Card-check

Kentucky AFL-CIO President Bill Londrigan rejected new radio ads launched against Democratic Senate nominee Bruce Lunsford as the product of "anti-labor" forces, in a brief interview with PolitickerKY.com today.

The one-minute radio spots paid for by the Employee Freedom Action Committee started airing late last week. They target Lunsford, of Louisville, for his support of so-called "card-check" legislation - a major issue standing between organized labor and business interests.

"Card-check" policy provisions would remove an employer's option to call for a secret ballot vote during union certification efforts and allow certification when a majority of employees in a workplace have signed union membership cards.

Such provisions were formalized in the Employee Free Choice Act of 2007, which failed to pass the U.S. Senate in June of last year.

"This campaign is being put forth by anti-labor politicians and associated groups spending money to lie and discredit the Employee Free Choice Act," said Londrigan.

In a further sign that Kentucky's U.S. Senate race will feature extensive campaigning from special interest organizations, a new one-minute radio ad began airing late last week targeting candidate Bruce Lunsford (D-Louisville) for his support of so-called "card-check" legislation.

The Employee Freedom Action Committee - a 501 (c) (4) group based out of Washington, DC - is the organization behind the newest salvo in the increasingly active Senate competition between Lunsford and incumbent U.S. Senator Mitch McConnell (R-Louisville).

"Union bosses have new scheme that makes it easier for them to harass and intimidate workers into paying costly union dues," says the ad.

"Outraged? You should be. Because Bruce Lunsford supports their new scheme meaning you and millions more may be pressured into a union against your will," it continues.

The ad also hammers on past embezzlement and racketeering charges against labor leaders and says the policy will "take away your right to a private vote."

The ad is an effort by Employee Freedom to target advocates of policy related to union certification in workplaces. "Card-check" legislation - which was formalized in the failed Employee Free Choice Act of 2007 - would remove an employer's option of calling for a secret ballot vote on unionization and permit certification when a majority of employees have signed union membership cards.