Fox Attacks Union's Posh Digs, Even Though They're A Success Story

Conservative media outlets have been hammering the AFL-CIO for hosting a board meeting at a glitzy resort in South Beach Miami. But a key fact has gone unmentioned: as a condition for booking that unionized hotel, the AFL-CIO was able to make major advancements for organized labor.

On Wednesday, Fox News ran a segment lambasting the AFL-CIO for hosting its Executive Council meeting at the posh Fontainebleau Hotel.

"That's where they did the Victoria's Secret show a couple months ago," said host Bill Hemmer. Added co-host Megyn Kendall: "That's a boondoggle for everyone involved, the AFL-CIO and Brian Wilson."

A number of other outlets followed suit, running the clip of the segment after it was broadcast on Fox News and blasted out by Danny Diaz, a Republican operative mobilizing anti-union efforts.

The Fontainebleau Hotel is, indeed, luxurious. But it owes its glint in large part to union hands. The hotel is one of the few in the area that has a unionized workforce -- a primary reason it was chosen as a venue for the meeting. It gets even better.

According to the AFL-CIO, when the hotel was planning an extensive renovation three years ago, the union and its state and local affiliates entered into negotiations: in exchange for hosting the union's Executive Council meeting in 2009, the developers would agree to hire workers with union protections. The result was four million work-hours for local construction workers, with benefits and high pay over a two-and-a-half year period.

"The booking of the hotel for our Executive Committee Meeting was included in a negotiation that created tens of thousands of good-paying, family-supporting jobs," said a union official. "The hotel kept their part of the deal and created many jobs for Floridians so of course the AFL-CIO kept our part of the deal and held our Executive Council meeting here."

In short: the ALF-CIO advanced the very crux of its political objectives in exchange for hosting its meeting at an upper-end hotel. The union may have shelled out a few extra bucks in the process, but the message sent is not, it seems, the one of indulgence that Fox News was portraying.

"We are proud to work in conjunction with companies that do provide fair wages, benefits, and job security," said the AFL-CIO aide.

Comments

[uglyhumanbeing]

see, that's the problem with hosting an event at a location toiled by organized labor.
AFL-CIO bailed out, again, by organized labor.

http://www.afscmelocal52.org/

[newsmctado]

The ultimate crux of this is that the AFL-CIO used its own money, not taxpayer money received from a bailout. I dont give a flying f* if companies, unions, etc spend time at swanky resorts and posh retreats. I only care when they then come beg for bailout money. When the AFL-CIO comes to the government for bailout money, then I will get outraged. Right now I say the AFL-CIO can do whatever they want as a private entity.

[WyomingJack]

What cold be more "fair and balanced" than telling only half of the story? Did you really expect Fox would tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothng but the truth?

[baxtron]

DesertDogAlpha wrote-
No union bosses should make more than 3 times the average wage of, say, public school teachers in this country.

I'm very happy to see your concern over union bosses wages. When a CEO of a company makes 350 times the average worker, that is wrong too. Right? I'm sure that CEO did a great job and worked hard as his company accepts TARP money. Whereas, the union boss did nothing and is inherently evil. More tired worn out fake outrage from someone who has probably benefited from union labor either directly or indirectly.

[DesertDogAlpha]

What the CEO makes is wrong of the shareholders say it is wrong and it is right if the shareholders say it is right. Capital dictates. If workers are unhappy with their wage at that company they have the right (perhaps even the obligation) to move to a place where their valuable efforts can be better appreciated, at higher pay.

[BatedBreath]

Actually, I think it's a fair criticism. Even though the unions may not have taken TARP funds, they are showing an insensitivity to the plight of their union members, many of whom (GM for example) are in perilous situations.

