I would like to start out by saying that I have been employed by Wegmans, working in the warehouse for 29 years. I truly appreciate the opportunity that I have been given to provide for my family over the years and especially in today's economy. But... providing someone with a job does not automatically entitle that employer to collect personal information about the employee unless it is directly job related. MY PERSONAL MEDICAL INFORMATION does not belong to Wegmans and they have no right asking me personal medical questions. Nor do they have the right to blackmail me into answering personal questions by charging me more for my health care if I refuse to answer the questions.
Unfortunately that is exactly what they (Wegmans) are doing. Why? The number one reason why, is that our union, Teamsters Local 118, is weak, uneducated and corrupt. They have not even attempted to prevent the Company from committing these illegal, contractual violations.
Back in the beginning of the year Wegmans passed out a survey to the warehouse employees about smoking. One question is on the survey, Do you smoke? If you answered yes, you were charged $5 more per week for health insurance. If you refuse to answer, you were charged $5 more per week for health insurance. I answered this survey because I had quit smoking a couple of years ago. I was still unhappy about the fact that Wegmans thought they could ask that type of thing anyway. I voiced my concerns to my union rep but to no avail.
Now we are being forced to take another survey about our blood pressure and cholesterol levels. Refusal to take the survey will result in another extra $5 per week charge for health care. So it was time to take a stand. I refused to take the survey. I told my Union Steward that if I was charged another $5 for health insurance that I would have someone charged with theft for unauthorized deductions from my paycheck. There will also be discrimination charges filed if I do not receive the same level of benefits as ALL other employees. I would file a grievance, but I can't waste my time.
In our last contract, the grievance procedure was purposely decimated. We used to have explicit language in our contract that gave the company only ten days to answer a grievance or they must pay it. Now, the length of time that the company has to answer a grievance, was extended by 50% to 15 days and the penalty for not answering was removed. So the Company does not answer the tough ones and there is no penalty. Yea Teamsters!!
A couple of contracts before that, our Union President and his underling, who is now our current President gave up the right to negotiate health care altogether and agreed to accept whatever level of benefits that the Company offered to the non-union employees. This concession was made without getting anything in return. It makes me sick just talking about it. It is no wonder that Wegmans thinks that they can do whatever they want.
Where is this all going to end? What's next?, asking me how many girlfriends I have and if I refuse to answer another $5 charge? Personally if questions are going to be asked, I think some questions about deviant sexual behavior should be asked. People at a higher risk of Aids should be forced to pay more too. Why just pick on fat people and smokers?
Wednesday, July 29, 2009
Saturday, July 4, 2009
Independence Day-The Tea Party
What does Independence Day mean to you? To most people the 4th of July conjures up plans for partying, whether a family picnic, parade or local small town event such as fireworks. Sure there are the token references to "Independence" and freedom from "tyranny", but very few people actually understand what those words really mean.
"We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness."
There are three main principles here that the majority of people tend to overlook or never understood to begin with.
1) Your "unalienable rights" come from God, not your government
2) governments derive their power from the "consent of the governed"
3) when any form of government becomes destructive to these ends, "IT IS THE RIGHT OF THE PEOPLE TO ALTER OR ABOLISH IT"
How many people today realize that the exact same conditions that our forefathers revolted against, "governmental tyranny", exist today. There is corruption at all levels of government, the government is currently in the process of revoking numerous freedoms that range from the freedom of speech, to the right to bear arms, all in the name of freedom. Remember that your rights come from God and are not the Governments to give or rescind.
The government relinquished its rights to monetary policy to a private corporation, The Federal Reserve, a century ago. The result of this monetary policy is something like indebted servitude. Unfortunately most people don't know what this means. Look it up! The Federal Reserve has bankrupted this country. Your life savings are being stolen right before your eyes. For those of you that have no life savings, think of your children's' and grand children's futures. They too are being stolen right before your eyes.
The sovereignty of this nation is being systematically turned over to a world governing body. The CFR, The Trilateral Commission and the Bilderbergers along with the Federal Reserve and other International Bankers as well as many other "prestigious" organizations all are working together to undermine your freedoms.
