As quoted from poster 'MagnumPI' on DD (thread dated Tue Jan 2 8:11 PM, 2007)...
"I SUGGEST YOU PICK UP A COPY OF THE MOST TRUTHFUL NEWS REPORTING IN LACKAWANNA COUNTY. READ THIS ARTICLE IN ITS ENTIRETY AND ALL OF THE UP TO THE MINUTE UNION NEWS. READ THE UNION NEWS AND I GARANTEE YOU WILL BE WAITING FOR IT EVERY MONTH. UP TO THE MINUTE AND STRIGHT AS AN ARROW REPORTING."
Let's take a moment and mull this over.
I have no problem with unions having publications. They need some way to spread their version of the truth, and the written word is always an effective means to that end. HOWEVER, is there anyone out there who actually believes that the Union News really is 'straight as an arrow' when it comes to their reporting? 'Straight as an arrow' I guess means that they will be reporting on issues that might cast a negative light on unions, right? I guess that also means that they would be reporting on the successes of the Doherty Administration (in addition to the failures) as well, right? I THINK NOT.
I do think though that I've stumbled onto a new career...I should start selling Snake Oil to select city residents, because apparently they will BUY ANYTHING as long as it comes with a good enough pitch.
In the end, the Union News is to 'straight as an arrow' reporting as Joe Pilchesky is to Free Speech [insert Pilchesky's long winded dissertation on why Free Speech isn't allowed at DD here].
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Free Speech does't require a multi-paragrah disclaimer Mr. Pilchesky.
I must say this ... there was a time when the Union News did report a lot of good ... gave you updates on Social Security ... that's helpful when looking to retire ... they reported on the good things some unions were doing ... they were not looking to slam the city administration at every turn ... see this is what I think (my opinion) when you have the likes of Mike Dudak as contributing writers and Gervasi, Stulgris and others who are biased to begin with against the city ... they just can't report the entire truth ... they want everyone to think that they are being taken advantage of ... and in a way I guess they are right ... because I do believe they deserve a raise ... but here is my take on that ... when negotiations occur it takes both sides being mature enough to sit down and have realistic talks ... you can't go in asking for the Moon and the Stars and expect that management will bow down and give you the moon and the stars ... you go in and ask for a bit more than you really want and then you work to get to a place that you both can live with ... my opinion of good negotiations is when neither side walks away entirely happy ... that means that you didn't give up and they didn't give in ... you both comprimised ... it's meetings (many meetings) and long evenings away from your family .... it's thankless for both sides because not everyone is going to be happy. And that's how it's supposed to be ... I would love a manning clause where I work ... but I know that's something I will never get ... because it's not realistic ... I would love a $2.00 per hour raise ... who wouldn't ... but again ... it's not realistic .... I would love free healthcare ... but the days of the healthcare free ride are surely over ... so the Union news ... well they want to get all Unions the Stars and the Moon and keep them all riled up ... but most unions know that we are going to get what we need and not necessarily everything we want! I don't think I made any sense at all ... but I did ramble ... sorry!
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This is just one person's opinion -- mine! ~~PD where True Freedom of Speech Rings ... DD ... where freedom of speech only applies if you agree with King Joe Pilchesky ... I prefer true Freedom of Speech!
Unions need to be careful whenever they enter the political arena. I do agree that they can provide a real service to their members and the public at large...just look at Walmar****ch.com or wakeupwalmart.com. However the 'Union News' seems to be an example of where unions go beyond their mandate and instead engage in 'anything goes' tactics, just because a few people have an axe to grind against Chris Doherty.
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Free Speech does't require a multi-paragrah disclaimer Mr. Pilchesky.
I agree with you 100% about the Union News ... But I just do not want to have the world (or the city of Scranton Taxpayers) think that all unions function in the same way ... some of us know that it is about compromise ... we know that we can't have the world delivered to us on a silver platter and we also know that it is never a good idea to go to arbitration over every little thing ... sometimes when level heads prevail people can work things out without even going to a level 1 grievance ... it can happen ... I know this for a fact ... and some of us do not air our public business on channel 61 for the world to see how we disrespect the positions that we are fortunate enough to hold ... that's all ... not going to go on and on and on like I usually do!
Lus
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This is just one person's opinion -- mine! ~~PD where True Freedom of Speech Rings ... DD ... where freedom of speech only applies if you agree with King Joe Pilchesky ... I prefer true Freedom of Speech!
Lus, the difference between your description of how a union should operate and how I perceive the city unions operate comes down to tactics. I do believe that employees should have the right to organize...in fact, I think that by and large in the private sector (where I have some experience), employers get unions as punishment for treating workers like crap. However, unions should have to operate under the same standards of decency and respect that they expect from their employers. I simply don't hear Chris Doherty trashing Dave Gervasi on Channel 61. I don't see Chris Doherty implying that Nancy Krake is guilty of committing fraud. Lastly, if the city administration were really as vindictive as the DD crew claims, wouldn't they have found a way to prosecute AnnMarie Stulgis over the whole 'index cards in the alley' thing?
In the end it does all come down to tactics: the city unions believe that they have carte blance to do and say whatever they want, as long as it nets them their desired outcome. Sorry Mr Gervasi, Ms Krake, Ms Stulgis...the ends don't always justify the means.
I can't let this go without answering the counter-argument that The Scranton Times is really the Doherty Administration's surrogate in attacking the unions. A few points to consider...
...Funny, but the DD crew never mention that the The Scranton Times is, in fact, a unionized newspaper. Inconvenient little truth there, wouldn't you say?
...If The Scranton Times were so anti-union, wouldn't they be trying to bust the union of their own employees first, before trying to break any others? In fact, if memory serves me right, unionized Times employees have not gone on strike in decades.
...According to DD logic, The Scranton Times is guilty of bias simply becasue they happen to agree with the Doherty administration (which is true most...but not all...of the time). When last I checked, the Union News seems to be anti-Doherty Administration all the time. Does that not make them guilty of having even more bias than the Times? Oh, I get it...it's not having a bias that's a problem...it's that The Scranton Times doesn't have the bias that Pilchesky/Gervasi/Krake/Stulgis want. Well shame of them for not being good sheep and towing the line.
...The whole 'The Scranton Times as surrogate for Chris Doherty' seems to almost be designed as evidence of this grand Irish Catholic Network conspiracy stuff, which (as has been discussed at here numersous times) is silly at best, paranoid at worst. This isn't 1910 boys and girls of DD. If ethnic conspiracies interest you, go rent the excellent movie 'The Gangs Of New York'. The ICN seems to be a clever little creation that serves one specific purpose for Gervasi/Krake/Stulgis/Pilchesky, et all: it provides them with a 'Super Villain' that allows them to justify any and every tactic that they wish to employ. Why how very convenient...if you don't have a valid reason to act like a thug, simply create one. Somewhere in hell Dr. Goebbels is smiling.
Honestly, it's time for Gervasi/Krake/Stulgis to quit the public rants, renounce the personal attacks at DD (and at other venues) and take the high-road. Thug tactics serve no useful purpose other than demonizing the very union movement they should be encouraging.
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Free Speech does't require a multi-paragrah disclaimer Mr. Pilchesky.
What is the purpose of a clerical union? I would like someone to explain to me why the city of Scranton needs a clerical union. Firemen and policemen - yes. They take their lives into their hands each time they are called to a 'situation'. But clerical? Are there that many people clammoring to get these jobs? Did Nancy Krake have to be hospitalized because she broke a nail last Thursday? Is there mental duress because one of the girls had to listen to someone bitch about having to pay a parking ticket? I just don't get it.
