Posted on 10/06/2005 4:19:38 PM PDT by Moose Dung
Unions face tough fight on Prop. 75
SACRAMENTO - As they mobilize to defeat a ballot measure that could sharply limit their political activities, unions are finding one of their toughest jobs is persuading their own members to oppose it.
Proposition 75 on the Nov. 8 special-election ballot would prohibit public-employee unions from using dues for political purposes without written consent from members.
-snip-
Close Race
The union survey by San Francisco pollster David Binder sampled 777 AFL-CIO-affiliated union members. Initially, they split 47 percent in favor of the measure to 46 percent against.
After being told that unions were losing power to corporations and that Proposition 75 was part of the governor's ``attack on union benefits,'' 34 percent favored the measure, while 52 percent opposed it.
Union strategists say Binder's poll does not reflect the views of public-employee unions that are not affiliated with the AFL-CIO, such as the California Teachers Association, which has been fighting the governor over education spending all year.
In a CTA survey of its members from early September, 32 percent supported Proposition 75 and 62 percent opposed it, according to Diane Feldman, a CTA pollster. After giving arguments for and against the measure, she said, support dropped to 18 percent, while opposition rose to 74 percent.
However, with 2 million members statewide, the AFL-CIO dwarfs the CTA, which has 335,000 members. About one in five California voter households has at least one union member.
Privately, union organizers say lack of enthusiasm for the special election, combined with fatigue among union and Democratic volunteers, who have faced an election every year since 2002, is making their job harder.
(Excerpt) Read more at mercurynews.com ...
SACRAMENTO - As they mobilize to defeat a ballot measure that could sharply limit their political activities, unions are finding one of their toughest jobs is persuading their own members to oppose it.
Proposition 75 on the Nov. 8 special-election ballot would prohibit public-employee unions from using dues for political purposes without written consent from members.
And just like the last time this issue was put to a popular vote, many union members support the measure on its face, seeing it as an issue of basic fairness.
``I think it's an excellent idea,'' said David Bennett, a 39-year-old carpenter from Gilroy, who said he doesn't pay attention to the information his union sends him. ``You should know where your money is going.''
A poll commissioned by the unions in mid-August, before they began their television ad campaign against the measure, found their members were evenly split over Proposition 75.
Union officials say these numbers will change as they get their message out, but they acknowledge having to work hard: sending organizers to job sites, calling members at home and sending them e-mail, printed mail and DVDs.
``There's a natural reaction -- `sounds logical' -- until you dig down a little deeper,'' said Neil Struthers, CEO of the Building Trades Council of Santa Clara and San Benito Counties.
Linking governor to measure
Union leaders, who consider the proposal an attack on all organized labor, are trying to sway members against the ballot measure by saying it will empower Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, who has endorsed Proposition 75, to cut union benefits. The governor's campaign says that is untrue.
Union campaign workers say linking the governor to the ballot measure is one of the best ways to undermine it.
``My co-workers may not know the exact specifics of 75,'' said Erik Larsen, a neighborhood organizer with the city of San Jose who has been volunteering with the union effort against the measure. ``But Schwarzenegger's got a bad rap.''
Unions say 75 will weaken them while leaving corporations free to spend on political campaigns. They cite numbers from the 2004 federal election showing business interests outspent unions 24 to 1. But in this election, it is the unions that are out-raising Schwarzenegger and his business contributors 2 to 1. Large corporations have publicly shied away from financial backing for the measure, but the state Republican Party has contributed, as has a coalition of wealthy businessmen and anti-tax advocates.
Close Race
The union survey by San Francisco pollster David Binder sampled 777 AFL-CIO-affiliated union members. Initially, they split 47 percent in favor of the measure to 46 percent against.
After being told that unions were losing power to corporations and that Proposition 75 was part of the governor's ``attack on union benefits,'' 34 percent favored the measure, while 52 percent opposed it.
Union strategists say Binder's poll does not reflect the views of public-employee unions that are not affiliated with the AFL-CIO, such as the California Teachers Association, which has been fighting the governor over education spending all year.
In a CTA survey of its members from early September, 32 percent supported Proposition 75 and 62 percent opposed it, according to Diane Feldman, a CTA pollster. After giving arguments for and against the measure, she said, support dropped to 18 percent, while opposition rose to 74 percent.
