Right-to-work group gains in fundraising
Still, proponents of Amendment 47 trail in the race for money
By David Milstead, Rocky Mountain News (Contact)
Tuesday, July 8, 2008
Proponents of a right-to-work ballot initiative raised more than twice as much money in recent weeks as their labor opponents but still trail significantly in the money race.
A Better Colorado, a group formed to promote right-to-work Amendment 47, raised $355,313 in the period from May 27 to July 2.
The Free Enterprise Alliance, the issue-advocacy arm of national trade group Associated Builders and Contractors, gave $154,692. Colorado Citizens for Change, an anonymous nonprofit, gave $195,000.
Colorado Citizens for Change, which also gave $200,000 earlier in the year, is funded entirely by CoorsTek, said Kelley Harp, spokesman for A Better Colorado. Jonathan Coors, part of the family that founded Coors Brewing, is CoorsTek's government relations director.
Amendment 47 opponent Protect Colorado's Future, a coalition of labor unions and other groups, raised $177,727 during the same period, with the AFL-CIO contributing $47,000.
For the year to date, however, Protect Colorado's Future has raised four times as much as the right-to-work advocates. Protect Colorado's Future reports $2.23 million in contributions while A Better Colorado has raised $555,799.
The Service Employees International Union and its affiliates have given nearly $800,000 to the group.
Other union contributors include the Colorado Council of Teamsters at $250,000; the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers at $206,038; and the Colorado Federation of Teachers, at more than $190,507.
Protect Colorado's Future plans to combat Amendment 47 while also collecting signatures for two labor-friendly ballot initiatives. A corporate-fraud initiative expands executive liability and the ability of Coloradans to sue companies after a fraud. Another initiative limits employers' ability to terminate employees.
Through July 2, Protect Colorado's Future has spent $1,372,679 and has $853,151 on hand. A Better Colorado has spent $306,446 and has $249,353 on hand.
Finance editor David Milstead can be reached at 303-954-2648 or milstead@RockyMountainNews.com.
Who's giving what
* Significant donors to A Better Colorado:
Colorado Citizens for Change (CoorsTek) $395,000
Free Enterprise Alliance $154,692
* Significant donors to Protect Colorado's Future:
Service Employees International Union and affiliates $790,891
Colorado Council of Teamsters $250,000
International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers $206,038
Colorado Federation of Teachers $190,507
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July 9, 2008
6:56 a.m.
Suggest removal
MrJim writes:
If the unions oppose it, it must be a good idea.
July 9, 2008
8:23 a.m.
Suggest removal
jacka writes:
Vote YES on Amendment 47
YES on 47 for fair, sustainable and responsible reform for the rest of Colorado.
July 9, 2008
8:24 a.m.
Suggest removal
jacka writes:
YES on 47 AFFIRMS THAT COLORADANS CAN'T BE FORCED TO JOIN A UNION.
Amendment 47 text from State website:
Be it Enacted by the People of the State of Colorado:
SECTION 1. Article XVIII of the constitution of the state of Colorado is amended BY THE ADDITION OF A NEW SECTION to read:
Section 16. Right to work.
(1) THIS AMENDMENT SHALL BE KNOWN AND MAY BE CITED AS THE "COLORADO RIGHT TO WORK AMENDMENT".
(2)(a) NO PERSON SHALL, AS A CONDITION OF EMPLOYMENT, BE REQUIRED TO:
(I) BE A MEMBER OF A LABOR UNION; AND
(II) PAY ANY DUES, FEES, ASSESSMENTS, OR OTHER CHARGES OF ANY KIND TO A LABOR UNION OR TO ANY CHARITY OR OTHER THIRD PARTY, IN LIEU OF SUCH PAYMENTS.
(2)(b) NOTHING IN THIS SECTION SHALL PREVENT ANY PERSON FROM VOLUNTARILY BELONGING OR VOLUNTARILY PROVIDING FINANCIAL SUPPORT TO A LABOR UNION.
(3) ANY PERSON WHO DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY VIOLATES ANY PROVISION OF THIS SECTION COMMITS A MISDEMEANOR AND UPON CONVICTION THEREOF SHALL BE PUNISHED BY A FINE IN AN AMOUNT EQUIVALENT TO THE MOST STRINGENT MISDEMEANOR CLASSIFICATION PROVIDED BY LAW.
(4) THIS SECTION SHALL APPLY TO ALL UNION EMPLOYMENT CONTRACTS ENTERED INTO AFTER THE EFFECTIVE DATE OF THIS SECTION AND SHALL APPLY TO ANY RENEWAL OR EXTENSION OF ANY EXISTING UNION CONTRACT.
