for use while on the job and other options not traditionally available to low-level campaign staff.
Additionally, the CBA also has a provision within the union construct called "Labor Committees," which allows for rank-and-file members to serve as part of a democratic process allowing them to raise concerns about various issues. That includes pay, but could also be housing options, workplace environment and benefits.
 

Butler1000

Well-known member
Oct 31, 2011
28,704
3,400
113
Read the last few paragraphs.

It appears that not only are the far better off than every other campaign and that they are ironing out these issues as well amicably.
 
O

OnTheWayOut

Read the last few paragraphs.

It appears that not only are the far better off than every other campaign and that they are ironing out these issues as well amicably.
But ..... he wasn't paying them $15/hr (and still isn't) while marching with McDonalds and Walmart employees championing the issue. You'd think the first people he'd make sure were being paid this way were his own.
 

Butler1000

Well-known member
Oct 31, 2011
28,704
3,400
113
But ..... he wasn't paying them $15/hr (and still isn't) while marching with McDonalds and Walmart employees championing the issue. You'd think the first people he'd make sure were being paid this way were his own.
True. And no doubt he will figure it out. Either by hiring more staff or bettering their compensation.

Sounds to me the union is already doing just that. Considering the previous conditions in most campaigns he is way ahead of the curve. But glitches, in this case a successful campaign and a dedicated staff working overtime to get him to the WH have created something unforeseen.

I can think of far worse problems to deal with them a dedicated staff working overtime because they believe in him.

And I'm confident they will sort it out.
 

Smallcock

Active member
Jun 5, 2009
13,703
21
38
He'll figure it out? If he hasn't figured it out already, he's too late.
 
O

OnTheWayOut

1) Make $15/hr minimum wage a major promise of your campaign
2) Hammer it home constantly, march with perceived underpaid employees
3) Neglect to pay your own staff $15/hr

LOL, too funny. Maybe Alzheimers?
 

Butler1000

Well-known member
Oct 31, 2011
28,704
3,400
113
Lol, you guys are funny.

If this is the best that can be come up with I'd say he is in excellent shape.

Thanks for playin'
 

Knuckle Ball

Well-known member
Oct 15, 2017
6,793
2,787
113
I’m sure it’s an honest mistake/oversight on Sanders’ part...but that’s kinda the problem.

During his last campaign there were complaints from female staffers of male co-workers’ being sexually inappropriate. It all came out during the #MeToo; Bernie acknowledged the problem and conceded that he did not have proper policies and procedures in place to deal with such issues. His excuse was that in 2016 his campaign grew very quickly and went from a small operation to a national one in just a few weeks thereby creating challenges in this regard. Bernie also made the comment that in 2016 he was “busy focusing on other things” (ie. campaign rallies, etc) which did not go over well with the Dem base.

In any case, Bernie committed to fixing this issue in his next campaign...so he has obviously spent time thinking about the logistics of running and staffing his campaign...and then this fuck up happens. It’s obviously not a huge issue in the larger scheme of American politics...but the Dem base don’t exactly love Bernie to begin with and this is the kinda thing that gets them all worked up.

Of all candidates to have a problem like this Bernie can least afford it.
 

onthebottom

Never Been Justly Banned
Jan 10, 2002
40,558
23
38
Hooterville
www.scubadiving.com
Lol, you guys are funny.

If this is the best that can be come up with I'd say he is in excellent shape.

Thanks for playin'
Nothing about his # would indicate he’s doing fine.

https://www.realclearpolitics.com/e..._democratic_presidential_nomination-6730.html

This simply plays to a hypocrite narrative, like the millionaire candidate bitching about rich people.

He’s going to have a hard time getting to the starting line. His chance was in 2016 and Hillary stole it from him.
 

Butler1000

Well-known member
Oct 31, 2011
28,704
3,400
113
Nothing about his # would indicate he’s doing fine.

https://www.realclearpolitics.com/e..._democratic_presidential_nomination-6730.html

This simply plays to a hypocrite narrative, like the millionaire candidate bitching about rich people.

He’s going to have a hard time getting to the starting line. His chance was in 2016 and Hillary stole it from him.
You actually think polls matter at this point?

I look at #1 overall in fundraising, 99.3% of it donation under 200 bucks. 2 million donaters,. 1 million volunteers.

That's power.

Go look at the recent Washington Post interview he just did. Went into another lion's den and hit it out if the park.

Biden is toast. The next debate Biden has Harris in one side of him and Booker on the other. With other candidates looking to score points on him as well. He will get killed.

Meanwhile the first night has Warren and Sanders side by side who won't go after eachother......yet, and will tag team against the minnow moderates M4A and the rest of it.