However, with 2 million members statewide, the AFL-CIO dwarfs the CTA, which has 335,000 members. About one in five California voter households has at least one union member.
Privately, union organizers say lack of enthusiasm for the special election, combined with fatigue among union and Democratic volunteers, who have faced an election every year since 2002, is making their job harder.
Majority support
No public polls have come out since the unions began their television ad campaign against Proposition 75 early last month. Those done earlier show that Proposition 75 is the only measure to enjoy majority support in an election that voters are viewing with weary skepticism.
Art Pulaski, executive secretary-treasurer of the California Labor Federation, said that six years ago, unions defeated a similar measure, Proposition 226, despite even stronger initial support from its members and from the public at large.
He said the measure ultimately became so controversial that it drove union members to the polls.
``In Proposition 226, we had what we think is the highest percentage-wise turnout in any election,'' he said.
But changing people's minds is time consuming, union organizers say, and they face more voter apathy this year than they did in 1998, when Proposition 226 was part of a regularly scheduled election that featured a contested Democratic primary for governor.
``You really have to engage in conversation with people,'' said Larsen, the city of San Jose worker. ``It's work, I'll tell you that.''
Yeah, it's so much easier just to hijack their dues by fiat and decide what political ratholes to flush them down.
A blurb I heard on the way in this a.m. says now 40% of the teacher's union membership identify themselves as conservatives and fully 35% state that the only reason they joined was because it was a requirement to get a job.
Vote yes on prop 75. The union member should have a choice if he wants a percentage of his dues to support a PAC or not. It is the union member's choice not the union's.
Problem with any prop in California they always endup in court and never get implemented. Will of the people is never accepted by losers
hope UN members vote yes on 75. Some of the monthly fliers I see are full of misleading information. Our neighbor said they are really pushing to get members behind them.
I thought it was already illegal for unions to use dues for anything other that collective bargaining and administrative costs.
Thanks for highlighting this issue Moose.
It's puzzles me how anyone in their right mind, union or not, can vote against an individual having a voice in where their dues money goes politicaly.
I'm a Fire Fighter and an ex union member of ten years and fighting union political abuse is my bag.
Facts to ponder:
In a recent article written by Harold Schaitberger, President of the International Association of Fire Fighters and leader in the AFL CIO, 33 Percent of AFL CIO members are registered Republicans / 29% Registered Democrats.
The AFL CIO donates nearly 100% of its PAC funds to Democratic candidates.
Harold Schaitberger states that 44% of Fire Fighter Union members are registered Republicans while 29% are registered Democrats.
78% of PAC funds go to the Democratic party. These are the most bipartisan of the bunch. What you find if you investigate the candidates is none of these funds have been donated in close races. They will support a Republican if they are a sure winner in order to buy political favor.
Closing:
Union supporters like to state that only PAC funds can be used for political activities not union dues. This is a bunch of horse pucky.
Harold Schaitberger drew a $240,000 salary and spent hundreds of thousands of dollars for expenses from dues money working as John Kerry's co chair campaign manager. He stated emphatically that it was his mission in 03 to get Kerry elected. It was obvious that nearly 100% of his efforts went into the election. He did this while the majority of the members where supporting the opposing candidate.
Dues money was funneled from around the country to swing states to fund activists manning phone boths and passing out fliers.
For those who say dues money can't be used for politics, the most glaring counter argument is the fact that the SEIU and the Teamsters pulling out of the AFL CIO because an excess amount of dues money was being funneled into legislative activity instead of being used to grow the membership.(Their Words)
We need a federal law similar to Prop 75.
A bargaining entity should not be allowed to abuse the membership politically.
Unions sell legislators on collective bargaining stating it is a workers right. In a recent article by my department's union president he states that negotiating a contract is a privaledge earned by union members.
For individuals like myself, be a union member and pay 50% or more of your dues to outside political entities you don't believe in or agree with or you can't access your basic rights to negotiate and vote on a contract. Of course I say stick your union dues where the sun doesn't shine.
We should take it a step further and end this whole mess.
It should be a federal law that a local bargaining entity can not force a member to fund outside organizations in order to be a member of the bargaining entity.
I'm getting off my Soap Box!
Keep up the good work
UP with PROP 75!!!!
Just damn.
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