(5) AS USED IN THIS SECTION, "LABOR UNION" MEANS ANY ORGANIZATION OF ANY KIND, OR AGENCY OR EMPLOYEE REPRESENTATION COMMITTEE OR ORGANIZATION, THAT EXISTS FOR THE PURPOSE, IN WHOLE OR IN PART, OF DEALING WITH EMPLOYERS CONCERNING WAGES, RATES OF PAY, HOURS OF WORK, OTHER CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT, OR OTHER FORMS OF COMPENSATION; ANY ORGANIZATION THAT EXISTS FOR THE PURPOSE OF COLLECTIVE BARGAINING OR OF DEALING WITH EMPLOYERS CONCERNING GRIEVANCES; AND ANY ORGANIZATION PROVIDING OTHER MUTUAL AID OR PROTECTION IN CONNECTION WITH EMPLOYMENT.
SECTION 2. Effective date. This amendment shall take effect upon proclamation of the vote by the governor.
July 9, 2008
8:30 a.m.
Suggest removal
jacka writes:
Forced Unionization - Corruption - Harassment - Politics - Forced Dues - Sole Source Deals - Loss of the Secret Ballot
YES on Amendment 47, says no to forced union dues and forced union membership.
YES on Initiative 53, protects your paycheck.
YES on Initiative 59, stops government sole-source deals tied to campaign contributions.
Don't let Politicians - Union Bosses - CEOs force their decisions on you! Join state workers in their Right to Work.
YES on 47 for your Right to Work.
July 9, 2008
8:56 a.m.
Suggest removal
jacka writes:
http://www.unionfacts.com/
*** Use of Dues for Politics ***
Union members who don't want their dues used for a political cause with which they disagree or consider offensive should learn more about their Rights or lack of Rights.
Every day, millions of union members have money taken from their paychecks to support some union presidents' political agenda. In 1996, Rutgers economics professor Leo Troy estimated that union political expenditures totaled about $500 million in each election cycle. More recently, the National Institute for Labor Relations Research estimated that total union political expenditures reached $925 million in the 2004 cycle. Over time, this has added up: According to The Center for Responsive Politics, eight of the top ten all-time political contributors are labor unions.
Labor leaders have made the use of employee money for political causes a popular practice — but it's far less popular among the public and the members themselves.
Use of Member Money for Politics is Unpopular and Misunderstood
Use of members' money for political goals was second only to corruption as the reasons Americans disapproved of unions, according to a 2004 Zogby poll.
That poll also found that 63 percent of all employees, and 61 percent of unionized employees, agreed that union members shouldn't be forced to contribute.
A McLaughlin & Associates poll indicated that 67 percent of workers were unaware of their right to withhold mandatory dues for politics.
*** Against Members' Politics ***
CNN exit polls showed that 38 percent of union members voted for President Bush in the 2004 election, but more than 95 percent of union funds went to support Democratic presidential candidate Sen. John Kerry.
A 1999 Zogby poll found a majority of union members—nearly 55 percent—thought people should be given a choice of investing their Social Security taxes in some form of personal retirement accounts. But union officials spent millions of dollars to oppose private accounts in the Social Security system.
In 1992, the Teamsters reportedly gave a massive amount of political money to the presidential candidate it knew its membership did not support. According to author Duke Zeller, "As for the actual amount of Teamster money poured into the Clinton-Gore campaign, Gene Giacumbo, a former elected member of [former Teamsters president Ron] Carey's board, believes the total figure to be even higher. 'Carey himself bragged to me that the union gave $56 million to Clinton,' he confirmed, 'and this was after an independent, outside poll the union paid for showed the membership responses preferred Perot, then Bush, with Clinton in third place.'"
July 9, 2008
9:02 a.m.
Suggest removal
jacka writes:
Shouldn't the rest of Colorado enjoy the workplace protections that State of Colorado employees have...the Right to Work?
Ask those politicians and CEOs who say no why they don't you want to Vote YES to give similar workplace protections to their citizens, their employees and and youself.
Politicians/Business Leaders --- why don't you want the rest of Colorado to enjoy the choice to join or not join the Union?
YES 47 for responsible, fair and sustainable workplace choice.
August 13, 2008
6:03 p.m.
Suggest removal
Vspackles writes:
Colorado does'nt need another constitutional amendment. Jacka needs to slow down on his blogging and start doing some research.The statistics prove that an initative like this will destroy Colorados middle class economy.