For Union Folks

[Broderick]

Being that Unions' (considering the news today) are clearly supported by Democrats and vice versa - would you vote to have union dues increased to fight the good fight necessary to retain workers' rights? My feeling is that we need to increase positive Union messaging and we need to support Democrat candidates at every opportunity. We can't afford a Republican Senate and Presidency! It takes money and advertising to win.

[peacebird]

1. can non-union folk who support the unions get in on that action and donate in any way?

[Broderick]

3. That is a given

But one large sector of funding is contributions from Unions! They are under assault, and with the unions goes America.

[Little Star]

8. Well, I still have the same question....

Can non-union folks get in on the action????

In other words is there a way for non-union member to donate through unions to help them fight this battle?

[Broderick]

9. I have no clue how to donate to a union's cause

but if that is what you are thinking, that is huge! It would help in so many ways.

[Little Star]

11. I have always wondered why the unions didn't set up a way..

for union supporters who are not members to donate for political causes.

Just never heard of a way to do it. I bet many would like to help make labor politics stronger if there was a way and people knew about it.

[Broderick]

12. They need to listen to you. To us.

[Omaha Steve]

10. YES

https://afl.salsalabs.com/o/4007/c/575/t/2264/shop/custom.jsp?donate_page_KEY=36&Tracking_Code=donor_webdonate

Donate to Working America

More members and resources mean more power. With your help, we can hire more organizers to fight on the ground for issues that matter. In 2010 alone, we:

* Had nearly a million in-person conversations;
* Generated more than 300,000 letters, phone calls, petitions, emails and faxes to policy-makers and corporate bad guys; and
* Led the fight for financial regulation, exposed job outsourcing and battled unemployment.

Our country needs a working family agenda—not a corporate agenda. Thank you for your support in the fight to take America back for working families.

https://afl.salsalabs.com/o/4007/c/575/t/2264/shop/custom.jsp?donate_page_KEY=36&Tracking_Code=donor_webdonate

[Little Star]

13. Thank You. So this is run by aflcio? They need to be more..

aggressive in marketing this to us supporters. Or am I the only one who never knew of a way for supporters to donate?

[sabrina 1]

17. No, I didn't know either and wondered the same thing recently.

Thanks for asking the question.

That is good to know, and I agree with you, they should make it more public that supporters can donate to them.

[Little Star]

16. OK Steve I just went to the link and now see how it works and that

it is the aflcio. Thanks again. Now I'm gonna go donate.

[Omaha Steve]

47. You can also JOIN this group

Dues are voluntary.

[TexasProgresive]

52. Steve answer a question for me

I was under the impression that union dues can not be used for political action. My union CWA has a PAC called COPE which I voluntarily contribute.

Being a right to work state membership in the union is not mandatory but those non members get all the same benefits. Some say they don't want to pay dues because they don't support the political views of the union. I always countered that it was illegal for dues to go to political action - that's why we have COPE. Of course they did not join the union because that was just an excuse for being assholes.(my bad!)

[proud2BlibKansan]

56. Yes, it's illegal. Unions have to maintain separate funds.

So yes, you can donate money for political purposes but your union can't use your dues money for political purposes.

[TexasProgresive]

58. Thanks, It is something that needs to be out there

People have the idea that dues in closed shop states are used for political purposes. Not that I would care but it gives them something to grip about that isn't true. Oh, wait, these people don't need a reason or the truth.

[TexasProgresive]

53. Delete-never believe when it says it failed to post.

[peacebird]

54. thank you Omaha Steve! We'll donate tonight!

cheers!

[bemildred]

2. As long a there is corporate money in politics, there should be union money in politics. nt

[Broderick]

4. There is both, but the unions are under assault

from the Media and from many groups supporting Republicans that want to kill unions. So many people have no clue, even not part of a union, how unions positively affect their lives. They need an aggressive campaign to sell the merits of unions.

[War Horse]

5. Of course there should!

[bemildred]

6. And lots of it. nt

[Broderick]

7. Investment to fight!

11 Yah!

gitty up.


I hope there are a lot more. The union leaders need to know the support is solid.

[proud patriot]

14. I've already done this, It's called the victory club in our Union

I give extra every pacheck for this purpose.

[Broderick]

22. Thanks for the information

[proud patriot]

55. sure

[War Horse]

15. I voted "yes", but

The sad fact is that many who are otherwise supportive would freak out over the words "dues" and "increased", as they are just barely making it - or worse.

Which is one of the reasons why we need unions in the first place, of course...

[Little Star]

19. Read what post #14 says about the way their union does it..

that way no one would freak out over the words "dues" and "increased.

[Broderick]

20. It's gonna get worse especially in the public sector

if the message isn't won.

[Broderick]

28. We can win this message

How many pro-union ads have you heard?

END THIS RIGHT TO WORK SCOURGE??

I get so mad.

[Edweird]

18. I'm union - IBEW - and have seen no evidence of this 'support' you allege and much to the contrary.

From where I stand Obama's actions do not match his words. He does not support workers in general or unions specifically. He made plenty of seemingly pro-union and pro-worker statements on the campaign trail that he contradicted in policy and action. Any speech on his part at this point is completely without credibility unless supported by decisive RESULTS.

[Broderick]

21. DID YOU HEAR HOFFA TODAY????

[Occulus]

25. Of course we did.

I and many others do not agree with Hoffa and certainly don't align ourselves with him.

I still will not be voting for Obama in 2012.

