Karen Lewis, president of the Chicago Teachers Union, recently gave a speech that joked about the possibility of union members killing the wealthy. The speech, delivered to the Illinois Labor History Society on Dec. 2, attracted attention this week after video of the event surfaced online. Lewis earned scattered applause from her audience by noting that, approximately 100 years ago, pro-union activists were ready to murder their rich bosses. 
"We got to keep an eye on the battle that we face: The war on workers. And you see it everywhere, it is the Tea Party. And you know, there is only one way to beat and win that war. The one thing about working people is we like a good fight. And you know what? They've got a war, they got a war with us and there's only going to be one winner. It's going to be the workers of Michigan, and America. We're going to win that war," Jimmy Hoffa Jr. said to a heavily union crowd. "President Obama, this is your army. We are ready to march. Let's take these son of bitches out and give America back to an America where we belong," Hoffa added.
Democrat, Hypocrisy, Liberal, Hate, Incitement, Union, Violence, Threats, Oops
US Representative Michael E. Capuano, who decried violent political rhetoric after last month’s fatal shooting rampage in Tucson, said today he regrets urging union workers at a rally in Boston yesterday to “get a little bloody.”
Incitement, Union, Violence, Character
Dennis Duffey, secretary-treasurer of the Ohio State Building & Construction Trades Council (OSBCTC), called for Toledo City Council President Joe McNamara to be “removed, tarred and feathered, or de-nutted” in a January 7 Toledo Blade interview. McNamara, a Democrat, is supporting a different appointee than the labor unions of OSBCTC for a vacant council seat.
Hate, Incitement, Union, Violence, Character, Threats
A speaker at a union protest against right-to-work legislation said if Gov. Rick Snyder signed the bill he would get "no rest" and that protesters would be at his "daughter's soccer game." "Just know one thing, Rick Snyder: You sign that bill, you won't get no rest," Williams said. "We'll meet you on Geddes Road. We'll be at your daughter's soccer game. We'll visit you at your church. We'll be at your office. "Because Michigan workers will not take it laying down — by any means necessary!" he said. Geddes Road is where the Snyder residence is located.
Crime, Incitement, Union, Violence, Character, Academia
The Professors are Judy Ancel, Director of Labor Studies at UMKC and Don Giljum, business manager for the International Union of Operating Engineers at Ameren UE in St. Louis. (Bonus: he is a member of the Communist Party.) In the class, the Professors not only advocate the occasional need for violence and industrial sabotage, they outline specific tactics that can be used. As one of our colleagues pointed out, its the matter-of-factness of it all that is so disturbing.
Hate, Incitement, Union, Violence, Character, Fascism, Academia
Videos showing two University of Missouri instructors apparently advocating for union violence don’t represent the UM System as a whole, a spokeswoman said.
Incitement, Union, Violence, Character, Threats
In Illinois, Trumka told UMW members to “kick the s**t out of every last” worker who crossed his picket lines, according to the Nashville (Ill.) News. And as the National Right to Work Foundation, the leading anti-forced unionism organization in the country, pointed out, other UMW coalfield strikes resulted in what one judge determined were “violent activities … organized, orchestrated and encouraged by the leadership of this union.”
Hate, Union, Violence, Racism
Speaking of which, do you remember the middle-aged white man with the mustache who said that Justice Clarence Thomas should be put "back in the fields," that Justice Samuel Alito "should go back to Sicily," and that Fox News chief Roger Ailes "should be strung up and--but, ah, I don't know. Kill the bastard"? Breitbart has now identified him as Don Wallace, a former president of a public-sector union, the United Firefighters of Los Angeles.