CONGRESSMAN ALTMIRE FAILS US....

What is Congressman Altmire's excuse for not supporting healthcare reform now?

BIG PAY DAYS & RICH A$$HOLES

An editorial from the Trib Review sparked an influx of emails into the HUDDLER's in box.

Apparently the HUDDLER should have joined the stage crew in high school and moved to New York City to pursue the dream of a 500K per year UNION JOB!

This isn't the first time the issue has come up. Back in 2000 the NY DAILY NEWS did an article. And now just recently Bloomberg News did an article. Apparently there are a few jobs that make this kind of money.

First, it is important to note that the "Executive Director" of Carnegie Hall makes almost a million buck per year. (high 900s, unknown if this includes benefits or straight cash).

The positions noted in this article are all "department directors'. These positions are managers, who are covered under the bargaining agreement. (Much like every firefighter other than the chief is covered under the Pittsburgh Fire contract.)These are not grunts. These guys are in charge of overseeing major productions, millions of dollars of equipment, and hudreds of employees, along with budgetary and managerial type duties.

Next these guys are working 80 plus hours per week. The same crew does the afternoon practice, and then the same show that night. In some cases there are two and three performances per day. This makes for LONG days. Often these crews work the entire run of the show, which means they may work 10 days or more without a day off, at 20 hours per day.

Granted. No one can work 24/7. Are there down periods? Rest periods? Is there a place to take a nap? The HUDDLER is certain of this. But as the saying goes, the show must go on !

The other interesting part of this is that this is not only limited to Carnegie Hall, apparently there are other venues with similar wages, and costs. This is apparently the industry norm.

Out on the west coast, the LA TIMES reports that dollar for dollar and hour per hour the stage hands out west make even more per hour. However they apparently are working less hours than their union brothers in NYC.

Now this doesn't mean that any of these guys or gals (haha a little stage humor) are taking home 500K in cash. According to the Business Insider a major portion (25 percent) is deferred compensaton and taxable benefits.

For those of you out there in the Burgh that know how to read and write, (the huddler does not claim to know how to do either effectively) here is the TAX RETURN of the Carnegie Music Hall.

The cost of living in NYC is insane. Try living close enough to commute and raise a family, while putting in 80 hours per week. These workers are UNION. They clearly have a strong contract. A contract with benefits such as meal allowances, double time, and triple time for Holidays and performing skilled electrical, and carpentry skills.

Don't judge a stage hand until you walk a mile in a stage hands work boots ...

The Trib Review loves to take any opportunity to kick workers around, OR bad mouth unions. Mr. Scaiffe's reputation as a right wing zealot who was fortunate enough to be born into wealth that was made off the blood, sweat, tears, and lives of immigrant workers preceeds him. The HUDDLER is looking to adopt a finch or two, only so that he can line the bird cage with this rag of a periodical.

Don't judge a spoiled rich kid until you have a billion dollars in the bank and don't care about any living creature other than yourself. The HUDDLER laughs out loud seeing how this article was a direct attack on workers, mean while the guys making this money are all "BOSSES" who benefit from the union. Much like the many non-union workers who enjoy the many benefits that were the fruits of organized labor and now enjoyed by all. Some say that workers have too much, that Americans are fat and lazy. Mean while Americans come up short when compared to our European counterparts. Many Americans have no paid time off, and lack quality affordable healthcare, or pension system. If we want to be competitive on a global scale, we need a level playing field with other nations. Another example of why we need healthcare reform with a public option!

RED SCARE 2009 - MELTS IN YOUR MOUTH NOT IN YOUR HANDS !!

Believe it or not, red chocolate candies are a threat to the security of the United States of America. More specifically it is reported that candidate Judge Jack Panella eats "RED M&M" candies! Therefore according to his opponents, it has been decided by his opponent, that Judge Panella is un-American, a natzi, and possibly the devil re-incarnated.

It is great to see the Joan Orie-Melvin's campaign out there running a good honest race? Apparently the Republican National Party is paying for and running material alleging Judge Panella's connection to communism?


The HUDDLER would expect this out of a City of Pittsburgh Council race, but NOT a PA Supreme Court race!!!!

LIBRARY OFFICIALS SNUB THE BURGH

From the POST GAZETTE - The officials from the Carnegie Library are not coming to a community meeting planned for this saturday.

The HUDDLER has one message regarding this: The Mayor and City Council should withhold all funding until an audit is completed and community meetings are held to discuss the closings!!

EMERGENCY CALLS TO CONGRESS !!

