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Obama: Workers staging sit-in 'absolutely right'
By RUPA SHENOY – 4 hours ago
CHICAGO (AP) — President-elect Barack Obama is weighing in on behalf of workers staging a sit-in on the factory floor of their former Chicago employer to protest abruptly losing their jobs last week.
Obama told a news conference Sunday that Republic Windows and Doors should follow through on its commitments to the 200 workers, who say they won't leave the plant until they are assured they'll receive their severance and vacation pay.
"The workers who are asking for the benefits and payments that they have earned, I think they're absolutely right and understand that what's happening to them is reflective of what's happening across this economy," Obama said.
Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan also said her office was investigating the company, which has not commented on the sit-in.
To their amazement, the workers have become a national symbol for thousands of employees laid off nationwide as the economy continues to sour.
"We never expected this," said Melvin Maclin, a factory employee and vice president of the local union that represents the workers. "We expected to go to jail."
The Rev. Jesse Jackson delivered turkeys, pledging the support of his Chicago-based civil rights group, Rainbow/PUSH Coalition.
"These workers deserve their wages, deserve fair notice, deserve health security," Jackson said. "This may be the beginning of long struggle of worker resistance finally."
Leah Fried, an organizer for the United Electrical Workers union that represents the workers, said the company told the union that Bank of America has canceled its financing. The bank had said in a statement that it wasn't responsible for Republic's financial obligations to its employees.
One of the factory's workers, Silvia Mazon, said in Spanish that she needs the money owed to her for an $1,800 monthly house payment. The 40-year-old from Cicero said she has enough money saved to survive for one month.
"We're making history," she said.
Rep. Jan Schakowsky, an Illinois Democrat, called it the start of a movement. "This story has resonated around the world," she said.
Associated Press writer Philip Elliott in Chicago contributed to this report.
-"Wait a minute.....who is that Frazz is talking to in the gallery? Hmmm something is going on here.....Oh.... it seems there is some dispute over video taping of some sort......Frazz is really upset now..........wait a minute......whats he go there.......is it? Can it be?....Frazz has just unleashed his hidden weiner dog from his mini bag, while quoting shakespeares "Let slip the dogs the war!!" GG
-"Don't mind Frazzled. He's just Dakka's crazy old dude locked in the attic. He's harmless. Mostly."
-TBone the Magnificent 1999-2014, Long Live the King!
Alamo and Gonzales battle flags.
Edit: To non-USA: Alamo was a mission a bunch of Texas revolutionaries held up in aznd were besieged by the Mexican Army. Instead of fleeing they stayed to hold the Mexican army up, and were obliterated.
Gonzales was the battleflag carried by similar peeps at the first battle of the Texas Revolution that started the conflict.
I looked up but couldn't find a good battle flag for ther Mexican units that defeated the French at Puebla.
This message was edited 1 time. Last update was at 2008/12/08 16:38:40
-"Wait a minute.....who is that Frazz is talking to in the gallery? Hmmm something is going on here.....Oh.... it seems there is some dispute over video taping of some sort......Frazz is really upset now..........wait a minute......whats he go there.......is it? Can it be?....Frazz has just unleashed his hidden weiner dog from his mini bag, while quoting shakespeares "Let slip the dogs the war!!" GG
-"Don't mind Frazzled. He's just Dakka's crazy old dude locked in the attic. He's harmless. Mostly."
-TBone the Magnificent 1999-2014, Long Live the King!
"One of the factory's workers, Silvia Mazon, said in Spanish"
Wait a sec...... America give you a job and you cant even take the time to learn how to speak the freaking language?
Go back to Mexico and stop takeing jobs from legal immigrants and local nationals!
Also, there was a bicycle in the basement of the Alamo.
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"...he could never understand the sense of a contest in which the two adversaries agreed upon the rules." Gabriel Garcia Marquez, One Hundred Years of Solitude
And white rice. However Yakface got to it before Malf could.