[Broderick]

29. Gonna vote for Palin or Perry I presume!!

"I still will not be voting for Obama in 2012."


Shame on you for voting against the middle class.

[Edweird]

26. What does that have to do with anything? Talk is cheap. Obama has shown his contempt for workers

through his actions and failures to act repeatedly. I have no interest in ANYTHING ANYONE has to *SAY* about it. What's done is done and this is all campaign bullshit that will be forgotten right after it is spoken.

[Broderick]

30. So vote against the middle class.

I can't stop you. Your vote is yours. Vote for Palin or Perry. Destruction of this country, and workers rights is some people's goal I guess.

[Edweird]

31. It appears to be Obama's goal as well. His left-ish rhetoric does not reconcile with his RW policies

[Broderick]

32. It's re-election time and the sediment is against

his bid. Put all your energy into the election and his force will be one to reckon with.


That is the problem with the short stays of execution in presidential elections. They have no time to accomplish things. He did so much. All he needs is another term without the hindrance of re-election.

[Edweird]

33. There's a REASON why the 'sediment' is against his bid - his endless RW policies!

What part of that is confusing you? Had he followed through with his campaign rhetoric the 'sediment' would be overwhelmingly in his favor. His actions have spoken so loud that I cannot hear what he says (my apologies to Emerson).

[Broderick]

35. how many times has his list been posted here, of his accomplishments

You are so half glass empty you make me thirsty.

[Edweird]

41. "The List" is quantity over quality. It's feel good BS. The stuff that matters to me and

people like me are where Obama's actions and failures to act have shown us where his priorities are. But, hey, don't sweat it. I'm just part of a teeny-tiny insignificant fringe left. The fact that all the union members I know in person do NOT support Obama is a meaningless anecdote to be dismissed. We all know 77593933732832980340383748494030938% of Liberals just love Obama to death and he will coast to re-election victory handily.

[Bluebear]

37. The "sediment" :)

[Name removed]

39. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Bluebear]

43. I thought it was an autocorrect error. Sheesh are you humorless!

Adios

[Name removed]

49. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Supply Side Jesus]

42. exactley

this is all lip service.

it's labor day so they are going to pander today.


it's all the same bullshit we've heard for 20 years

[mulsh]

23. An injury against one is an injury against all is more than a slogan

to this union man.

[Broderick]

27. And Wisconsin was a distraction

to resources, a good distraction because it is the fight that needs to go on (and we won, as three lumps lost the special elections), but other states have done worse and plan to do worse while unions are focused in the North. It takes money to fight, sad fact of life in America, but if everyone just contributed a lot more in dues and people were able to help the unions fight the publicity onslaught - while we elect those through advertising the benefits - we can ALL win!

[NNN0LHI]

44. We need more union people who think the way you do

:toast:

[Broderick]

24. Why oh why oh why

didn't we hand the unions GM??? If the government wasn't going to keep it, then why give it back to the fat cats???????????

[WHEN CRABS ROAR]

34. You only win by fighting back, nothing is given freely.

[Broderick]

38. one word

fight. Let's give the president and the Democrats the ability to fight fairly


Raise the dues, spend more on campaigns and lets put fire where fire needs to apply.


RAISE the UNION DUES. There is but a smidgen of union members that would disagree and the vote here tells me that. Hoffa needs to read this thread.

[demosincebirth]

36. Only if I knew, specifically, that it was going to elect Labor friendly candidates. I'm not

that gullible. I've been a union member for forty years.

[Broderick]

40. 21-4 HOFFA the ARMY is THERE! GO!

and I know I can't get support to take it further, but the American People WANT

One payer in health care. (insurance companies pay the HIGHEST CEO pay anywhere))

More union dues to combat the Corporate funded anti-union message

And more money in democrat coffers to elect democrats.


We can win this. Obama needs the support of the agenda he wanted. re-elections and corporate money is fucking us.

[marybourg]

45. Rec for tha afl/cio website! nt.

[JVS]

46. Other: I support an increase in dues, but I don't think most democratic politicians are a good...

investment of that money. I'd rather see the money used for more unionization drives and to better support strike funds. If democratic politicians want union money, they're going to have to make a few moves first.

[Starry Messenger]

48. ^This^

[Claudia Jones]

50. none of the above

It was always a mistake to plow money into political campaigns.

"Increase positive Union messaging" and "support Democrat candidates" are not always the same thing, as we can see by hundreds of posts right here the past couple of days.

Raise more money? Yes, but for organizing and increasing membership, not for lining the pockets of politicians who then can take us for granted and sell us out.

[James48]

51. Solidarity forever

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kYiKdJoSsb8

[LWolf]

57. I already pay $89 dollars a month in union dues.

How does that stack up against other unions?

[Broderick]

59. Not sure

[LWolf]

60. I'm willing to pay my fair share to do what it takes.

That $89 feels like quite a bit. My association has endorsed Obama, who is not a friend to my profession.

I don't mind paying, but I want the NEA to fight for me, not endorse a neo-liberal who backs destructive education policy.

[Betty88]

62. mine are about $75 a month nt

[pintobean]

61. Mandatory campaign contributions?

Fuck that.

[Broderick]

63. It pretty much already is don't you agree?

The unions pour a lot of money into campaigns. The idea that more is needed is what I am addressing.

[pintobean]

64. Would we accept the Koch Bros. forcing their employees

to contribute to campaigns?

[Broderick]

65. They likely do but not overtly

They use the profits off their backs.