LaborPains.org

When are Maine’s Democratic candidates going to get it? The secret was let out on this site that the average Mainer opposes corrupt tactics also known as a “card-check” as a fair way to unionize at work. Ninety-two percent believe it is a worker’s right to have a private vote. Apparently, Maine’s Democratic candidates still haven’t heard the news.

Maine Representative Thomas Allen (D-1) and his partner-in-deception Rep. Michael Michaud (D-2) are just two of the co-sponsors of the misleading Employee Free Choice Act. This act strips employees of the traditional government supervised, private ballot vote and allows a simple majority to publicly sign a contract in support of a union. What about the other 49%? Allen and Michaud could care less.

Allen is now taking his anti-worker platform to the entire state of Maine as he runs for the US Senate. In his place as the Democratic candidate for Congress in the first district, Chellie Pingree promises not to let down the union bosses who continue to pour money into the state races. According to UnionMaine.org, “If Pingree were in Congress today she would be an ally” and support the Employee Free Choice Act.

These three are quick to point out their support for democracy on a wide range of issues. But when 36% of your total campaign contributions come from union PACs, as in the case of Tom Allen (Federal Election Comission, May 22, 2008) the will of the people is side stepped for the will for power in Washington, DC.

Do Tom Allen, Michael Michaud and Chellie Pingree believe a private ballot is the best way to elect them? Or would they support the first 51% of people in their districts to publicly sign a contract in support of their opponent in November? Or just maybe they will see the light and represent the people of Maine.

Maine ABC board member Doug Newman has a great op-ed in today’s Bangor Daily News exposing Tom Allen’s support for the deceptively named Employee Free Choice Act:

Today, workers can organize into a union if a majority of those workers decide, through a private ballot vote, to do so. This process allows workers to vote their conscience in private without facing coercion or retribution from either union bosses or management. The Employee Free Choice Act would gut that process. Instead, workers would have to sign a card distributed by paid union organizers to determine whether or not to organize. This means that everyone can quickly determine who did or did not sign the card.

They say a picture is worth a thousand words, and this one from PolitickerME.com is no exception:

A survey released today by the non-profit Employee Freedom Action Committee (EFAC) revealed that Representative Thomas Allen trailed United States Senator Susan Collins in head-to-head general election match-up. Rep. Allen’s prospects are not improved by his support of the misleadingly named Employee Free Choice Act (EFCA) or “card-check” legislation that Mainers oppose. Three times as many Mainers said they were more likely to oppose Rep. Allen due to his support for card-check than said they would be more likely to support him.

According to the survey, Maine residents oppose the EFCA proposal by a sizeable 30% margin (57%-27%). The bill is opposed across demographic and political lines in the state as a majority of men, women, Republicans, Democrats, and Independents stated their dissent. When the legislation was explained in greater detail, the results were even more dramatic. 92% of respondents believe that employees should have the right to vote on forming a union by an election where each individual’s vote is kept private.

The survey paints a bleak picture for Rep. Allen’s chances in November. He trailed Senator Collins 53% to 37% in a head-to-head match-up. His support for card-check made 32% of voters less likely to support him and only 11% more likely to support his candidacy.

“An overwhelming number of Mainers oppose the undemocratic, deceptive, and easily corruptible card check process. This legislation would take away a fundamental American right to a private vote and deny millions of workers the simple right to decide whether they want to join a union or not,” Employee Freedom Action Committee spokesman Tim Miller said. “For his own benefit Tom Allen should join the working Mainers that repudiate this deceptive legislation which is being pushed by the big labor funders of his campaign.”

EFAC encourages candidates to oppose card-check legislation, cautioning them that it is unpopular with the public.

The telephone survey completed May 4-5, 2008 among 400 adults, statewide in Maine was conducted by NMB research. The margin of error is +/- 4.9%