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Kevin Anderson just wanted to earn his Eagle Scout badge. Instead, he’s come under fire from Allentown, Pa.’s biggest union boss who wants to investigate the underage do-gooder after he unknowingly ruffled union feathers.
Anderson has logged in more than 200 hours to clear a 1,000-foot walking path along the Lehigh River. “I decided to do my part in completing this part of the trail,” he told the Morning Call newspaper. “In that way, others could enjoy walking along the river.”
But his good deed has drawn fire from the Service Employees International Union. President Nick Balzano threatened to investigate the 17-year-old high school junior.
“We’ll be looking into the Cub Scout or Boy Scout who did the trails,” he reportedly to the city council.
Last July, the city decided to lay off 39 union members who work in the Public Works and Parks and Recreation departments. And the young Boy Scout was doing work that typically would’ve been handled by union employees.
City Hall has decided to step into the fray as the teenager faces the wrath of a scorned union. “We would hope that the well-intentioned efforts of an Eagle Scout candidate would not be challenged by the union,” Mayor Ed Pawlowski wrote in an e-mail to the local newspaper. “This young man is performing a great service to the community.”
The union boss said he’s not targeting the Boy Scouts and stressed that it’s not personal. Nevertheless, he’s playing hardball.
“No one except union members may pick up a hoe or shovel, plant a flower or clear a walking path,” Balzano said.
In other words, at least in Allentown, the only legal hoe is a union hoe.
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Todd Starnes is a reporter for FOX News Radio and a best-selling author. For more information on Todd, visit his website. Follow him on TWITTER by clicking here.
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Tags: boy scout, Conservative, dipstick, eagle scout, gravy, Todd Starnes, union
The arrogance of American unions is beyond measure. They deserve what they get. Laid off.
What a shame to complain about and possibly investigate this Boy Scout. It would be interesting to find out how many employees the union feels would be needed to do the same work as this one Scout. Then lets compare the productivity of the two groups…
This is why most kids don't bother leaving their basements, much less try to vie for these Eagle Badges. What's the use of doing a good deed if they never go unpunished. And then you wonder why people in Connecticut get run over and just be ignored as they die on the street.
This is NOT the kind of America I want to live in.
How many union members does it take to clear a path?
1 Union steward to oversee the work
2 broom sweepers per 100 ft of path
1 snow blower operator per 500 ft of path if snow is less than 1 inch
1 eq oiler to maintain said snow blower
snow more than 1 inch:
1 front end loader operator per 250 ft of path
1 oiler per said snow blower
1 electrician to keep light plant on.
1 operator if light plant is run by motor larger than 5 horsepower
1 oiler for said light plant
2 light plants per 100 feet of path
3 teamsters to remove the snow and dump in union run snow melting processing unit
Total union members needed:
25 if snow is less than 1 inch
58 if snow is more than 1 inch
and all this done for free by 1 Boy Scout………..
He said, "We may let this one go." Who do these union people think they are? What gives them the right? who gave them the power and the nerve to say "no one" may volunteer to work. Is this who Obama ally himself with?