|
|
|
|
Includes a link for info on getting a letter from the North Pole via USPS.
Give the gift of jobs!
New for 2004! An easy way to find Union Made products in virtually all catagories. Cards for all occasions, including non-denominational Holiday cards, with artwork from the handicapped and senior citizens. Union-made Holiday cards and calendars. The Union Shop On Line--Holiday flyer (pdf) The Union Mall - Sweatshop Free Shopping! I hear (from customers) that these guys make the most comfortable jeans you'll ever wear. SweatX - Clothes w/ a Conscience - Sweatshop-free Clothing Employing former sweatshop workers, now making a living-wage with Union working conditions. Great Union-made work boots. Powell's Books - Used, New, and Out of Print Toys For Kids (listing of Union-made toys) Radio Flyer - The Original Little Red Wagon These folks (UAW) make model plane and car kits, plus you can get the supplies (paint, etc) you'll need. Union Made Products (Union Label search engine)
Holidays the Way They Should Be Backwash.com columnist "Hippiegrrl" offers holiday shopping tips (from December 2002). Shop with awareness this Christmas "In 1996 Disney CEO Michael Eisner was paid $189 million dollars while Haitian workers made 28 cents an hour sewing garments for Disney." Responsible Shopper: What Does Your Shopping Support? Co-op America rates companies on workplace, environmental and disclosure policies. Nothing Christmassy here. This organization keeps an eye on garment industry sweatshops. From the Behind The Label web site. It's up to us, the consumer. Pennies an Hour, and No Way Up Also from Behind The Label; a rebuttal to those who argue that we are raising the standard of living in third world countries. T'aint happnin'. We're just raising the standard of living for billionaires and giving up good jobs here at home. One more from Behind The Label. And they name names (can you say Wal-Mart?)
A Tale of Woe from the North Pole By Bill Stotesbery Welcome to the modern world. A Modern Christmas Carol: 'O Little Town Of Bethlehem, (Pennsylvania) By Anthony D. Price Inspired by the elimination of basic steel production at the flagship plant of the Bethlehem Steel Corporation. Eight Gifts That Don't Cost A Cent Don't know what do get someone? These are great ideas, all year round. And they'll be a bigger hit than any tie or trinket. A MOMENT OF REFLECTION By Moe Lepore At this time of celebration and abundance, save some thought for those less fortunate. Miracle on 33rd Street (Citylimits.org) An uplifting story about Postal Workers playing Santa. Ways We Are Different This Christmas (Lu's News) Written by Terry L. Dobbelaere in 2001, following the terrorist attack on America. Rudolph, a ball and Hong Kong (Oregon Daily Emerald) The evolution of some holiday traditions. The Reason for The Season (elfwriters) The Nativity The Story of Hanukkah (from phillyburbs.com) This, plus plenty more good holiday reading, at phillyburbs.com.
Hard Miles Music - Folk Music & Labor Unions Multilingual MIDI Files of Christmas Carols Mistletunes (Comprehensive group of Christmas record reviews, mostly rock & roll) Rockin' Hanukkah (from Mistletunes) Christmas Carols (from phillyburbs.com) The stories behind some of your favorite Christmas songs.
free Christmas games for kids online (the holiday spot)
Before you surf on, hard copy personalized responses from the North Pole can be had via the USPS.
The Red Bank Local, APWU, AFL-CIO, is a non-profit organization. The Red Bank Local does not endorse nor mean to imply endorsement of or agreement with any site simply by presenting the links above.
