Union influence
Union influence
In a “below the fold” front-page article in the Nov. 6 Tribune-Herald, there appeared an AP story titled “Blue Hawaii” detailing the GOP’s failed effort to gain any traction in a Democrat Party stronghold — Hawaii. Also included in this issue was the article, “Preschool funding initiative rejected.”
Both of these reports reflect the enormous control government and private unions have over their wholly owned subsidiaries: “state and county governments” and large private transport companies, specifically interisland transport and dock workers’ unions.
In the case of preschool funding, the most vocal opponents were teachers’ unions. Citing “public funds for private schools,” the teachers scared the public into a “majority no” vote. Never mind that this initiative would have assisted many dis-advantaged preschoolers.
What teachers’ unions fail to state is the union is NOT there for the benefit of the children. The union’s ONLY concern is the advancement of its unionized members. It is all about the teachers/school staff and retirees — nothing more. If there is any money left over after funding the wage and benefit package for current staff, along with massive retiree costs, then the children and building maintenance receive the few crumbs remaining.
To see more proof that the teachers’ unions are only for the teachers and not the children, please refer to Joe Kline’s TIME Magazine column of July 21, 2014. It must also be mentioned that a California district judge threw out “teacher tenure” rules, citing evidence that incompetent tenured teachers were damaging inner-city students.
Further evidence of union power is the shipping and transport unions, which have a vested interest in maintaining control over the lap-dog-elected government officials they own through campaign contributions. These unions, for example, are viscerally opposed to any modification of the 1920s Jones Act that protects U.S. shipping.
In an article published, March 14, 2014, the Tribune-Herald reported: “it costs about $790 to ship a 40-foot container from Los Angeles to Shanghai (China), but it costs $8,700 to ship that same container from Los Angeles to Honolulu.”
Consumer advocates from Hawaii, Alaska, Puerto Rico and Guam are pushing for at least some changes to the Jones Act. All this will fall on deaf ears, since those who benefit the most from the Jones Act — the transport unions — own those legislators who would be in a position to bring consumer price relief to our state.
Please recall when the BP oil well exploded in the Gulf of Mexico a few years back. The Jones Act was immediately suspended (in the Gulf only) to allow foreign ships and crews to help in the remediation of this awful disaster. Near the end of the relief effort, the Jones Act was reinstated. There are workable solutions, but union money and influence always takes the day.
The Democrats berate the GOP for “crony capitalism,” while the Democrats engage in “crony politics.” This is such hypocrisy.
Greek philosopher Aristophanes said in 410 BC: “ Under every stone lurks a politician.” As the election is now over, our leaders will slink back to their stones and hide out until a few weeks before the next election, only to emerge “grandstanding” about the great job they do as elected officials.
Just look at the mess in Pahoa, lower Puna and Highway 130.
Arthur Warren
Keaau
Divert at source
It seems unimaginable that authorities with resources and power would not attempt to change the lava flow direction at the source — Pu‘u ‘O‘o.
There is a 31-year flow field just waiting for more lava, and what would the liability be in that? After all, history is repetitive in human intervention of nature, the ‘aina and of people of all kinds.
John P. Begg
Pahoa