Can the Federal government disband the Police Union?

[Hutzpa]

I can't help but think with the complete disrespect shown by the police union to the Mayor of New York and in some ways the President, is it possible for the federal government to disband the police union? As they have shown complete disregard of heirarchical authority and have remonstrated against any checks and balances, it is with that in mind that I asked the question, can the police union be disbanded?


Have a Merry Christmas DU.

[SickOfTheOnePct]

1. I'm sure there are circumstances

under which the National Labor Relations Board can decertify a union, but over something like showing disrespect to an elected official? I highly doubt it, and would hope that they cannot be disbanded for that.

[Major Nikon]

8. The circumstances are violations of certain labor laws

And even if they were decertified, they would retain the right to reorganize. At any rate it's an extremely rare event.

[AngryAmish]

35. NLRB has no jurisdiction

Public unions are a state created creature.

[ileus]

2. So we're against unions on DU now?

[Hutzpa]

6. I am not against union

I am agianst an organization that refuses to rail in wayward members. Members that feel they're above the law or the law does not apply to them.

[pintobean]

10. Who is we?

[Hutzpa]

13. Probably need to edit that

Meant to write 'I'

[Major Nikon]

12. No union has the responsibility to "rail in wayward members"

That is the job of management.

[Hutzpa]

26. Then there in lies the problem

if we're in the opinion that no union should be held accountable for their actions, then I'm afraid we are in a way contributing to their abusive actions.

[Major Nikon]

28. I'm not sure who "their" refers in your alleged problem

A union is responsible for it's own actions, not the actions of its members. A union works for its members, not the other way around. Your claim is like saying a lawyer should be responsible for their clients' actions.

[pintobean]

9. No shit.

If the first amendment doesn't apply to unions, we may as well just scrap the bill of rights.

[Yo_Mama]

40. Yes, this is a fascist suggestion.

There is no type of organization more entitled to political speech than a union.

[951-Riverside]

20. ileus, the question should be: Do Police Unions stand in solidarity with YOU?

...or is it just a one way street?


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[juxtaposed]

36. police pretty much stick with themselves and the hell with the other unions

A few exceptions that i've seen have been Wisconson state capital and boston during a solidarity gathering with wisconson.

[easychoice]

21. nope,just gangs of criminal conspirators wearing badges...

biggest gang of terrorists in america...

[Posteritatis]

31. This place often gets pretty authoritarian about unpopular unions

Teachers' unions also come to mind, etc. It's depressing.

[tammywammy]

3. Giving the federal government the ability to disband unions they perceive as "disrespectful"

Isn't a path I'd want to go down.

[Hutzpa]

14. Yes but, I will like to investigate their efforts in

containing the use of excessive police brutality, wouldn't you agree?

[tammywammy]

17. I think the DOJ can and should investigate civil rights violations

I don't think the federal government should start investigating unions or individuals they perceive as disrespectful.

[gladium et scutum]

27. With you on this

First the police Unions, next the Government employees, next the United Mine Workers, Teamster, IBEW, etc., etc., etc. If Government can disband a union, what happens when the Republicans control the Congress and the White House. Bad idea, imo.

[tblue37]

42. Reagan was the union buster ( PATCO, remember?). We deplored that, for good reason,

and we should deplore any other union busting moves.

The proper route is to publicly *shame* the union jerks like Lynch for their disgusting remarks. Lynch actually has been pretty widely slammed for his comments.

[gladium et scutum]

47. 100 % Agree n/t

[SheilaT]

4. I rather doubt it.

If the union isn't a federal one, the federal government has no control over it, other than whatever federal laws apply in various circumstances.

Perhaps if the police union in question is chartered by the city or the state government, either of those two entities might be able to do something.

[easychoice]

5. The Feds can smithereen any criminal enterprise...

anywhere any time.

[GGJohn]

11. Yes they can,

but police unions aren't criminal enterprises in any sense of the law.

[Hutzpa]

16. If the federal government feels

their is abuse of power within ranks or the carjoling of officers that are constantly abusing thier power, shouldn't the feds stepped in with sanctions?

[GGJohn]

18. I don't want to give the feds that kind of power,

it can be abused too easily by successive admins.

[Major Nikon]

30. The feds sometimes do

But against the management who actually controls the workforce. Not the union who doesn't.

http://www.cnn.com/2012/07/24/justice/justice-department-new-orleans-police/

[Yo_Mama]

41. Right, specific members or a group of members in management who are criminals

BUT NOT THE UNION MEMBERS.

