Wednesday, July 29, 2009
Transparent
most Transparent Administration in history
To union leaders, the green movement is the membership opportunity of a lifetime. ...
“There’s nothing stimulating about paying people a low wage. Nothing stimulating about spending until the money is gone then being jobless. We are about building careers and a skilled work force,” said Robert Lewandowski, spokesman for the New Jersey Laborers’ Union. "The green movement is huge. It’s a new market and a new craft that we hope will reverse the trend of declining union membership." ...
So far, the new union, which covers New Jersey and Delaware, has about 70 members, said Lewandowski.
“New” union?
...the New Jersey campaign to attract inner-city residents to Local 55, which specializes in weatherization skills such as caulking, sealing, insulating, replacing windows and doors, and evaluating heating and air conditioning systems and appliances for energy efficiency.
For qualified applicants, the union is offering a free, five-week training program.
“Qualified”?
Upon successful completion, a worker can join the union, which requires a $125 initiation fee and 4 percent of wages in dues. In return, workers are paid $17 an hour, plus the equivalent of $5 an hour in benefits.
That’s $5.44/day/member; $108.80/month. $7,616/month for their 70 members. So far.
Unless they count the bennies, then it’s 140.80/month [$9,856]
By comparison, Laborers Local 222 in Camden, which has about 700 members who do a variety of tasks in the commercial field, are paid $28 an hour plus the equivalent of $19.90 an hour in benefits.
Wow. The Green Brothers are gettin’ robbed…
A similar program, offered by The Hispanic Family Center of Southern New Jersey, is being offered in Camden...
Wonder if there will be “wage parity” there?
Wonder, also, if there will be the “little impromptu chat” with several large cranky members like my friend had when he started with the union in a major un-named CA city: “You bettah slow the fuck down, boy. You makin’ us look bad.”
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