He, Warren, Harris will be the choices after the Third Debates in September.
 
O

OnTheWayOut

"Word of the discontent first emerged publicly on Thursday night in a Washington Post report detailing campaign field staff's frustration that their base pay, in some instances, does not match the $15-an-hour mandate that Sanders, as a legislator and candidate, has pressed for as the base minimum wage across the country. As the campaign ramps up, field staff are often required to work 10-hour, 6-day weeks, driving down their average hourly compensation."

Sure, we'll pay you $15/hr for a 40 hour work week ..... but require you to work 60 hours with no additional pay. Seems fair ..... in China maybe. They are unionized which Bernie thought was great. Wonder what Bernie will think if he has the first political staff union walkout? This socialism crap ain't so easy now Bernie, is it?
 

oldjones

CanBarelyRe Member
Aug 18, 2001
24,495
11
38
"Word of the discontent first emerged publicly on Thursday night in a Washington Post report detailing campaign field staff's frustration that their base pay, in some instances, does not match the $15-an-hour mandate that Sanders, as a legislator and candidate, has pressed for as the base minimum wage across the country. As the campaign ramps up, field staff are often required to work 10-hour, 6-day weeks, driving down their average hourly compensation."

Sure, we'll pay you $15/hr for a 40 hour work week ..... but require you to work 60 hours with no additional pay. Seems fair ..... in China maybe. They are unionized which Bernie thought was great. Wonder what Bernie will think if he has the first political staff union walkout? This socialism crap ain't so easy now Bernie, is it?
So is this sort of all-too-common abuse smarter than — or not so smart as — billionaires skipping out on their debts to small contractors, the guys who actually delivered the goods?

Still and all it's good to see guys like you hyping the usefulness and value of unions.
 

jcpro

Well-known member
Jan 31, 2014
24,673
6,836
113
Rush had the best take on this- the Democrat powers that be have already succumbed to the crazies in the Party and decided that a man, especially a white one, does not belong in this race. Nor can Bernie be trusted to be a team player. Worthy of note is the fact that this story did NOT originate on the right. It came from reliably lefty sources.
 

oldjones

CanBarelyRe Member
Aug 18, 2001
24,495
11
38
Rush had the best take on this- the Democrat powers that be have already succumbed to the crazies in the Party and decided that a man, especially a white one, does not belong in this race. Nor can Bernie be trusted to be a team player. Worthy of note is the fact that this story did NOT originate on the right. It came from reliably lefty sources.
Thanks for that last, nice to know some folks still count principles higher than personal or political loyalties.
 

Butler1000

Well-known member
Oct 31, 2011
28,704
3,400
113
Rush had the best take on this- the Democrat powers that be have already succumbed to the crazies in the Party and decided that a man, especially a white one, does not belong in this race. Nor can Bernie be trusted to be a team player. Worthy of note is the fact that this story did NOT originate on the right. It came from reliably lefty sources.
Fortunately in the first round its up to the little ones and the Superdelegates are out of it.

Rush, like the rest of the pundits, are too reliant on what was.

I believe their information sources are too myopic to see the real ground game occuring.

2 million individual donors. One million volunteers.

And with only about 10 million actual votes cast in the primaries last time, coupled with Bernie being the second choice amongst most decided voters in the caucuses and primaries that's a far more substantive tell.

A few unconfirmed sources on Rush Limbaugh just doesn't add up to that.
 
O

OnTheWayOut

So is this sort of all-too-common abuse smarter than — or not so smart as — billionaires skipping out on their debts to small contractors, the guys who actually delivered the goods?

Still and all it's good to see guys like you hyping the usefulness and value of unions.
Subject is Bernie, try to stay focused and throttle your TDS.

Unions suck, I avoided union jobs my entire life. The irony of the "champion of $15/hr" Bernie not putting his money where his mouth is just too good to pass up lol
 

Butler1000

Well-known member
Oct 31, 2011
28,704
3,400
113
Subject is Bernie, try to stay focused and throttle your TDS.

Unions suck, I avoided union jobs my entire life. The irony of the "champion of $15/hr" Bernie not putting his money where his mouth is just too good to pass up lol
Happy to oblige. The issue revolves around the staffers working overtime. The campaign has now restricted the workers to 40 hours so their salary base matches up, all benefits continue and the union and management can figure this out.

Not seeing a crisis here, just some passionate overworked people and campaign sorting things out after 4 months of full throttle campaigning.

It reminds me of when a few bitched about his having made a million on book sales. He owned that, and now it's gone. This will be no different in a week.
 
Toronto Escorts