US District Judge Terry Means (full disclosure: he swore me in to the Federal bar) has blocked a scheduled American Airlines union organizing election because, get this, IT WOULD MAKE AA LOOK BAD. No, seriously. Seriously. Where was this concept of canceling elections due to embarrassment during the Republican presidential primaries?
In Defense of Unions
As a follow-up to a previous post, an excellent piece from The Atlantic on why unions not only still matter but are needed now more than ever. Meanwhile, Mitch Daniels, architect of the Bush Recession and now Governor of Indiana, recently took to FOX “News” to opine that public sector unions should be done away with, the Constitutional right to freedom of association notwithstanding. The government should evidently be small, but not so small that it can’t bust unions, tell you who you can marry, and decide whether or not you have a baby.
UPDATE: A breakdown of where all those lazy public sector workers actually work. Unsurprisingly, the vast majority are public school teachers. To be sure, not all public employees are members of union, but it’s easy to see Willard’s sneer about more firemen, police officers and teachers as another not-so-subtle attack on public sector unions.

Good Point
Why is it that no one inside the Beltway seems to give a crap about unemployment? I think Brad DeLong hits on several of the reasons: the collapse of unions as a political force (and the attendant whoredom of the Democratic Party to the “global free trade” mantra) and the new status of the media as part of the economic aristocracy. Nobody has any incentive to give a crap anymore.

Your Tax Dollars At Work…
…this time saving “civilization” from the evil corrupt communist union thug bosses. Yeah I feel better.

Why Labor Day Is Important

OBSCENE!
I admit that I haven’t been following the story of the Houston janitor’s strike very closely. However, it definately caught my eye that 44 protestors arrested for alleged CLASS B MISDEMEANORS had their bonds set at $888,888 EACH. This is just about the most disgusting, repulsive abuse of the law I have ever seen in my legal career. Accused murderers don’t get bonds set this high! The District Attorney who requested this should be immediately fired and then disbarred; the magistrate who granted this abomination should be impeached, removed from office and then disbarred. Pandagon has allegations of abuse, including sexual harassment of the protestors. You can read more about the Houston janitors and their grievances here.
UPDATE: BOR reports the strike is over and the janitors appear to have won. No report yet on the Houston 44…
