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Wednesday, January 16, 2013

Politics The War on Unions Just Got More Serious

Posted by Paul Constant on Wed, Jan 16, 2013 at 7:58 AM

The Center for Media and Democracy says that FreedomWorks, the embattled organization that pulled the strings on the Tea Party, is now going to be focusing like a laser on unions:

The Tea Party-affiliated group FreedomWorks — the right-wing organization that helps connect “Tea Party” groups with talking points, rallies, and more — is gearing up to direct its sizeable war chest towards advancing anti-union initiatives in the states, supporting an agenda set by groups like David Koch's Americans for Prosperity and the Koch-funded American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC). This strongly suggests that the battle for the future of private and public sector unions in America is beginning a new phase of combat.

This month, FreedomWorks announced "an aggressive grassroots, state-based campaign" for 2013 to "push back against domineering unions," among other plans. The group has been in the midst of turmoil in recent months with former House Majority Leader Dick Armey abruptly resigning after the 2012 elections, in part because of concerns about the ethics of FreedomWorks President Matt Kibbe. In the aftermath of President Barack Obama’s strong showing in battleground states where union members turned out in large numbers against Mitt Romney, Kibbe is apparently prioritizing anti-union advocacy.

Anti-union laws are the only area in which Republicans have been successful pretty much around the country, so this move makes sense; it's probably the best return the Kochs are going to get for their investment. This is terrible news for the American worker.

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Unions are the Enemy of American Prosperity.

Posted by Death to Tyrants on January 16, 2013 at 11:06 AM

Not all those measures have succeeded. Anti-union organizations in California put up initiatives to ban union political contributions just about every election for the past 15-20 years. Not one of those initiatives has passed, despite non-union voters supporting the measure 2-to-1.

Posted by keshmeshi on January 16, 2013 at 11:01 AM

Unions need strength in numbers. Time The Stranger unionizes itself to help the cause, don't you think?

Posted by Cato the Younger Younger on January 16, 2013 at 10:31 AM

All the more reason we desperately need universal healthcare in this country. Given enough time, employers (save the really great ones) won't offer any benefits at all, not even the pittance so many receive now.

Posted by Knat on January 16, 2013 at 10:04 AM

Great.

Posted by treacle on January 16, 2013 at 9:03 AM

@2 "That's because unions truly are a mixed bag."

Employers are truly a mixed bag. So?

Posted by Joe Szilagyi

on January 16, 2013 at 8:49 AM

Great. When are the Stranger writers going to unionize? Or has Tim Keck convinced you that it's in your own best interest not to do so?

Posted by Why are there cars? on January 16, 2013 at 8:39 AM

Unions built the middle class. Teabaggers seek to destroy the middle class for their rich benefactors.

Posted by Pope Peabrain on January 16, 2013 at 8:35 AM

The Boston Tea Party was against labor unions? I thought it was against a large corporation and empire...

Is this the history being taught in Arizona now?

Posted by Former Lurker on January 16, 2013 at 8:29 AM

Anti-union laws are the only area in which Republicans have been successful pretty much around the country

That's because unions truly are a mixed bag. Perhaps the democrats should co-opt national sentiment and push for reforms - e.g., prohibit union contracts that hamper employers abilities to promote/demote employees based on merit. Something like that would greatly improve the quality of policing in Seattle.

Posted by seandr on January 16, 2013 at 8:26 AM

Republicans are also going to keep trying to make it harder for city folk, students and minorities to vote. Where I now live in VA there were places where folks had to wait in lines for five hours in order to vote.

Of course in the suburbs and in the rural areas there were no lines.

Also, Republicans are trying to change how electoral votes are divided. In states like CA they have been trying to make it so electoral votes are divided up by Congressional district as opposed to how it is now, when the winner of CA as a whole takes all the votes.

Of course in Texas they want to keep it as it is now.

They know that there time as a national party is running out and they need to make big permanent changes quick before they are completely out of power on the national level.

Posted by passionate_jus on January 16, 2013 at 8:13 AM