-"Wait a minute.....who is that Frazz is talking to in the gallery? Hmmm something is going on here.....Oh.... it seems there is some dispute over video taping of some sort......Frazz is really upset now..........wait a minute......whats he go there.......is it? Can it be?....Frazz has just unleashed his hidden weiner dog from his mini bag, while quoting shakespeares "Let slip the dogs the war!!" GG
-"Don't mind Frazzled. He's just Dakka's crazy old dude locked in the attic. He's harmless. Mostly."
-TBone the Magnificent 1999-2014, Long Live the King!
jp400 wrote:"One of the factory's workers, Silvia Mazon, said in Spanish"
Wait a sec...... America give you a job and you cant even take the time to learn how to speak the freaking language?
Go back to Mexico and stop takeing jobs from legal immigrants and local nationals!
Here in the land of the free you can speak what ever Language you please. Nowhere did it say she was Illegal. Go back to "what ever" country stinks of things I won't even Entertain. People from other countries tend to use thier native tongue. I hope you don't feel the same way when you go to a Asian/German/Iltallian dine-in. You should be ashamed.
And whilst you're pointing and shouting at the boogeyman in the corner, you're missing the burglar coming in through the window.
Well, Duh! Because they had a giant Mining ship. If you had a giant mining ship you would drill holes in everything too, before you'd destory it with a black hole
jp400 wrote:"One of the factory's workers, Silvia Mazon, said in Spanish"
Wait a sec...... America give you a job and you cant even take the time to learn how to speak the freaking language?
Go back to Mexico and stop takeing jobs from legal immigrants and local nationals!
Can you appreciate the irony of holding your knowledge of English over Silvia while simultaneously butchering the language?
There really isn't any need for a factory worker to speak English. I imagine the chair will look the same regardless of what language the carpenter speaks. You might have a point if we were talking about someone in the service industry.
Klawz-Ramming is a subset of citrus fruit?
Gwar- "And everyone wants a bigger Spleen!"
Mercurial wrote:
I admire your aplomb and instate you as Baron of the Seas and Lord Marshall of Privateers.
Orkeosaurus wrote:Star Trek also said we'd have X-Wings by now. We all see how that prediction turned out.
Orkeosaurus, on homophobia, the nature of homosexuality, and the greatness of George Takei.
English doesn't borrow from other languages. It follows them down dark alleyways and mugs them for loose grammar.
I agree with the Matrix quote about swearing in French being like wiping your butt with silk: high-class and filthy at the same time.
As a rule of thumb, the designers do not hide "easter eggs" in the rules. If clever reading is required to unlock some sort of hidden option, then it is most likely the result of wishful thinking.
But there's no sense crying over every mistake;
You just keep on trying till you run out of cake.
Don't trust Obama.
He's a smoker and as a huge role model for all Americans that means smoking is going to be promoted as a way to become cool and successful.
Kids everywhere will tell their parents "If the president can do it so can I."
Sitting in the factory is dumb. Go and sit in the main offices of the company, and the bank that finances them, and all the politicians in the immediate area.
Piss everyone off.
Just make sure you yell loudly in Spanish whilst doing it.
This message was edited 3 times. Last update was at 2008/12/09 00:33:21
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So... exactly how pathetic of a human being do you have to be to think that workers getting what they have earned through their work is wrong? A contract is a contract and these benefits were part of what was bargained when they signed on for employment.
jp400 wrote:Tell them if they can speak the national language then they can get a check.
Worker: ¿Perdone, puedo tener yo mi cheque por favor?
Company Clerk 1: Um..........what?
Worker: Necesito comprobar mi hombre! Tengo que pagar para el resto de mi familia huésped hop en el país!
Company Clerk 1: ....................
Worker: Muéstrame el dinero!
Company Clerk 2: Forget it BoB, Chimi Changa here cant even speak english. (Shared LOL)
Worker: You Stuipd Imperial Pigs!
Company Clerk 1: What the hell now you speak english mother fracker!
Um, they agreed to employ them, knowing what language they spoke. Now they're trying to avoid paying them amounts they’re contractually obligated to. A contract is enforceable even when someone on the internet doesn’t like your native tongue.
