Where is the outrage for BofA that was correctly levied onto the chief tools of the big three?

I hope that Congress lets some marines take their board members, set them on fire and shoot at them.

I want heads on spits.

Fried said the company can't pay its 300 employees because its creditor, Charlotte, N.C.-based Bank of America, won't let them.

if the bankers over at BoA got christmas bonuses checks this year, then you bet i'd side with the damn union workers. I'd be pissed off too if I were in their shoes.

maniacbastard: Where is the outrage for BofA that was correctly levied onto the chief tools of the big three?

I hope that Congress lets some marines take their board members, set them on fire and shoot at them.

I want heads on spits.

Oookaaaay...

*backs out of thread*

Weaver95: if the bankers over at BoA got christmas bonuses checks

Not only that, but the CEO of BOA refused a salary cut or to give up his bonuses(p) when shareholders asked him to. Instead he'd rather lay off 30,000 of his workers.

Fark BOA. With a red hot poker.

/farking hate BOA

Can't blame them at all. Hope something comes of this, but I don't think it will garner as much attention as it should. We'll see...

clancifer: Can't blame them at all. Hope something comes of this, but I don't think it will garner as much attention as it should. We'll see...

Labor disputes in Chicago have a tendency to end in violence. This could get interesting.

Good.

These shenanigans on BofA's part are why unions exist. I found the link for the letter campaign on the UEW site but I haven't yet found a strike fund or anything that I can contribute a ten or twenty to.

2xhelix: Weaver95: if the bankers over at BoA got christmas bonuses checks

Not only that, but the CEO of BOA refused a salary cut or to give up his bonuses(p) when shareholders asked him to. Instead he'd rather lay off 30,000 of his workers.

I wonder how much that guy makes a year? I also wonder how much BoA got from the federal bailout package.

As much as it pains me to say it, I think the union guys are right to hang tight. More power to 'em, because BoA isn't at all in touch with reality.

Weaver95: I wonder how much that guy makes a year

According to the article I linked to, his salary is $13 million a year.

Everyday, we're repeating the 1930s more and more.

Bank failures
Collapsing stock market
Deflation
Sky high employment
Collapsing real estate values
and now... sit down strikes

Weaver95: I wonder how much that guy makes a year? I also wonder how much BoA got from the federal bailout package.

Bank of America got $25 billion in the bailout. BoA's CEO, Kenneth Lewis, got $1.5 million in salary, not counting stock options. However, he didn't receive a bonus in 2007.

Weaver95: 2xhelix: Weaver95: if the bankers over at BoA got christmas bonuses checks

Not only that, but the CEO of BOA refused a salary cut or to give up his bonuses(p) when shareholders asked him to. Instead he'd rather lay off 30,000 of his workers.

I wonder how much that guy makes a year? I also wonder how much BoA got from the federal bailout package.

As much as it pains me to say it, I think the union guys are right to hang tight. More power to 'em, because BoA isn't at all in touch with reality.

I also find it usually hard to side with union guys in Chicago, but the CEO is going to someday face the biatch slap of Karma when he comes back in the next life as a frycook at Tempo.

Good for them. If they organize this properly, they can keep it going peacefully for quite a long time. And if an outside force turns it non peaceful, then, well, it will definitely get more news attention

2xhelix: According to the article I linked to, his salary is $13 million a year.

Well there are 300 workers at the plant? That is a nice 43k. He can spare it.

Yep, they're Chicago workers... I hope it doesn't turn out like Pullman or Haymarket.


Workers of Republic Window and Doors unite!
/not a Communist
//Chicagoan
///automatically sympathize with the working man

I did a search on Kenneth Lewis and found that someone named him 'Banker of the year' for 2008. Which, of course, fark won't let me post a link to for some reason. Just do a google search on 'banker of the year' and it should show up. This is after Bank of America announced a 50% cut in dividend payments to investors, not to mention the stock dropping something like 43% after they announced their recent merger with Merill Lynch AND talking about firing 30,000 people.

So along comes this story on fark about how BoA is screwing over a bunch of union workers. I dunno man, seems to me like BoA is being run by a greedy jerk who just doesn't give a damn about anyone but himeself. I could be wrong, but after reading those news stories it's hard to see the banks side of this equation. It looks to me like they're screwing over anyone and everyone they think they can just to save a couple pennies.

2xhelix: Weaver95: I wonder how much that guy makes a year

According to the article I linked to, his salary is $13 million a year.

$13 million a year (not counting any bonuses) and he's running his company into the ground. Amazing. Then stories like this start to surface.

