Adventures in Union Marketing
The Asbestos Workers Union (didn’t realize there was such a thing) is taking the shock-and-awe approach to raising awareness for its services by erecting a couple of coffins on Flushing Avenue this morning. Evidently, there’s some contractor or another with headquarters inside the Navy Yard that has yet to see the wisdom of paying top…
The Asbestos Workers Union (didn’t realize there was such a thing) is taking the shock-and-awe approach to raising awareness for its services by erecting a couple of coffins on Flushing Avenue this morning. Evidently, there’s some contractor or another with headquarters inside the Navy Yard that has yet to see the wisdom of paying top dollar for their services. For a view inside the coffins, click through to the jump. Update: A reader sent in a scan of one of the flyers that the protesters are now handing out. You can view it here.
In another life I did some research for a former asbestos manufacturer. One fiber may not cause mesothelioma, but even a very low exposure can cause it. Some of the wives of asbestos workers, whose only exposure was doing their laundry, contracted mesothelioma. Mesothelioma basically slowly ossifies the lungs and is a horrible way to die.
“Generally unions are a bad thing. We all know that. Even idiots like Gov. Paterson know that.
God forbid that anyone should disagree with the oracle of Brownstoner but when’s the last time that unions caused a global financial meltdown?
**meant to say that they are implying that this contractor doesn’t use safe methods at his work sites.**
Looks like they want some asbestos removal work, especially since there ain’t much of it left.
Is ironic that they’re at the Navy Yard tho… they used to spray that stuff on by the ton and no doubt a lot of former shipyard workers did get sick from it.
A little off-putting, IMO. But then I suddenly recalled the “Truth” commercials where they put a ton of crawling toy babies on a sidewalk that scooted about and cried. Their t-shirts said something about being orphaned due to their mom dying from some smoking-related illnesses.
I’ve got no problem with a good-natured protest and getting your point across non-violently, but I really take issue with this for the following reason:
The use of the coffins implies that the work being done wrt asbestos at this site is being done in an unsafe manner. Does the union in this case have proof of this? Or is this one of those “If you don’t use union workers, the end product and the methods used are inherently inferior”??? If it’s the former, rock on with your coffin-using selves. If it’s the latter, get a grip and stop whining because you didn’t get hired for the job.
I don’t have enough of the facts either. What is their platform and what are they protesting. Why/when was the Asbestos Workers Union formed?
Generally unions are a bad thing. We all know that. Even idiots like Gov. Paterson know that.
first the BIG RAT, now the coffins. what’s up next?
I saw these guys in front of 1407 Broadway a coupla weeks ago… they were handing out lit stating that a single asbestos fiber can cause meso… how’s that for a fact?
Nice reporting, Mr. b- editorializing without having any of the facts.