This message was edited 1 time. Last update was at 2008/12/09 08:07:52
“We may observe that the government in a civilized country is much more expensive than in a barbarous one; and when we say that one government is more expensive than another, it is the same as if we said that that one country is farther advanced in improvement than another. To say that the government is expensive and the people not oppressed is to say that the people are rich.”
Adam Smith, who must have been some kind of leftie or something.
jp400 wrote:Tell them if they can speak the national language then they can get a check.
Worker: ¿Perdone, puedo tener yo mi cheque por favor?
Company Clerk 1: Um..........what?
Worker: Necesito comprobar mi hombre! Tengo que pagar para el resto de mi familia huésped hop en el país!
Company Clerk 1: ....................
Worker: Muéstrame el dinero!
Company Clerk 2: Forget it BoB, Chimi Changa here cant even speak english. (Shared LOL)
Worker: You Stuipd Imperial Pigs!
Company Clerk 1: What the hell now you speak english mother fracker!
Great idea there chief... exceeeeeept... The United States does not have a national language. So try again with your Xenophobia and using it to keep people from getting paid for the work they preformed.
Fallen668 wrote:So... exactly how pathetic of a human being do you have to be to think that workers getting what they have earned through their work is wrong? A contract is a contract and these benefits were part of what was bargained when they signed on for employment.
Agreed. They have no guaranteed severance unless they were promised that. However, IIRC vacation time is paid time. Stick it to the Man!
Now the Company and government are blaming it on the evil bankers because the evil bankers won't give a dying company more money. Blame anyone but me! Blame anyone but me!
This message was edited 2 times. Last update was at 2008/12/09 12:08:54
-"Wait a minute.....who is that Frazz is talking to in the gallery? Hmmm something is going on here.....Oh.... it seems there is some dispute over video taping of some sort......Frazz is really upset now..........wait a minute......whats he go there.......is it? Can it be?....Frazz has just unleashed his hidden weiner dog from his mini bag, while quoting shakespeares "Let slip the dogs the war!!" GG
-"Don't mind Frazzled. He's just Dakka's crazy old dude locked in the attic. He's harmless. Mostly."
-TBone the Magnificent 1999-2014, Long Live the King!
jp400 wrote:Tell them if they can speak the national language then they can get a check.
Worker: ¿Perdone, puedo tener yo mi cheque por favor?
Company Clerk 1: Um..........what?
Worker: Necesito comprobar mi hombre! Tengo que pagar para el resto de mi familia huésped hop en el país!
Company Clerk 1: ....................
Worker: Muéstrame el dinero!
Company Clerk 2: Forget it BoB, Chimi Changa here cant even speak english. (Shared LOL)
Worker: You Stuipd Imperial Pigs!
Company Clerk 1: What the hell now you speak english mother fracker!
Like your forefathers learned the native language when they were shipped over from Europe?
Racism is an extremely vile practice.
Oh, and by the way, how do you draw the conclusion that she cannot speak English at all? I am Scottish, and I live in the South East of England. My accent has been diluted somewhat by necessity. Yet, when I get upset or stressed, it comes through much thicker and nobody has a clue what I am ranting about. It is the same with second languages. When under stress, you go to your mother tongue and accent, as it is easier to express yourself.
This message was edited 1 time. Last update was at 2008/12/09 12:21:11
Fed up of Scalpers? But still want your Exclusives? Why not join us?
Great idea there chief... exceeeeeept... The United States does not have a national language. So try again with your Xenophobia and using it to keep people from getting paid for the work they preformed.
Indeed. It's "through" and "colour" whilst we're here btw !
The poor man really has a stake in the country. The rich man hasn't; he can go away to New Guinea in a yacht. The poor have sometimes objected to being governed badly; the rich have always objected to being governed at all
We love our superheroes because they refuse to give up on us. We can analyze them out of existence, kill them, ban them, mock them, and still they return, patiently reminding us of who we are and what we wish we could be.
"the play's the thing wherein I'll catch the conscience of the king,
except that you forget, they dont sign a contract to work for these companies... so therefore, the company is not contractually obligated to pay anything...
and while there is no document saying that English is the official spoken language of the country, it is however, the language that most business is conducted in.