I'm amazed nobody has started shooting bankers. Then again, it's early yet and we haven't started to starve.

Here's the part that gets me the most:

Bank of America received $25 billion from the government's financial bailout package. The company said in a statement Saturday that it isn't responsible for Republic's financial obligations to its employees.

BoA got a crapton of taxpayer money just to cover situations just like this one. BoA kept the money and says 'meh, not our problem'. And BoA's Chief Executive Officer gets $13 million this year? great move there charlie. If you keep pissing on the dirty peasants, eventually they pick up a couple pitchforks and start getting violent.

clancifer: Can't blame them at all. Hope something comes of this, but I don't think it will garner as much attention as it should. We'll see...

It's on the national stage. NPR gave it a long segment this morning. CNN had a blurb. The major papers are covering it. It's not quite to 24-hour media blitz, but we'll see how it plays out.

Weaver95: It looks to me like they're screwing over anyone and everyone they think they can just to save a couple pennies.

You just described their business model to a T.

Federal labor laws are federal labor laws. BofA's army of lawyers can shuffle-step all they want, but they've got nothing.

Occam's Chainsaw: Federal labor laws are federal labor laws. BofA's army of lawyers can shuffle-step all they want, but they've got nothing.

BoA recently lost a fraud case.

I guess i'm just amazed at how utterly devoid of common sense Lynch is about all of this. He really does live in a different world from the rest of us, doesn't he? And his attitude seems to be common among chief bankers in this country. If most of them are as clueless as this guy is AND they keep up with the heartless son of a biatch routine....well, I can't say what'll happen but it probably won't be pretty. we've had food riots in this country before. it could happen again.

Ok, wtf is up with links on fark tonight!?

BoA fraud case.

aw crap. LEWIS, not lynch. Lewis being out of touch.

ok, obviously I need another cup of coffee.

Ah, labor unions. Everyone hates them until they need one.

gas giant: Ah, labor unions. Everyone hates them until they need one.

Everything in moderation, friend. Unions for those in danger of being exploited. In all other situations, they slowly turn into a protection racket.

Occam's Chainsaw: gas giant: Ah, labor unions. Everyone hates them until they need one.

Everything in moderation, friend. Unions for those in danger of being exploited. In all other situations, they slowly turn into a protection racket.

Don't most workers have the potential to be exploited? Could you please list a few blue collar and even lower white collar jobs that couldn't be exploited?

/will not say that some unions have not turned into rackets... few bad apples ...

Crusade for Moorish Dignity?

(Obscure?)

FTA:
Outside the plant, protesters wore stickers and carried signs that said, "You got bailed out, we got sold out."

HalfAsleep: Don't most workers have the potential to be exploited? Could you please list a few blue collar and even lower white collar jobs that couldn't be exploited?

/will not say that some unions have not turned into rackets... few bad apples ...

Technically, isn't all labor exploitation of time and effort in exchange for remuneration, with the intent of the employer gaining a greater profit? I suppose a better term would be abuse protections. A good rule of thumb would be that any person whose skillset is not quickly or easily replicated or replaced is in little immediate danger of being abused by the employer.

AirForbes1: Crusade for Moorish Dignity?

(Obscure?)

Your valves better not be acting up damnit

Occam's Chainsaw: HalfAsleep: Don't most workers have the potential to be exploited? Could you please list a few blue collar and even lower white collar jobs that couldn't be exploited?

/will not say that some unions have not turned into rackets... few bad apples ...

Technically, isn't all labor exploitation of time and effort in exchange for remuneration, with the intent of the employer gaining a greater profit? I suppose a better term would be abuse protections. A good rule of thumb would be that any person whose skillset is not quickly or easily replicated or replaced is in little immediate danger of being abused by the employer.

Translation: I read your email. do not fark with me.

Check out the "recovered factory" movement in Argentina.

Link (new window)

Doubtful the powers that be will let this catch on much in the US, but interesting all the same.

FTFA "We're doing something we haven't done since the 1930s, so we're trying to make it work," she said, referring to a tactic most famously used in 1936-37 by General Motors factory workers in Flint, Mich., to help unionize the U.S. auto industry.

So you want to be like Flint, MI?

/keep reaching for the stars

I, for one, am not surprised that a company that deals with Windows is pissing people off...

that is all.

Oliver Twisted: FTFA "We're doing something we haven't done since the 1930s, so we're trying to make it work," she said, referring to a tactic most famously used in 1936-37 by General Motors factory workers in Flint, Mich., to help unionize the U.S. auto industry.

So you want to be like Flint, MI?