Healthcare Reform is at a critical state. Please call our elected officials and tell them it's time for healthcare reform with a public option !! Especially Congressman Jason Altmire (d) who is riding the fence. Congressman Altmire needs to cut his ties with UPMC and do the right thing for America.

from the HUDDLER's in basket:
It's time to deliver on health care.After months of debating, the entire House and Senate are set to consider the final plans for health reform. It's time for them to deliver on real reform that:
Gives us the choice of a public health insurance option
Makes health insurance truly affordable for everyone
No more excuses. No more delays. America wants real reform and 4 out of the 5 committees in Congress have bills that give America what we need.Call your Members of Congress now and tell them it's time to deliver on health care. Click here to call.

EMAIL DARYL METCALFE AND TELL HIM TO RESPECT VETERANS!!

FROM OUR FRIENDS AT KEYSTONE PROGRESS:

Representative Daryl Metcalfe is at it again. This time he has called Iraq and Afghanistan war veterans "Traitors" and "Benedict Arnolds" for disagreeing with him on energy policy.Take action here: http://www.keystoneprogress.org/page/speakout/pametvet Here's the story. A group of veterans are traveling across the country on a 21-state bus tour to talk to citizens and local community leaders about the dangers of climate change and its threat to national security. The tour will make stops in Pennsylvania on October 20th through the 22nd (see below for the PA schedule).The tour is sponsored by Operation Free, a coalition of veterans and national security groups working together to raise public awareness about national security threats posed by climate change and the importance of building a clean energy economy that is not tied to fossil fuels. Operation Free and its members support a clean energy plan that cuts carbon pollution, develops clean energy incentives, and puts America in control of its energy future.The vets in Operation Free invited local elected officials to join them at each of their stops. When Rep. Metcalfe got his invitation this is what he wrote back:"Subject: Re: Veterans for American Power Bus Tour coming to your stateAs a veteran,I believe that any veteran lending their name, to promote the leftist propaganda of global warming and climate change, in an effort to control more of the wealth created in our economy, through cap and tax type policies, all in the name of national security, is a traitor to the oath he or she took defend the Constitution of our great nation!Remember Benedict Arnold before giving credibility to a veteran who uses their service as a means to promote a leftist agenda.Drill Baby Drill!!!For Liberty,Daryl MetcalfeState RepresentativeVeteran U.S. Army"I happen to agree with the vets that a clean energy plan is in the best interest of our national security. But whether you agree or not, to call someone a "traitor" for disagreeing with you is beyond outrageous. It is against everything this nation stands for.Join people from all over Pennsylvania in demanding that Rep. Metcalfe apologize for his insult to our veterans, the Constitution and every American. Click here to fax Metcalfe now: http://www.keystoneprogress.org/page/speakout/pametvet It will only take a minute if you use the letter we've drafted, or you can write your own comments to Metcalfe.

SAVE HEALTHCARE REFORM: Send a letter to Washington D.C.

Dear HUDDLER,

Final decisions are being made right now in the House and Senate about health care reform, and today we need you, as one of our top activists, to do something a little different.

We need you to write a personal letter in your own words to your senators and representative in support of real health care reform.

Usually, we give you a draft letter that you are free to edit. But at this moment, to maximize your impact, it is imperative that senators and representatives hear from you in your words, not ours. On the action page, we have provided talking points to help you draft your unique message, but remember, your personal explanation will be most powerful and effective.

Write a personal letter in your own words to your senators and representative in Washington, and tell them now is the time to pass real health care reform.

To keep insurance companies honest and control skyrocketing health care costs, it is critical that the final bill includes a strong public health insurance option. The bill also must require employers to pay their fair share, and it shouldn’t make workers pay more for what they already have.Insurance companies and their lobbyists are working day and night to stop health care reform. Why? Because in the current system, health insurance companies win and the rest of us lose. We need your help to counter these lobbying efforts. We can’t afford to let the insurance companies win.

What are you going to do today to help pass health care reform?

Speak out today: Send a personal message to your senators and representative in support of real health care reform.

Insurance companies, drug makers and other private health industries have spent more than $126 million on lobbyists this year alone, and we can’t let them kill reform. The American people want real health care reform. It’s up to you to keep the pressure on your members of Congress to do the right thing.Together, we can ensure that everyone in America has access to quality, affordable health care.

In solidarity,
Marc LaitinAFL-CIO Online Mobilization Coordinator

P.S. Health care is at the top of the agenda in Congress. We need you to make your voice heard right now. Contact your members of Congress today.