UPDATE: The Plumbers Unions are outraged at Joe the Plumber… read about it here…
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Oh no… looks like Arlen Specter has just been given the kiss of death… death of his political career, that is. Joe the non-plumber, is lobbying Arlen Specter’s on the Employee Free Choice Act.
(h/t Huffington Post)
Americans for Prosperity’s National Save My Ballot Tour Travels to Pennsylvania, Mar. 30-31 Wednesday, March 25th 2009
Americans for Prosperity’s National Save My Ballot Tour Travels to Pennsylvania, Mar. 30-31
Events in Pittsburgh, Harrisburg and Philadelphia will feature special guest speaker Joe the Plumber
AFP urges Senator Sen. Arlen Specter to vote against Employee Free Choice Act
HARRISBURG─ Americans for Prosperity (AFP) will defend workers’ rights to cast secret ballots in Pennsylvania as part of its nationwide Save My Ballot tour in opposition to the Employee Free Choice Act, also known as “card check,” which would strip workers of their rights in union organizing elections.
“Some lawmakers want to abolish private ballot elections through the misnamed Employee Free Choice Act, and allow unions to organize just by collecting signatures on union cards. This would give them the ability to pressure and intimidate workers in public,” said AFP President Tim Phillips. “We support the secret ballot so every worker has the right to vote on such an important matter without coercion or retaliation.”
AFP will be joined by Joe the Plumber in taking its Save My Ballot Tour across Pennsylvania– Pittsburgh, Harrisburg, and Philadelphia– to urge U.S. Senator Arlen Specter to vote against card check legislation.
“Senator Specter may be the deciding vote on this key piece of legislation,” said Phillips. “We need to send him a strong message that the so-called Employee Free Choice Act is an enormous assault on our democratic values and on our rights here in Pennsylvania and across the nation.”
Beginning in North Carolina, the nationwide tour kicked off in Greensboro and Raleigh last month where over 500 citizens urged Senator Kay Hagan to vote ‘no’ on card check legislation. After Pennsylvania, the tour will travel to Virginia and Arkansas.
Speakers will include business, community, and political leaders concerned about what “card check” legislation could do to hurt economic prosperity in Pennsylvania.
All events are free and open to the public. Food will be served.
Now for another point of view… below is a copy of a comment that was posted to the Arlen Specter and the Employee Free Choice Act by EFCANOW:
EFCANOW Says:
March 25, 2009 at 11:27 am e
EFCA Senator Specter A victim of FEAR, Intimidation and Coercion Tactics
by Employee Free Choice Act News
Wednesday Mar 25th, 2009 7:08 AM
Employee Free Choice Act: Senator Specter is No Different than a Worker Faced with an Employer Union Busting FEAR Campaign.
In an essay Senator Specter recently wrote for the Harvard Journal on Legislation, he states that for people like himself, “finding a practical solution is more important than political posturing.” That’s why we’re dismayed by those who say they support the democratic process, yet refuse to allow meaningful debate and a democratic vote on critical legislation like the Employee Free Choice Act.
Yesterday Sen. Arlen Specter (R-Pa.) had a change of heart after he announced that he would support a filibuster this year in an attempt to block the legislation from coming to a Senate floor vote.
What made Senator Specter change his mind after years of supporting cloture and the Employee Free Choice Act?
Surprisingly to most Senator Specter who was a sponsor of the original Employee Free Choice Act in 2003, supported the bill again in 2005 and voted against a Republican filibuster of it in 2007, was the newest victim to feel the wrath of a powerful union busting campaign built on FEAR, Intimidation and Coercion by Corporate Front Groups such as the Coalition for a Democratic Workplace who have embarked on a multi-million dollar public Union Busting campaign, against workers rights, the Employee Free Choice Act and targeted senators in key states that included polling, television, radio, Internet ads and direct mail.
Like most union campaigns workers who originally support unionization are faced with an all out assault by Employers who spend hundreds of thousands of dollars in hiring Union Busting consultants who’s job is to instill FEAR, Intimidation and Coercion tactics in an effort to defeat these workers from forming or joining a union.
Senator Specter who faced a primary from his own republican party caved into the pressure by these Corporate Front Groups NOT because he doesn’t believe in the Employee Free Choice Act and workers rights, NOT because he doesn’t believe in democracy or the right to debate legislation that could improve the lives of millions of working Americans but because the FEAR, Intimidation and Coercion tactics were enough for him to bare.
While labor unions such as the AFL-CIO, SEIU, USW, UAW, Teamsters, Change to Win and the SPFPA continue to fight for The Employee Free Choice Act, which has now become the biggest Union Busting campaign in history, the record will show that Sen. Arlen Specter (R-Pa.) like many workers who originally support unionization, higher wages, better benefits, better working conditions, a voice on the job, can be persuaded to vote against their beliefs if enough FEAR, Intimidation and Coercion tactics and pressure is bestowed upon them either by an Employer or a Corporate Front Group such as the Coalition for a Democratic Workplace.
Senator Specter new position denouncing the Employee Free Choice Act on the senate floor yesterday is just one more reason why both congress and the senate need to pass the Employee Free Choice Act NOW!
For more information on Employer Intimidation and Union-Busting FEAR Tactics Press Below
http://efcanow.blogspot.com/2009/02/just-say-no-to-employee-free-choice-act.html
http://www.TheTruthAboutEFCA.Org
“Americans for Prosperity”… what a name. The Republicans really know how to choose deceptive names for their organizations. Reminds me of the “Clear Skies Act” which in reality added more polution to the air that we breathe. Now if only the Republicans would tell the truth instead of trying to hide their lies.
Organizing for Change 
2 replies on “More on Specter and Employee Free Choice – UPDATEbb”
There are so many employers who will do anything to prevent their employees from organizing.
You folks in PA need to get Specter out of office.
Thanks for this update and the links.
Joe the Plumber…HA! Joe the tax evader is more like it!
Thanks for your support Grandpa Eddie. I’m a committee person and I will be working hard to get a good Democrat to replace Specter. Pennsylvanians are pleased with their choice of Senator Bob Casey Jr. Now we need another good person.