Kmart.

A few days ago in fact two days before Christmas I was walking past Kmart. What I noticed is this.

There were two people standing at the entrance to Kmart picking for some reason. It was union related. I did not read the signs they had. Other then picket by the carpenters union.

All I could think is this the last thing that Kmart needs is a picket against them. No goes there in the first place. Now this for them.

As a side note have you ever noticed that there is like 20 cars in there lot and they are all employees.

The debate on roads is now open.

This was interesting to me. The chamber things that the city should not be in the business of roads, http://www.duluthnewstribune.com/event/article/id/77839/.

Now I agree with part on both sides of this, however right now I have to say I disagree with the chamber. Providing good roads to me is one thing the city should do. Now we are failing miserably at it right now.

This will open the debate once again not only about roads but should the city provide and not provide. Here is in part why I am a bit weary to agree with the chamber if we get out of roads what will be asked to provide? My thought is if we get out of this then why should the city provide anything?

There are also a number of things we need to look into here. Are there any other cities doing this? How many and what is the cost saving? If the city gets out of roads what do they replace it with? There are also a number of others. I will be doing some research on this issue.

Right now I don't agree with the chamber.

Great thoughts on the union and the Chester Bowl ski hill.

This is the papers view it was in yesterdays paper. This is great. www.duluthewstribune.com.

The union doesn't get itThe lifts were going to remain quiet this winter at Chester Bowl, a ski hill especially popular among children.


The lifts were going to remain quiet this winter at Chester Bowl, a ski hill especially popular among children. Massive layoffs and severe service cuts in the face of an even more massive and severe budget crisis for the city of Duluth claimed the job of the recreation specialist who coordinated ski-lift employees and volunteers, who oversaw snow making and who ran ski programs. He was let go as city officials reached out to the community for ways to pick up slack.
The grassroots Chester Bowl Improvement Club responded with cash from fundraisers and donations to hire the laid-off recreation specialist. Ski programs were back on.
A happy ending, right?


Not if you were the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees Local 66. Union officials blustered because the club’s new employee will be doing basically the same work he had been doing for the city. Rather than hiring him, the union argued, the club should have pressured the city to maintain his position.
“He’s busting his own union,” AFSCME Chairwoman Deb Strohm said in yesterday’s News Tribune.


Only that wasn’t quite accurate. The former recreation specialist is no longer a member of any union. He’s just a guy trying to make a living to support his family.
And the city simply could no longer afford to keep him, not with economic realities dictating dramatic changes in the way business is conducted at City Hall. No amount of pressure from the Chester Bowl Improvement Club or anyone else could have changed that.
AFSCME did what its membership should expect: watch out for them and their jobs. But rather than bumping heads, the union and the city — and the rest of us, for that matter — are more likely to find solutions by putting our heads together.


Tags: our view, opinion

Union had there convention.

The AFL-CIO has said many times they don't think they are a political machine. If that is the case then why would have you a convention? This convention is set up just like the two major political party's conventions are set up. This years Minnesota convention was held right here in Duluth, http://www.mnaflcio.org/.

Now if you were not a political machine then again why have a convention? I guess that doing what you are suppose to do as union does not matter as long no one is watching.

I will have more later. I will also pass this information on to others.

Meeting canceled.

Tonight's Duluth City Council meeting has been canceled. The special meeting was have the council vote on accepting the contract. That would then put the ball in the AFSCME union court. If would force them to make a move.
The union would have three choices vote on the contract now. Either except it, don't except it, go on strike.