The good news is that more and more people each day are getting fed up with the abuses of "big government". Several of these groups from the Rochester area came together yesterday at Charlotte Beach to network with each other, expand their ranks and to generally protest their dissatisfaction with their government. Our group The Campaign for Liberty was there in full force distributing information, movies and petitions.
The many signs reflecting the people's sentiments.
"We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness."
There are three main principles here that the majority of people tend to overlook or never understood to begin with.
1) Your "unalienable rights" come from God, not your government
2) governments derive their power from the "consent of the governed"
3) when any form of government becomes destructive to these ends, "IT IS THE RIGHT OF THE PEOPLE TO ALTER OR ABOLISH IT"
How many people today realize that the exact same conditions that our forefathers revolted against, "governmental tyranny", exist today. There is corruption at all levels of government, the government is currently in the process of revoking numerous freedoms that range from the freedom of speech, to the right to bear arms, all in the name of freedom. Remember that your rights come from God and are not the Governments to give or rescind.
The government relinquished its rights to monetary policy to a private corporation, The Federal Reserve, a century ago. The result of this monetary policy is something like indebted servitude. Unfortunately most people don't know what this means. Look it up! The Federal Reserve has bankrupted this country. Your life savings are being stolen right before your eyes. For those of you that have no life savings, think of your children's' and grand children's futures. They too are being stolen right before your eyes.
The sovereignty of this nation is being systematically turned over to a world governing body. The CFR, The Trilateral Commission and the Bilderbergers along with the Federal Reserve and other International Bankers as well as many other "prestigious" organizations all are working together to undermine your freedoms.
The good news is that more and more people each day are getting fed up with the abuses of "big government". Several of these groups from the Rochester area came together yesterday at Charlotte Beach to network with each other, expand their ranks and to generally protest their dissatisfaction with their government. Our group The Campaign for Liberty was there in full force distributing information, movies and petitions.
The many signs reflecting the people's sentiments.
There were literally hundreds of people at this event. Perhaps somewhere between 500 and 1.000 participated.
Libertarians...
And "End the Fed" groups
Unfortunately, there is a long way to go. Not every group is understood, even by some of the "more informed" people that were in attendance. I personally witnessed the gentleman below being shoved and hit in the face by another person who did not agree with his "message". This occurred while a guest speaker was at the podium giving a speech about "free speech"! He was called "un-American" for having the audacity to carry a sign that implicated our government in the 9/11 tragedy, which only proves to me that the majority of people still do not realize the full extent of the problems this country currently faces or WHO THE REAL ENEMIES ARE!!
For the most part the event was a success. Predictably, the media failed to cover this event. So much for "freedom of the press." Understandably there were many much more interesting things taking place. In the Local section of this morning's Democrat and Chronicle, the astute reader was able to learn about important news items such as traffic delays for concert goers and the repaving of route 98. Apparently 1,000 people gathered together to show their dissatisfaction with "government" is not really newsworthy!
Oh Well! HAPPY 4th of JULY
Remember..
Libertarians...
concerned citizens...
And "End the Fed" groups
Unfortunately, there is a long way to go. Not every group is understood, even by some of the "more informed" people that were in attendance. I personally witnessed the gentleman below being shoved and hit in the face by another person who did not agree with his "message". This occurred while a guest speaker was at the podium giving a speech about "free speech"! He was called "un-American" for having the audacity to carry a sign that implicated our government in the 9/11 tragedy, which only proves to me that the majority of people still do not realize the full extent of the problems this country currently faces or WHO THE REAL ENEMIES ARE!!
For the most part the event was a success. Predictably, the media failed to cover this event. So much for "freedom of the press." Understandably there were many much more interesting things taking place. In the Local section of this morning's Democrat and Chronicle, the astute reader was able to learn about important news items such as traffic delays for concert goers and the repaving of route 98. Apparently 1,000 people gathered together to show their dissatisfaction with "government" is not really newsworthy!
Oh Well! HAPPY 4th of JULY
Remember..
FREEDOM IS NOT FREE
GET INFORMED and STAY INFORMED!!
GET INFORMED and STAY INFORMED!!
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