A Good Old Union Smackdown in Philly

Unions in the City of Brotherly Love have been on the decrease for some time now. The few union shops around are protecting their ground like Mikey Moore protects the last three donuts in the box that was once a dozen.

Now we're starting to see some of that good old philly union sparring again:

Police are investigating the beating of five union organizers, and whether the attack was carried out by two dozen members of a union that wants to represent the same US Airways workers.

Two men were treated at Methodist Hospital after the attack Wednesday morning at the Philadelphia Airport Marriott hotel. Bottles and chairs were thrown during the attack against organizers from the Transport Workers Union, said Capt. Michael Sinclair of the Southwest Detective Division.

"There has not been violence on this scale in air labor affairs for close to 50 years," James Little, acting TWU president, said in a statement. "Wednesday's attack is a throwback to an era that should have been closed long ago."

Police were looking at hotel videotapes and trying to determine whether the attackers were from the International Association of Machinists, which represents US Airways baggage handlers in Philadelphia.

The unions are competing over which will represent all 6,600 baggage handlers at US Airways, which merged last year with America West Airlines.

That's what I'm talking about! A union smackdown in the middle of the friggin' airport Mariott. Chairs flying and everything. Bottles being heaved and people ending up in the hospital. That's what I'm talking about!

By the way Mr. Little, unions are a throwback to an era that should have been closed long ago.