Anyone who thinks the federal government should have a right to disband unions is a long way from Democratic thinking, IMO.

[X_Digger]

7. Yeah, it takes some chutzpah to suggest that unions be disbanded for 'disrespect'.

By what legal theory might that happen? Oh wait.. there isn't one.

*sigh*

[99th_Monkey]

15. The most despicable kind of authoritarian disrespects authority

when it suits their narrow selfish interests to do so.

Police "unions" operate more like a classic protection racket than a real union.

[Brickbat]

19. Wow, no thanks.

[treestar]

22. In this legal system, only people who are found to have committed the criminal acts

are responsible. None of us has a duty to rein in anyone else. That would be oppressive and burdensome. We can't control other people, period. If another white woman of Christian upbringing commits a crime, I have no duty to do anything other than cooperate if I'm a witness but take on no responsibility for reining her in. And that applies to every other race, religion and profession.

[DrDan]

23. I can't believe I am reading this on DU

there was a similar post couple weeks ago calling for the end of collective bargaining for the police.

UNBELIEVABLE!

[TorchTheWitch]

33. It's been said many times by many people

That's how lunatic the cop hate brigade is here. Actually, they're a hell of a lot worse than that.

[DrDan]

38. what a slippery slope this would be - what a HUGE victory for the rw

they would like nothing more than the ability to dissolve unions at will

[Yo_Mama]

43. I hadn't seen an earlier post but this one shocked me awake for sure.

This is supposed to be Democratic Underground!

The implications of this are so frightening! If the federal government had the power to disband the police union, it would have the power to disband organizations that are leading the protests. That's for starters.

The maintenance of American democracy requires that we defend the rights of people to speak when we do not agree with them. If we lose that concept, we have lost it ALL.

[DrDan]

45. so who would be next? the teachers unions? government employees?

The rw has already shown their "hate" for these two groups in the attacks the past few years.

Post this nonsense belongs on that (not-to-be-mentioned) other site.

[randome]

24. 'The' police union?

Unbelievable.
[hr][font color="blue"][center]Treat your body like a machine. Your mind like a castle.[/center][/font][hr]

[GOLGO 13]

25. Showing their true colors when they talk about "getting rid" of any unions.

Your hatred of unions is quite telling. Please tell us who and who should not be unionized, please.

[msongs]

29. probably not, it hasn't disbanded the klan either and they may be similar organizations nt

[tularetom]

32. Not for statements some asshole made

They should not be punished for exercising free speech. If they undertake a work slowdown, sick-in, or strike, the public, and by extension, its representative government, has to ask itself, how badly we need their services, and whether we would be better off without them. Or having their services provided in a different manner.

Many of us who live in remote areas are effectively without the services of law enforcement anyway. If our sheriff's department didn't exist, my neighbors and I would probably be unaware of the fact.

[Historic NY]

34. Only Reagan could do that...

[customerserviceguy]

37. Yeah, that was my thought

I remember when he shut down PATCO, and hired non-union workers to replace them. I don't want to see any governmental entity with that kind of power ever again.

[Yo_Mama]

39. No, specifically forbidden by US Constitution

Unless it becomes a criminal organization, the First Amendment grants citizens the right to assemble peacefully and petition the government. It does not matter whether you or anyone else objects to what they have to say - they have the right to say it.

[WillowTree]

44. What other unions would you like to see the Feds break up?

[Township75]

46. Could Bush disband DU or MoveOn due to the disrespect shown to him

And others in the hierarchy?

This is fucking stupid to even think about.

[Hutzpa]

49. Is DU a union? Is MoveOn a union?

If so since when did these forums become a union? I'd like to know numpty and you call me stupid.

[MineralMan]

48. No, it can't. Free Association and the Right to peaceably assemble.

The answer is almost never for the Federal government to disband anything. That's why the Constitution forbids such things.

[Nye Bevan]

50. Disbanding unions for perceived disrespect towards those in authority?

Really?

[Thinkingabout]

51. If the government starts disbanding unions it will continue to other groups, we

Don't want to start this. We. They could disband schools, churches and any group who shows disrespect. I do not condone the disrespect of the police turning their backs on Di Blasio but nit at funerals, they should be paying their respect. Very bad decision by their leaders, the leaders should have said "we will not disrupt arrangements for our fallen police, it will be another time and place" a good leader could have halted this before it happened.

[NaturalHigh]

52. Is this even a serious question?

Surely you know that the federal government cannot shut down the police union and should not ever have that power.

[Comrade Grumpy]

53. They ought to RICO the whole NYPD.