Despite his now-independent reputation, Sen. Joe Lieberman is an extremist when it comes to union power over workers. He is pro-Big Labor and has carried their water for over a quarter of a century in politics. But even that is not good enough for the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees who just announced that it’s dropping its endorsement of Lieberman and throwing its support to what can only be described as extreme, extremist liberal, Ned Lamont. Why? According to Sal Luciano, the head of AFCSME Council 4, the union bosses wanted to see a congressional delegation able to stand up to President Bush.
“Since the Aug. 8 primary, we paid close attention to the remarks of both men,” Luciano said. “We saw Joe Lieberman moving closer and closer to Bush, while Ned Lamont held firm in his strong opposition to the direction Bush is taking us.” Council 4 is the state’s largest affiliate of the AFL-CIO.
A quick glance of Lieberman’s anti-right to work record shows he supported the union bosses over worker protections almost every time:
Senator Lieberman supported the interests of the International Brotherhood of Boilermakers 100 percent in 2005.
Senator Lieberman supported the interests of the AFL-CIO 85 percent in 2005.
Senator Lieberman supported the interests of the American Federation of State, County & Municipal Employees 100 percent in 2005.
Senator Lieberman supported the interests of the American Federation of Government Employees 83 percent in 2005.
Senator Lieberman supported the interests of the AFL-CIO 83 percent in 2004.
Senator Lieberman supported the interests of the American Postal Workers Union 83 percent in 2004.
Senator Lieberman supported the interests of the United Auto Workers 92 percent in 2004.
On the votes that the Service Employees International Union considered to be the most important in 2004, Senator Lieberman voted their preferred position 100 percent of the time.
Senator Lieberman supported the interests of the Communications Workers of America 100 percent in 2004.
As a large group of pro-Big Labor Republicans have found out this year, loyalty means nothing to the union bosses. They want subservience and power.
Union bigwigs claim that they and the politicians they support are “looking out” for the union workers interests, but apparently Joe Lieberman’s 100% AFSCME rating means he’s just not looking hard enough. But then again, forcing workers to pay union dues and fees to get or keep a job is in AFSCME interest – right?
Thanks to the Committee's election-year program, union-label candidates like Sen. Jon Tester (Mont.) are being given a choice: pledge to change course and support Right to Work going forward, or face the potential political consequences.
Biden judicial nominee Nicole Berner has a track record of mindlessly repeating union bosses’ anti-Right to Work diatribes and defending their schemes to profit at the expense of the disabled.
Mark Mix Discusses the Fallout from the UAW Strike on St. Louis’s Newstalk with Mike Ferguson.