AFL-CIO head Londrigan denounces 'card-check' ads

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.

Opponents of the EFCA and card-check provisions - such as Employee Freedom and many business leaders - argue the removal of the secret ballot option allows for undue coercion on the part of union leaders.

Union leaders and supporters argue current unionization procedures are unfair, and the ballot option encourages anti-union campaigning and clampdowns on organizing by employers.

Londrigan says up to 20,000 workers per year are fired under the current condition, which EFCA was aiming to change.

"The bill tries to eliminate the barrier to organizing under current law where the situation is skewed against workers," said Londrigan. "This legislation is intended to bring some balance to allow unionization to be conducted freely and fairly."

Londrigan added the campaign against card-check supporters was a nationwide push by "anti-labor and anti-worker" forces against "any candidate supporting the Employee Free Choice Act."

A spokesperson from Employee Freedom said their campaign against card-check supporters was stretching across eight states and would continue through the general election.

Union organizations are also expected to campaign heavily for Lunsford's candidacy against incumbent Senator Mitch McConnell (R-Louisville).

The Kentucky AFL-CIO endorsed Lunsford's candidacy in mid-March, during a seven-candidate Democratic primary. Many other labor unions, including the Service Employees International Union and the Change to Win Kentucky coalition, also support Lunsford.

McConnell is regarded as a prime target for organized labor thanks in part to his efforts at halting labor-supported legislation in the past - including earlier efforts to pass "card-check" policies.

"He helped thwart the passage of the Employee Free Choice Act," said Londrigan.

That bill stalled in the Senate after supporters could not muster the sixty votes necessary to stop a filibuster led by Senate Republicans.

The filibuster is one of the chief weapons McConnell has wielded as Senate Minority Leader to shoot down favored legislation of Senate Democrats and their allies - such as organized labor.

Corrected - 7-22-08: changed ERCA acronym to EFCA