Webmaster's Note: The delightful story below was written by Bill Stotesbery (Gtt Communications in Austin, Texas) and used to be on the old IGC "Labor Quotes" page, which has since disappeared from the web. Fortunately, I saved a copy. A Tale of Woe from the North PoleThe recent announcement that Donner and Blitzen have elected to take the early reindeer retirement package has triggered a good deal of concern about whether they will be replaced, and about other restructuring decisions at the North Pole. Streamlining was appropriate in view of the reality that the North Pole no longer dominates the season's gift distribution business. Home shopping channels and mail order catalogues have diminished Santa's market share and he could not sit idly by and permit further erosion of the profit picture. The reindeer downsizing was made possible through the purchase of a late model Japanese sled for the CEO's annual trip. Improved productivity from Dasher and Dancer, who summered at the Harvard Business School, is anticipated and should take up the slack with no discernible loss of service. Reduction in reindeer will also lessen airborne environmental emissions for which the North Pole has been cited and received unfavorable press. I am pleased to inform you and yours that Rudolph's role will not be disturbed. Tradition still counts for something at the North Pole. Management denies, in the strongest possible language, the earlier leak that Rudolph's nose got that way not from the cold, but from substance abuse. Calling Rudolph "a lush who was into the sauce and never did pull his share of the load" was an unfortunate comment, made by one of Santa's helpers and taken out of context at a time of year when he is known to be under executive stress. As a further restructuring, today's global challenges require the North Pole to continue to look for better, more competitive steps. Effective immediately, the following economy measures are to take place in the "Twelve Days of Christmas" subsidiary: The partridge will be retained, but the pear tree never turned out to be the cash crop forecasted. It will be replaced by a plastic hanging plant, providing considerable savings in maintenance. The two turtle doves represent a redundancy that is simply not cost effective. In addition, their romance during working hours could not be condoned. The positions are therefore eliminated. [The three French hens will remain intact. After all, everyone loves the French.] The four calling birds were replaced by an automated voice mail system, with a call waiting option. An analysis is underway to determine who the birds have been calling, how often and how long they talked. The five golden rings have been put on hold by the Board of Directors. Maintaining a portfolio based on one commodity could have negative implications for institutional investors. Diversification into other precious metals as well as a mix of T-Bills and high technology stocks appear to be in order. The six geese-a-laying constitutes a luxury which can no longer be afforded. It has long been felt that the production rate of one egg per goose per day is an example of the decline in productivity. Three geese will be let go, and an upgrading in the selection procedure by personnel will assure management that from now on every goose it gets will be a good one. The seven swans-a-swimming is obviously a number chosen in better times. The function is primarily decorative. Mechanical swans are on order. The current swans will be retrained to learn some new strokes and therefore enhance their outplacement. As you know, the eight maids-a-milking concept has been under heavy scrutiny by the EEOC. A male/female balance in the workforce is being sought. The more militant maids consider this a dead-end job with no upward mobility. Automation of the process may permit the maids to try a-mending, a-mentoring or a-mulching. Nine ladies dancing has always been an odd number. This function will be phased out as these individuals grow older and can no longer do the steps. Ten Lords-a-leaping is overkill. The high cost of Lords plus the expense of international air travel prompted the Compensation Committee to suggest replacing this group with ten out-of-work congressmen. While leaping ability may be somewhat sacrificed, the savings are significant because we expect an oversupply of unemployed congressmen this year. Eleven pipers piping and twelve drummers drumming is a simple case of the band getting too big. A substitution with a string quartet, a cutback on new music and no uniforms will produce savings which will drop right down to the bottom line. We can expect a substantial reduction in assorted people, fowl, animals and other expenses. Though incomplete, studies indicate that stretching deliveries over twelve days is inefficient. If we can drop ship in one day, service levels will be improved. Regarding the lawsuit filed by the attorney's association seeking expansion to include the legal profession ("thirteen lawyers-a-suing") action is pending. Lastly, it is not beyond consideration that deeper cuts may be necessary in the future to stay competitive. Should that happen, the Board will request management to scrutinize the Snow White Division to see if seven dwarfs is the right number.
Webmaster's Note: The piece below was written by Anthony Prince and used to be on the old IGC "Labor Quotes" page, which has since disappeared from the web. Fortunately, I saved a copy. I've typed it as it appeared there, including the sourcing information and invitation to reproduce at the bottom. A Modern Christmas Carol: 'O Little Town Of
Bethlehem, (Pennsylvania)
Webmaster's Note: The piece below first appeared in the APWU Auxiliary publication News & Views in December 1999 (at least so far as I know). But it bears repeating.......frequently. Eight Gifts That Don't Cost A Cent (Author unknown) The Gift of Listening...But you must REALLY listen. No interrupting, no daydreaming, no planning your response. Just listening. The Gift of Affection…Be generous with appropriate hugs, kisses, pats on the back and handholds. Let these small actions demonstrate the love you have for family and friends. The Gift of Laughter…Clip cartoons. Share articles and funny stories. Your gift will say, “I love to laugh with you.” The Gift of a written note…It can be a simple “Thanks for the help” note or a full sonnet. A brief, handwritten note may be remembered for a lifetime, and may even change a life. The Gift of a Compliment…A simple and sincere, “You look great in red,” “You did a super job,” or “that was a wonderful meal” can make someone’s day. The Gift of a Favor…Every day, go out of your way to do something kind. The Gift of Solitude…There are times when we want nothing better than to be left alone. Be sensitive to those times and give the gift of solitude to others. The Gift of Cheerful Disposition …The easiest way to feel good is to extend a kind word to someone, really it’s not that hard to say, Hello or Thank You.
A MOMENT OF
REFLECTION This past year will go down in our history as “one for the
ages”. As if we don’t have enough on our plates struggling every day to protect
our membership, then George W unleashes his all out attack on all United States
Postal Service employees.
|
|
