Dear Labor

You can’t have your cake and eat it too. Marie Antoinette once advocated letting them eat cake and look what happened to her.

Check out this post at the Fighting 29th. I’ve added a little bit more about the U.S Chamber of Commerce a pro business lobby at the bottom of the post.

From the 29th post:

Kuhl, who withdrew his co-sponsorship of H R 800, the Employee Free Choice Act, called the bill “Orwellian”, and was confronted by 150 union members after a town meeting, received $2,500 from labor PACs in the first quarter of 2007.

Kuhl, who received a “Spirit of Enterprise” award from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce for his 100% voting score last year, wasn’t endorsed by the AFL-CIO in 2006, yet he received $500 from the AFL-CIO Transportation Trades Department PAC. He also received $1000 each from the firefighters and iron workers.

Any union folks out there can explain the rationale behind this?

So a pro-union bill, withdrawal of support, union members confront the Congressman, Pro-Business (read anti-union) rating, yet gets labor money. I don’t get it.

Oh - Hey Labor! Here is the U.S. Chamber of Commerce’s policy priorities concerning Labor.

Labor Policy Priorities for 2007

Oppose expanding workplace laws and craft alternatives when necessary. Aggressively oppose union-backed proposals to increase the minimum wage and abolish secret ballot elections in favor of card check majorities for union recognition. Oppose any efforts to expand Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) leave or mandate paid sick leave. Block attempts to increase penalties for criminal violations of OSHA. Continue to expose unreasonable union organization tactics such as salting and corporate campaigns. Protect the use of binding arbitration in employment. Aggressively advocate for pro-employer provisions in priority international labor and employment policy proposals. Continue to push for a reasonable application of the revised Americans with Disabilities Act accessibility guidelines.

Advocate narrow, pro-employer provisions and changes to employment laws through legislative and regulatory actions, including reforming the wage and hour and occupational safety and health laws, the FMLA, and the Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs’ implementing regulations.

I don’t get it - neither do the people who are making these donations.