[obriench]

Are you slow? Or do you just not possess a third grade reading level? The article clearly states the reasons for having the meeting at that hotel. It was a negotiation between the union and hotel that created 4 million hours of pay for union jobs. I could understand if there was no reason for them holding a meeting at that hotel, but the concession the hotel made in securing 4 MILLION HOURS of pay for local workers far outweigh anything else. These other TARP firms have been blowing their money on vacations and bonuses--they deserve our outrage. Not a union using THEIR money, NOT the government's money to conduct their business.

[theyak]

The Unions also negotiated a group rate under $200 a room. The Fountaibbleu in season is usually 400 - 1400 a day. So it seems to me that the union membership would be happy that they ARE staying there. Miami convention hotels in season charge a hell of a lot more than $200.
http://crooksandliars.com/david-neiwert/anti-union-crap-gets-blown-fox-beck-

[Loobie]

"It has a unionized workforce", so That's why it cost so much.

[azdirk]

How much is how much, and how does that compare to like hotels with the same services and ambience?

[DCdweller]

Guess you don't get to stay at these types of hotels?!? Huh?

[MacNic]

Unions are good. They help workers to speak up and negotiate better salaries. Unions improve working conditions. I don't understand why some people here think that businesses shoud grow at the expense of the average worker. Those complaining about unions driving businesses down forget that there is a cost of doing business. If you can't afford your workforce don't get in. I'm sure they would like for people to work for free or to go back to slavery times. But, thanks to unions we (middle class) earn enough money to afford a decent life. Don't blame unions for the ills of the country's economy. I saw businesses making a lot of money and they didn't share with their employees and now that they are going down, they want their employees to sacrifice and basically work for free so they can save the business? Sure.

[whiteboyblues]

But remember..­. "Congratulations Joe, you are a millionaire!"

[DeanAdams]

Republicans do the same thing all the time. In exchange for discounted rooms at your 5 star hotel the Republicans will:

make sure that the owners of the hotel enjoy huge tax breaks,

ensure that the Labor Dept. will not intervene in union busting efforts,

do everything we can to ensure that the minimum wage remains as low as possible so your workers can not live a decent life

look the other way if you hire any undocumented workers,

not followup on any reports of unsafe or illegal work conditions,

build a new expressway ramp at taxpayer expense to speed your guests to your front door.

It's really just the same old game.

[FEARTHETRUTH]

That woman's voice is so irritatingly annoying. Makes you feel like jumping through thr screen to c.h.o.k.e. her.

[bellabeach]

Have to agree with you...Megy­n is annoying without the voice...sh­e is such a loud mouth!

[alguien]

i wasn't aware the AFL-CIO was the recipient of a government bailout. if they were, however, the news outlets might have something to crow about.

[Tkevan]

Northern Trust didn't use government money either, Didn't stop the media from trashing them.

[Bompa]

Oh of course... they have these little bags of money on them... one says.."our money" and the other says.."the peoples money" .. be sure you don't get them cofused or intermixed now!

Please be serious!

[XLintLuvR]

Um...yes. They did have gov't money. They accepted to the tune of $1.6B. Now what do you have to say for yourself?

[PerfectSense]

Many of the auto bailout money and "stimulus" dollars are going to union workers.

[alguien]

those are employees of the auto industry. it's not as if the $$ are passing through the bank accounts of AFL-CIO on their way to the workers' paychecks.

[doctordoubt]

The fact that no tax payer money was used for this seems to have missed everyone. it was paid for by the dues paying membership.

[nobozos]

No.....it was missed by FOX "news", and the rest of the incompetent MSM.
If anyone out there still believes we have newspeople who actually do what they should be doing, it ain't on tv. The real reporters are mostly still in the print industry, but unfortunately, that is going under.
What will we be left of the Fourth Estate? --- The talking heads, hired for their looks, not brains, on tv.

Thank gawd for the internet.

[whatthel]

Faux never lets the truth get in the way of a good story.

[Meggie]

I heard this the same one-sided way on MSM this morning.
Now they need to produce a piece that tells the whole story.
Good job AFL-CIO. A pity Fla politicians haven't done as good a job at creating jobs for their constituients as you have.

