Are we becoming a 'Police State'?

[The_Falcon]

It's a huge commitment to get change within the union management and not everyone has the time or energy so things slide and the management uses that to their benefits and do not make it easy for grassroot change.

Probably because most people chose their job based on how well it matches up to their own skills, interests, and qualifications.  Being in a union is incidental, and in some fields unavoidable.

 

[Nemo888]

I don't get how corporations and rich people's money can do whatever nefarious things it wants but money from democratically elected unions is somehow tainted by comparison. If money in politics is the problem unions are definitely not the biggest abuser of the system.

I am in a union and our department was overlooked for years. Then we got fed up, organized and took the thing over. Demanded the union head office give us back a large overpayment with interest and threw a huge Christmas bash with the money. Democracy is flawed but better than it's alternatives.

 

[ModlrMike]

Individual vs collective. What one does with one's own money is their affair. What one does with someone else's money is not.

 

[Nemo888]

Corporations are collectives. Dollars equal votes in the form of shares so technically it is not much different except unions are more democratic.

There seems to be two sets of standards and in some cases two sets of laws. One for the rich and powerful and a second rulebook for everyone else.

 

[Colin Parkinson]

Well we could tie Corporate tax breaks to real direct jobs and then a sliding scale for secondary supply chain jobs on a ratio basis. I think most people would be surprised how much taxpayer money ends up going to companies or cleaning up their mess later.

 

[GINge!]

Nemo, I don't see it as a double standard at all - I have no issue with a union supporting a political party. The Brotherhood of Widgets Local 123 can run all the attack ads they want.  By the same token, Widgets Incorporated can support any political party they wish.

What I do have a problem with is publicly funded organizations (Police, Firefighter, Healthcare, Military, OC Transpo, School boards) either attacking a party or stating their support of a party. If voting a certain way is of benefit to a particular public agency, then let their individual members vote in accordance with that, but don't get behind a party as an organization.

 

[Nemo888]

I do see limiting the political activity of police and the military as pretty self explanatory.  Healthcare workers or public service paper pushers much less so. It has more to do with their authority than the fact that they work in the public sector.

I am curious if you are also against things like mining and resource companies(including their proxy organizations)supporting candidates financially who give them the things they want?  If the practice corrupts the democratic process it should be wrong for everyone.

 

[George Wallace]

I do see limiting the political activity of police and the military as pretty self explanatory.  Healthcare workers or public service paper pushers much less so. It has more to do with their authority than the fact that they work in the public sector.

I am curious if you are also against things like mining and resource companies(including their proxy organizations)supporting candidates financially who give them the things they want?  If the practice corrupts the democratic process it should be wrong for everyone.

I disagree with anyone conducting political activity outside of one of the Political Parties running for election.  I don't care if they are Military, Union, Church or whatever.  If they want to be part of the political process, do it openly as part of one of the Political Parties.  It is up to the public to make a decision as to how they will vote on what the Politicians running present, not what an 'Interest Group' may be preaching.

There is also quite a difference between Third Parties actively advocating for or against one of the Political Parties running for election through ads and individuals or organizations (Unions, Business) contributing funds to a Politcal Party.