Big Labor's Payback

Washington Times ^ | March 1, 2007 | Representative Tom Price

[RWR8189]

Not even two months into the new Congress, the bipartisan facade of the highly poll-tested, heavily orchestrated first 100 hours is a distant memory. The real agenda of the new Democratic majority is coming to light, and many of the special interests that helped rally support for Democratic candidates during the last election cycle are lining up to cash in.

At the front of the line: Big Labor. According to the Center for Responsive Politics, organized labor gave nearly $60 million in hard-dollar PAC contributions to Democratic candidates in the last election cycle — with tens of millions more for "get out the vote" efforts piled on top. So what are they getting for their efforts? Nothing less than an unabashed attempt to destroy one of democracy's most sacred rights.

The fact is, organized labor has seen its best days. It's hemorrhaging members at a steady pace — losing 325,000 members last year, down to 12 percent nationwide. That's quite a fall from 20 percent a quarter-century ago and a 35 percent high-water mark in the 1950s. But even last year's dismal number is inflated by the sole bright spot for unions — government employees, 36 percent of whom are unionized. In the private sector alone, where Big Labor's bread was buttered for decades, union membership has dropped to a meager 7.4 percent.

[scan59]

President Bush will veto it and the Democrats will claim Republicans don't care for worker's rights. In the meantime, the liberal sheeple will just listen to the sound bites and not have a clue about what the whole thing was about.

[rhombus]

Employee Free Choice Bill!! Orwell would have been proud.

[subterfuge]

union membership has dropped to a meager 7.4 percent. Faced with this reality, union bosses have reverted to full panic mode. And after they helped usher into Congress a new Democratic majority, they see a small window of opportunity; one final, desperate attempt to stop the bleeding. That window has taken the form of the cleverly worded Employee Free Choice Act, which strips workers of their right to a secret ballot in union recognition elections. Instead, it would force workers to submit to a "card check" — a process that places them at risk of intimidation, coercion and threats from labor bosses, all to get them to sign a card to demonstrate their "support" for unionization.

[Realism]

The fact is, organized labor has seen its best days. It's hemorrhaging members at a steady pace — losing 325,000 members last year.

A product of NAFTA, etc...

I'm all for collective bargaining - short of it's abuse by corrupt representatives, politician's and greed.

[Jacquerie]

This is just another illustration of the Democrat Party's devotion to our rights. Said rights will be defended as long as they do not interfere with their quest for power. If they do, they will be cast aside.

[gas0linealley]

According to the Center for Responsive Politics, organized labor gave nearly $60 million in hard-dollar PAC contributions to Democratic candidates in the last election cycle — with tens of millions more for "get out the vote" efforts piled on top.

Organized labor: bloodied, but not beaten.