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UAW Losing Millions On Michigan Golf Course Retreat

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layabout
01/01/09

In reply to UAW Losing Millions On Michigan Golf Course Retreat
Does anyone actually give a crap about golf? Possibly the most mundane way of wasting time. Build a track there,it'll be busy every day & make more money.
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MushyHeirloom
12/31/08

In reply to UAW Losing Millions On Michigan Golf Course Retreat
It appears that a giant let a load go on their golf course. They'll have to spend another $23 million of our money cleaning that up, you know.
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Jim-Bob
12/31/08

In reply to UAW Losing Millions On Michigan Golf Course Retreat
Another reason I go out of my way to avoid union labor produced products and services. I look for the union label...then promptly go buy something else. Organized labor needs to die in this country. It is no longer needed and only serves as fund raising for the Democratic party. It does little actual good for it's members.
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It's a Camaro
12/31/08

@Jim-Bob: Yeah! Lets all buy sweatshop-produced cheap crap from Asia! Cause that's the only alternative.
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SmaartAasSaabr
12/31/08

@kumbayacars: No you mean sweatshop-produced expensive cars from Kentucky, Texas, South Carolina...
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DoctorNine
12/31/08

@SmaartAasSaabr: No you mean moderately priced cars that are produced in a nicely heated and ventilated shop, by people who don't have to give a big chunk of their pay to union leaders who piss it away on stupid things like golf courses, in South Carolina, Kentucky, Texas, Tennessee, Mississippi and Ohio.
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TwilightSentinel
12/31/08

In reply to UAW Losing Millions On Michigan Golf Course Retreat
The UAW members I've seen in the news always look like they're dressed more for a Satan's Choice pig roast than a day on the links. I mean that as a compliment. I guess this place has a relaxed dress code.
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scroggzilla raids again
12/31/08

@TwilightSentinel: I don't know...my step father in law was a UAW member and worked for Ford at the Edison plant. Loves golf.....and cheats like a mutha too!
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Das ASHloch (achtundsiebzig)
12/31/08

In reply to UAW Losing Millions On Michigan Golf Course Retreat
How many months a year can you play in Michigan?

All I'm saying is that maybe they should have plowed the money into something better, like an indoor water park.
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DoctorNine
12/31/08

In reply to UAW Losing Millions On Michigan Golf Course Retreat
They teach leadership courses there.

Wait for it...
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mytdawg
12/31/08

In reply to UAW Losing Millions On Michigan Golf Course Retreat
My guess is that's where the UAW execs take the auto industry execs and wine and dine them with the autoworkers money.
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mytdawg
12/31/08

@mytdawg: and lobbyists, and politicians, and...
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Miscellanea
12/31/08

In reply to UAW Losing Millions On Michigan Golf Course Retreat
I'd say that's about par for the course for the UAW.
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gurneyflap
12/31/08

In reply to UAW Losing Millions On Michigan Golf Course Retreat
Is anyone really surprised? I wonder what executive compensation at the UAW is like, and whether they fly around on corporate jets.
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mechimike
12/31/08

@gurneyflap: According to the unionfacts website, something like 650+ employees of the UAW (these are UAW employees now, they don't build cars, they just work for the UAW) make over $75,000 per year.

Nice work if you can get it.
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Bumblebee
12/31/08

In reply to UAW Losing Millions On Michigan Golf Course Retreat
1. Tell me that sand trap isn't real.

2. Why presume the watchdog is biased? If union watchdog groups are anything like non-profit watchdog groups ([www.charitynavigator.com], [www.give.org], [www.charitywatch.org]) it's in no one's best interest that they be biased.

Why not just request their annual report and 990? If their smart, they have them immediately available (I'd even say it's odd their AR isn't on their website).
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Bumblebee
12/31/08

"...they're smart..." Why am I suddenly having trouble with goddamn homonyms?!

What am I, 13?
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weatherman
12/31/08

@Bumblebee: the reason to presume they're biased is that they were organized by Richard Berman, a DC lobbyist who has set up several "front" non-profit organizations, funded by industry, to advocate against a number of things such as food safety, raising minimum wage, etc. They apparently do not reveal their funding sources, though I thought they had to on their 990 too - looking around the web I couldn't find any info though.
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scroggzilla raids again
12/31/08

@Bumblebee: A little googling found that The Center for Union Facts is a front group for Rick Berman and his lobbyist firm, Berman & Company. Among his clients...the Tobacco Industry, for whom he organized a campaign downplaying the effects of 2nd hand smoke, the Meat Packing Industry, for whom he's organized a campaign downplaying the potential effects of mad cow disease on humans, the soft drink industry, for whom he organized a campaign to downplay the correlation between soda consumption and childhood diabetes, and so on. Apparently, his clients don't like unions much either. As for his bias, give him some $$$ and he'll develope one. It's what lobbyists do.
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Bumblebee
12/31/08

@weatherman: Interesting. I don't know why anyone would trust a non-profit that doesn't reveal it's funding sources.

Thanks for clearing this up.
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Bumblebee
12/31/08

@Bumblebee: "...its funding sources..."

[sigh]
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SwatLax
12/31/08

@Bumblebee: Non-profits like this get funded by his clients or other anti-union businesses and organizations. They aren't really expecting for anyone in the general public to give them money. If you go to their website, you'll notice that unlike charitable non-profits, its clear they aren't putting much energy into raising money. They do that behind closed doors.

Also, this is quite profitable for the lobbyist running the organization, because he likely billing his time acting as a consultant/lobbyist to the non-profit. The game is to not show a connection to any one particular funding source, but to broadly promote the message that benefits everyone in the industry. In this case, it is businesses that fear unionization.

So, there's a reason to suspect bias, and for digging into their info before believing it.
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MushyHeirloom
12/31/08

@SCROGGZILLA RAIDS AGAIN!!: Scroggzilla answers our questions again. Thanks.
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Velocitré
12/31/08

In reply to UAW Losing Millions On Michigan Golf Course Retreat
The coolest part: If you can chip the ball into one of the mouths of the three-headed dog hazard on the 18th hole, you double your pension!
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Das ASHloch (achtundsiebzig)
12/31/08

@RC51: COTD
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mechimike
12/31/08

In reply to UAW Losing Millions On Michigan Golf Course Retreat
That looks like the proving grounds for the new Hummer H3.
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Rust-MyEnemy
12/31/08

In reply to UAW Losing Millions On Michigan Golf Course Retreat
I thought it was called Rabbit in the US?
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Charles_Barrett - Now with Variable-Valve Timing
12/31/08

@Rust-MyEnemy 20v Turbo: That comment is a keeper. I, too, didn't get it at first.
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