Specter’s about-face could doom Employee Free Choice Act

By Jason Hancock 3/25/09 12:10 PM

When news broke that U.S. Sen. Arlen Specter, R-Penn., had officially reversed his position on legislation he once co-sponsored making it easier for labor unions to organize, a prediction from Iowa’s senior senator seemed to be proven right.

Two weeks ago, Iowa Republican Sen. Charles Grassley said the bill, known as the Employee Free Choice Act (EFCA), would never become law because his fellow Republicans would filibuster it. That contradicted Iowa’s Democratic senator, Tom Harkin, who said the measure would have the 60 votes necessary to overcome the filibuster.

Many believe the Democrats’ hopes of passing EFCA rested with Specter, a moderate Republican who has long been seen as essential to reach the magic number of 60 votes needed to overcome Republican filibusters. Specter was one of three Republican who supported President Barack Obama’s economic stimulus package and one of eight to support the federal omnibus appropriations bill.

Grassley said there are “41 Republicans sticking together against it,” and Specter’s change of heart seems to have made that statement a reality.

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EFCANOW

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...

www.TheTruthAboutEFCA.Org

http://efcanow.blogspot.com/

Tags: Arlen Specter, Employee Free Choice Act, Free Choice Act, Employee Free Choice, EFCA, Sen. Specter, Free Choice, Employee Free Choice Act Information, FEAR, Intimidation, Coercion, union busting, union avoidance, Corporate Front Groups, Employer Intimidation, Coalition for a Democratic Workplace, AFL-CIO, SEIU, USW, UAW, Teamsters, Change to Win, SPFPA

RegularJoe

Way to go, Chuck. It's no surprise to see that 35 years inside the Beltway has you fighting against Iowa's working families. It's long past time you came home.

Specter’s about-face could doom Employee Free Choice Act

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