/keep reaching for the stars

Ya because in Flint from 1937 until the 1980's there was absolutly nothing good about it.

\ 3 out of 10.
\\ and no, you may not have another.

Approved by:

Lawnchair: Check out the "recovered factory" movement in Argentina.

Link (new window)

Doubtful the powers that be will let this catch on much in the US, but interesting all the same.

There's a whole host of regulatory hurdles you'd have to overcome for something like that. however - I like the idea that employees are the ones who get first crack at the company assets, rather than the bank trying to repossess whatever they can find.

Occam's Chainsaw: A good rule of thumb would be that any person whose skillset is not quickly or easily replicated or replaced is in little immediate danger of being abused by the employer.

Nurses. Highly skilled and educated subset of workers that are even in a shortage yet are being exploited by the healthcare industry. Long shifts, extra tasks, sub par insurance (even though they work for healthcare providers). Unionized nurses earn a significant amount more than non-unionized and have better benefits. With an increasing amount of right to work states and anti-labor legislation, it seems that any group (even skilled and educated) workers are at risk of exploitation.

FTA:During the two-day peaceful takeover, workers have been shoveling snow and cleaning the building, Fried said.

"We're doing something we haven't done since the 1930s, so we're trying to make it work,"

AH! You mean you haven't cleaned the building since the 1930's. dude, WTF!

gothelder: Oliver Twisted: FTFA "We're doing something we haven't done since the 1930s, so we're trying to make it work," she said, referring to a tactic most famously used in 1936-37 by General Motors factory workers in Flint, Mich., to help unionize the U.S. auto industry.

So you want to be like Flint, MI?

/keep reaching for the stars

Ya because in Flint from 1937 until the 1980's there was absolutly nothing good about it.

\ 3 out of 10.
\\ and no, you may not have another.

If you were Chicago, would you take that chance?

\and you are generous giving them till the 80's. Late 60's tops.

Anyone hear what Chicago Ted thinks about this?

I came in here for the usual crowd of union-bashers, but I'm disappointed.

Why aren't people just taking a giant shiat on the unions like they usually do when this kind of stuff comes up?

To be honest. This is not Bank of America's fault and Lewis' head should not be put on a stake

This is a problem that has been ignored by Congress. Make non-management employees super-senior creditors.

The only argument against is that it would raise the cost of borrowing, but what those Friedmanite economists don't consider is that that otherwise lower cost of borrowing is provided at the worker's expense and that under common law the employees should have that injunctive relief

Cyclometh: I came in here for the usual crowd of union-bashers, but I'm disappointed.

Why aren't people just taking a giant shiat on the unions like they usually do when this kind of stuff comes up?

I don't think it is a union thing so much as the company went out of business so what else are you going to do? The union is looking for blood from a turnip. There best option (IMHO) is to acquire the company and run it themselves. Let's make a Deal.

2xhelix: Not only that, but the CEO of BOA refused a salary cut or to give up his bonuses(p) when shareholders asked him to. Instead he'd rather lay off 30,000 of his workers.

Cum guzzling farker.

HalfAsleep: Nurses. Highly skilled and educated subset of workers that are even in a shortage yet are being exploited by the healthcare industry. Long shifts, extra tasks, sub par insurance (even though they work for healthcare providers). Unionized nurses earn a significant amount more than non-unionized and have better benefits. With an increasing amount of right to work states and anti-labor legislation, it seems that any group (even skilled and educated) workers are at risk of exploitation.

Wife's a CNA going for her RN in a right-to-fire state, so I'm right there with you. I'd say it varies by employer, with the larger corporate-run joints being more likely to abuse employees. The local hospitals run by a medium-smallish company have excellent pay and benefits. The big corporate hospitals two cities over are utter shiat.

there = their

\d'oh

Except with money instead of meat.

Oliver Twisted: If you were Chicago, would you take that chance?

\and you are generous giving them till the 80's. Late 60's tops.

Actually yes, its better than the alternative. Once the jobs are gone they are not coming back. There are tons of buildings that are currently empty and decaying which were once viable factories.

Yes the process did start in the around 1960 but the ball really did not start rolling until the 70's-80-'s when GM started moving their production to Mexico along with some of the suppliers.

\ and yes including the 80's was a bit ont he generous side, my bad.

Cyclometh: Why aren't people just taking a giant shiat on the unions like they usually do when this kind of stuff comes up?

Because this time it's truly about the little guys taking on a huge faceless entity that couldn't care less about them or their families.

I'm not a Communist by any means, but God could we use a little more Socialism these days.