[ConservMom]

Good job AFL-CIO?? Are you joking? They are the cause of our car industries bankruptcy and our taxpayer dollars going to pay them with unconstitutional TARP money, and you say good job??
Unions had their purpose 50 years ago, but their use is outlived this day and age. Unions need to GO! Kick the thugs OUT.

[christopherflynn]

Take your oxycontrin and ex-lax, Granny....

[KarmaTheDog]

Can you explain how the union is the cause of the car industry bankruptcy? Labor costs comprise only 10% of the cost of a vehicle. If you could magically eliminate the costs of labor all together; a $20,000 car would then cost you $18,000.

[gbowser]

As union membership has gone down, so have real incomes and benefits for all Americans. Unions serve to create a buffer against the ugliest impulses of industry. And as has been said elsewhere here, labor's only 10% of the cost of any vehicle. The reason why our car makers are near bankruptcy is because of poor decisions at the top. I'd wager American vehicle designers have been chasing the bottom line (see the SUV boom) quarter to quarter rather than looking at the long term health of their company. It's endemic in our system, and in the end it leads to self-destruction. Running after the short-term to appease stockholders rather than developing long-term strategy for strong development is unsustainable.

It's funny that people preach about the "free market," but don't realize that they have never lived under laissez-faire capitalism.

[madashellvoter]

mommy -

I didn't know that the unions ran the corporations? Wow, one learns something every day.
I want to learn from you some more...cou­ld you tell me what good were they 50 years ago? Because quit frankly I don't think the Amercian people know what good comes from a unionized work force.

Union Member

[stateretiree]

Do you work!! If not for the unions, which like everything else in life do have their problems, we would all be working in sweat shops. Watch T.V. sometime and check out the conditions in S.E. Asia, Mexico and other places that now make your clothes, shoes, etc. Would you want you family working in conditions like that?

[Bettysdad]

I guess I missed the article about the AFL-CIO getting taxpayer bailout money.

You mean they paid for this themselves?

[DesertDogAlpha]

The unions are getting a lot of taxpayer bailout money via the Auto industry - that is why Gettelfinger is in there pitching right along with the auto company CEOs. Labor costs via union contracts have been way out of line vs. competition and have, among a variety of things, helped to kill GM, Ford and Chrysler.

And as part of the stimulus package it appears that federal contracts must adhere to Davis-Bacon, which means paying the highest prevailing union wage for labor rather than the real market rate for it - a lot of extra money coming from taxpayers to pay more than is needed to get work done, so fewer projects will occur than might otherwise be the case.

[Telemachus]

I guess money that goes to working Americans and their families is just wasted.

"Compassionate conservatism" at its finest.

[KarmaTheDog]

No where in the Davis-Bacon act state that "the highest prevailing union wage for labor" be paid. It states the prevailing wage. You made that up to make a point, or your repeating an untruth you wanted to believe was true. Hyperbole weakens your argument.
Labor comprises 10% of the cost of a vehicle, a 10% increase or decrease in labor costs would equal only a 1% difference in the cost of the vehicle. On a $20,000 vehicle, that is $200. Labor wouldn't cost as much as it does had we single-payer healthcare like nearly every other industrialized country has.

[LeighAnnes]

That's the conservative dogma. The real reason the auto industry is having problems is shortsided management decisions and lousy products. GM has killed good products like the chevy prism in an attempt to get more profit out of gas-guzzling SUVs. Now none of their products has a decent rating in consumer reports. There are many people, like me, who won't spend 20K on a lousy product, no matter where it is made.

[Russycle]

"Labor costs via union contracts have been way out of line vs. competition ".

No. Union workers in Detroit make about the same as non-union workers at Toyota and Honda's American plants. The $70/hour you hear about on Fox News is a product of screwy math, which includes benefits paid to retirees. Actual wages are $20-30/hour.