MASON CITY – Organized labor held a rally today in Mason City at the Labor Temple. About 20 persons were in attendance, including Cerro Gordo County Supervisor Phil Dougherty and former Mason City Councilman Leonard Foster.
A spokesman for the Democratic party, Michael Hunt, touted the gains in manufacturing jobs under President Barrak Obama’s administration. “We have seen unemployment numbers drop for 34 months straight, and that is due directly from the policies of the Obama Administration,” he said.
He also mentioned Mitt Romney and the damage his election as president would cause to the working class. “Policies like Mitt Romney imposed in Massachusetts, that off-shored jobs, sent them to other countries, layoffs at every step of the way.”
Dougherty also railed against Romney and outsourcing. “As Governor, Romney led the charge in the outsourcing of jobs,” he said. “We are trying to hold the line on job loss here in Iowa,” Dougherty said. “The county maintains close ties with labor unions.” He pointed to food manufacturing and processing in Iowa as a way to grow the economy and add jobs.
The chatter amongst those in attendance was the low wages in the Mason City area and the lack of good-paying jobs.
One man said that $10 per hour was a good wage in 1980, and a lot of local companies pay that much now, give or take a buck or two per hour. “There’s no good jobs left.”
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Unions have pretty much outlived their usefullness. At one time they were necessary to stop the job slavery and low wages with no benefits. Now we have laws that protect the hourly workers. The unions have not evolved as they should have but still try to resort to intimidation to get what they want and that just does not work in today’s world. Businesses just will not put up with it and will shut the doors. Look at the auto workers they are so proud of, making 70K or better each year for putting in a couple of screws. It is not good labor. The jobs are engineered so a monkey could do the job. All they do is raise the costs of automobiles to the point the rest of us can’t afford them without going in debt for 5 years.
Another unconcious Supervisor wandering aimlessly. Talking about what they didn’t fix!
I would have gone to this rally had I known about it . . .
Labor union rally in Mason City and they could only turn out 20 people…the rest were probably working really hard somewhere else. What a bunch of pukes! Maybe they should ask Dougherty what happened to the rest of the union workers in Cerro Gordo County.
Notice Supervisor Doughterty talking about all the jobs he helped create?
You didn’t because he didn’t.
He’s been in how long?
What’s he done other than a new jail?
Where is job creation?
Heck–even job ideas!!
Duh, Jay is it okay to talk?
20 people, huh? What a rally.
Please, give socialism 4 more years to work. 16 trillion in debt is nothing!!!!!!! Its all free money!!! Obama is going to print more of it for EVERYBODY!! Not just those who choose to get up and go to work.
The debt is so bad let’s spend more tax dollars to change the one way streets.
Jake, you keep drinking that Kool-Aid.
Sir u need a Lobotomy!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I mentioned no party affiliation. Go to gas buddy and you can see gas price trends and how they coinside with election cycles.
At far as national debt, we need to blame both parties as any spending/loans needs to go through the house.
National Avg peak of gas under Bush was $4.12 July of 2008. Things are comming around. Gas prices will continue to fall as we get closer to election day.
Source: http://www.gasbuddy.com/gb_retail_price_chart.aspx?time=24
Things are just so wonderful under this administration. Gas prices are low, jobs are plentiful, very few regulations, and very low taxes. ARE YOU SH*TING ME! This president has GOT to go. I think Mickey Mouse would do better!