Labor Of Politics (AFL-CIO Cares More About Democrats Than Workers Alert)

Opinionjournal.com ^ | 03/04/05 | WSJ Editorial Staff

[goldstategop]

Over the years, however, and especially on Mr. Sweeney's watch, they became much less interested in the creation of private-sector jobs.

Instead, they became part of the ideological left and its regulatory and high-tax agenda. So instead of favoring oil drilling in Alaska, which would create thousands of new middle-class jobs, Mr. Sweeney's shop leaned toward the rich liberals of the Sierra Club. And while many union members are cultural conservatives, the AFL-CIO has spent its scarce political capital fighting conservative judges. No wonder millions of workers look at union organizers and shrug.

[goldstategop]

This paragraph says it all about why the AFL-CIO is in decline. When it catered to Democrats and rich liberals, it stopped listening to workers. No wonder union organizers are having a hard time organizing the workplace. The message working people are getting is Big Labor doesn't want to help create new high paying jobs, make health care more affordable or allow people to own their own retirement. After all the AFL-CIO's bosses have those swank digs in Washington. Reform? We don't need no steenken' reform. The middle class can go fend for itself.

(Denny Crane: "Sometimes you can only look for answers from God and failing that... and Fox News".)

[GeronL]

40% of those forced to join unions voted for Republicans, yet their dues goes to Democrats. The SCOTUS, if it were in its right mind, or the Congress if they had a backbone, would make it law that union political contributions must be collected separate from dues and it must be totally voluntary

[goldstategop]

Yep. To make matters worse, the dues members pay doesn't go to union organizing activities or to work related responsibilities the union is there for. When it goes to the Democrats - well who needs a forced political action committee subsidiary of the Democratic Party? If union members want to donate to a political party, that should be the subject of a separate fee. It would keep unions honest.

(Denny Crane: "Sometimes you can only look for answers from God and failing that... and Fox News".)

[GeronL]

and another large funding source of liberalism is government... your taxes

They ain't getting their money voluntary

[orangelobster]

The unions have become a subsidiary of the democratic party. The rank and file needs to take back the unions. John Sweeney, the head of the afl-cio is an unapologetic socialist. He seems to be on the ropes at the moment, but his potential predecessers don't look like they would be any improvement.

[jmaroneps37]

Now is the time for heavy duty enforcement of "Beck"!!!!!