In fact, there are places/employers in the US where speaking a language other than English, excepting official work, is illegal.
Ensis Ferrae wrote:except that you forget, they dont sign a contract to work for these companies... so therefore, the company is not contractually obligated to pay anything...
If they didn't have contracts then how were they getting holiday pay and other benefits then ? Are you saying tehy were/are illegal workers or something ?
The poor man really has a stake in the country. The rich man hasn't; he can go away to New Guinea in a yacht. The poor have sometimes objected to being governed badly; the rich have always objected to being governed at all
We love our superheroes because they refuse to give up on us. We can analyze them out of existence, kill them, ban them, mock them, and still they return, patiently reminding us of who we are and what we wish we could be.
"the play's the thing wherein I'll catch the conscience of the king,
Most employees in the US don't have "contracts" per se reds8n, especially in right to work states in the South.
-"Wait a minute.....who is that Frazz is talking to in the gallery? Hmmm something is going on here.....Oh.... it seems there is some dispute over video taping of some sort......Frazz is really upset now..........wait a minute......whats he go there.......is it? Can it be?....Frazz has just unleashed his hidden weiner dog from his mini bag, while quoting shakespeares "Let slip the dogs the war!!" GG
-"Don't mind Frazzled. He's just Dakka's crazy old dude locked in the attic. He's harmless. Mostly."
-TBone the Magnificent 1999-2014, Long Live the King!
Frazzled wrote:Most employees in the US don't have "contracts" per se reds8n, especially in right to work states in the South.
Really ? How do you know what your terms and conditions are etc ? I assume that is limited to more menial jobs rather than office work etc right ?
The poor man really has a stake in the country. The rich man hasn't; he can go away to New Guinea in a yacht. The poor have sometimes objected to being governed badly; the rich have always objected to being governed at all
We love our superheroes because they refuse to give up on us. We can analyze them out of existence, kill them, ban them, mock them, and still they return, patiently reminding us of who we are and what we wish we could be.
"the play's the thing wherein I'll catch the conscience of the king,
No I’ve never had an employment contract. Outside of government and the occasional deal you don’t see them outside of unions or some states that may require them (I assume some states require them). Often you’ll get a letter defining your salary and benefits. Holidays follow the company schedule with many of the holidays mandated by the government or are otherwise considered tradition. There’s a WHOLE lot more to this though and an entire legal specialty (Labor Law-really enjoyed those classes actually).
Layoffs however are governed under fed and/or state labor relation law. Provisions that appear to have been violated that I’ve seen discussed have been notice and vacation pay. Typically you’re given your pay for vacation days not taken-which may impact this situation for salaried employees or potentially if it was normal practice. Again grain of salt time as this is a whole specialty and I don’t know the facts or relevant law/stare decisis in this case.
-"Wait a minute.....who is that Frazz is talking to in the gallery? Hmmm something is going on here.....Oh.... it seems there is some dispute over video taping of some sort......Frazz is really upset now..........wait a minute......whats he go there.......is it? Can it be?....Frazz has just unleashed his hidden weiner dog from his mini bag, while quoting shakespeares "Let slip the dogs the war!!" GG
-"Don't mind Frazzled. He's just Dakka's crazy old dude locked in the attic. He's harmless. Mostly."
-TBone the Magnificent 1999-2014, Long Live the King!
Depends on the state whether you have a written contract as such. Even if you don’t, there’s an implicit contract with requirements and protections for your rights and compensation under both state and federal law.
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The article says their union is representing them, so it's very likely they were union jobs and some form of contract did exist.
This message was edited 2 times. Last update was at 2008/12/09 15:35:37
“We may observe that the government in a civilized country is much more expensive than in a barbarous one; and when we say that one government is more expensive than another, it is the same as if we said that that one country is farther advanced in improvement than another. To say that the government is expensive and the people not oppressed is to say that the people are rich.”
Adam Smith, who must have been some kind of leftie or something.
How do you know what your terms and conditions are etc ? I assume that is limited to more menial jobs rather than office work etc right ?