Big Labor's Wish List, and How They Plan to Get it
The political machine that is organized labor is revving up its PACs in preparation for the 2010 election cycle. Unions are some of the most influential interest groups donating millions to federal and state races every year. Since 1989, seven out of the ten largest campaign donors are labor unions. 2010 looks to be no different with unions already donating $18,989,842 to federal candidates as of November 8, 2009.
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To summarize:
Unions donated: $18,989,842
Total to Democrats: $17,690,142 (93%)
Total to Republicans: $1,286,700 (7%)
Number of PACs making contributions: 55
Union’s clout on Capitol Hill did not come cheap, but things are changing. With union membership declining and public opinion at historic lows, big labor knows that its road back to power runs through the federal government. After receiving the vast majority of labor’s money, Democrats have become the loudest advocates for big labor proposing heaps of labor-friendly legislation.
In the spirit of the season, the Alliance for Worker Freedom compiled a list of bills that would slant workforce rules in union’s favor- a Christmas wish list if you will.
Undoubtedly, at the top of labor’s wish list is the Employee Free Choice Act:
H.R. 1409/ S. 560- Employee Free Choice Act of 2009 (EFCA)
Common Name: “Employee Free Choice Act”
Introduced by: Rep. George Miller (D-CA)/ Sen. Edward Kennedy (D-MA)
Cosponsors: 288/ 40
What it will do: Replace secret ballot on unionization elections with “card check”; Create additional employer penalties for unfair labor practices; and Create mandatory arbitration when parties disagree on union contract. (as far as I can tell from the summery, it will still do all of these things.)
Last Action: H.R.1490 Apr 29, 2009: Referred to the Subcommittee on Health, Employment, Labor, and Pensions; S. 560 Mar 10, 2009: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
Click here to see the rest of labor’s coveted legislation.
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Big labor continues to advance its goals while throwing individual union members' preferences under the bus. Unions take money from their workers in union dues and then spend them on political campaigns which INDIVIDUAL union members may oppose Certainly less than 93% of union members are Democratic and yet Democrats receive nearly all union contributions.
>> Joe December 15, 2009 15:38 pm
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