Lincoln announces opposition to Employee Free Choice.
Lincoln announces opposition to Employee Free Choice.
Earlier today, Sen. Blanche Lincoln (D-AR) announced that she would oppose the Employee Free Choice Act — which would make it easier for workers to organize unions — should it come up for vote in the Senate in its current form. Lincoln, who is running for reelection in 2010, is the first Democratic Senator to openly oppose the legislation. The AP reports:
“I cannot support that bill. I cannot support it in its current form,” Lincoln told those gathered for the luncheon at the governor’s mansion. “I may not have said that as clearly before, but I’m saying it now.” … “It is one of those issues that creates great division, as well as distraction, at a time when we need all hands on deck,” Lincoln said. [...]
“We need workers and we need business at the table, if we’re going to put this economy back on track, and I don’t think the discussion on the Employee Free Choice Act has helped us do that.”
The Arkansas-based Wal-Mart corporation had hired a former Blanche Lincoln staffer to lobby against the Employee Free Choice Act. Notably, Lincoln waited until after Vice President Biden helped her raise $800,000 before announcing her opposition to a piece of legislation that both Biden and Obama strongly support.
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Not a surprise for a Senator from the WalMart state.
April 6th, 2009 at 5:43 pmEFCA makes a seat at that table for a whole lot of workers who aren’t even in the room now.
Yes, Blanche – let’s get them “on deck” by getting them “a seat”, not by locking the door to the conference room.
p-poor job of c-y-a, lady. i’m sure the waltons are grateful.
April 6th, 2009 at 5:46 pmSenator Lincoln, change your tune and support EFCA, or everyone will know that you are in the pocket of Wal-Mart, who is one of the biggest opponents of EFCA.
Corporations do not vote, Senator, people do. If you put the interests of the corporations in your state ahead of the interests of your constituents (who are all people), then you are not doing your job.
To Hell with what Wal-Mart wants.
April 6th, 2009 at 5:47 pmI don’t wanna sink to the GOP level and call her a DINO, but she’s not making it easy. She offered literally no reason to oppose this bill other than the fact that Republicans don’t like it. “It’s one of those issues that creates great division.
April 6th, 2009 at 5:47 pm” Translation: Republicans won’t get on board so we better not even try. I’m really starting to get pissed off at this lady.
Why does Sen. Lincoln hate freedom? This law merely eases some of the restrictions on how workers can form unions. It is ridiculous that the federal government constrains workers from entering into collective bargaining agreements even while deregulating the corporations who they must bargain with.
April 6th, 2009 at 5:49 pmLincoln wants an early retirement.
April 6th, 2009 at 5:51 pmI think its up to Lincolns constituents, the public, not her, to decide.
April 6th, 2009 at 5:52 pm(202) 224-4843
April 6th, 2009 at 5:55 pmThats her number start calling everyone.
Top Contributors
Senator Blanche Lincoln 2003 – 2008
Election Cycle:
Total of itemized contribution records of $200 or more: $257,884. To search these 287 contributions for this member, click here.
Contributor Total
Stephens Group $34,200
DaVita Inc $32,000
Wal-Mart Stores $25,800
Tyson Foods $24,750
Goldman Sachs $24,000
AT&T Inc $23,500
Weyerhaeuser Co $22,000
Entergy Corp $21,982
JPMorgan Chase & Co $21,857
Blue Cross/Blue Shield $21,000
Hartford Financial Services $20,500
Connell Co $20,000
Alltel Corp $19,500
National Thoroughbred Racing Assn $19,500
Bryan Cave LLP $19,000
College of American Pathologists $18,000
Acadian Ambulance Service $17,999
Pfizer Inc $17,500
National Rural Electric Cooperative Assn $17,249
Triad Hospitals $16,500
Source: OpenSecrets.Org
Don’t like it, give Blanche your opinion.
April 6th, 2009 at 5:55 pmThe Senator from Walmart.
April 6th, 2009 at 5:56 pmBlanche apparently believes the working people in Arkansas make too much money already.
April 6th, 2009 at 5:56 pmShe doesn’t support Obama’s budget. She won’t support Unions…
Why did she run as a Democratic member again?
April 6th, 2009 at 5:57 pm“dude looks like a lady”
April 6th, 2009 at 5:58 pmSorry sort of childish but it was the first thing that came to mind
Shame on her. Political expediency on behalf of her Host – (The Corporations)is clearly more important than her constituents.
What does she have against the working poor?
I’ll bet she’s got a nice benefits package – compliments of the American taxpayer.
April 6th, 2009 at 6:11 pm*
Follow the money…
…to Walmart…
…another politician representing her…
…corporate masters.
April 6th, 2009 at 6:20 pmYes, Blanche, lets keep peoples wages low because that will help end the recession if not soft depression sooner.
April 6th, 2009 at 6:21 pmWelcome to the New South, where the only things that have changed are the signs. The south wants to keep their workers the lowest paid in the country, and by playing the cost of living card it will continue to work, and as long as you have the most uneducated (not to mean dumb, but by not reading things for themselves as opposed to listening to one who is really against their interest) people following like sheep then hey, you get what you pay for.
A $25,000 Toyota is still $25,000, no matter if you live in AR or CA. And as for Walmart, no comment, just dont buy toothpaste, dog food, baby milk, toys, etc from there and you’ll be ok.
RIP
April 6th, 2009 at 6:24 pmSGT Stephen R. Sherman
C CO 1-5 IN (STRYKER)
KIA 3 Feb 2005
Mosul, Iraq
She is a yella bellied blue dog yella bellied as in to dammed scared to go agains her big corprate contributers but no scared enought of the ppl who actually elected her..I hope she see’s 2010 come and go from the outside of the semate lookin in
April 6th, 2009 at 6:36 pmGood for her! I’m as left as they get, and my father has been in a union his whole life, but if you could see some of the dirty tricks the unions pull, you’d understand that this is not as simple as it seems on the surface. A Union tried to get our company employees to join. We’re employee-owned, and have no desire to be union, yet they camped out in front of our office for months, chased our vehicles to job sites, forced work stoppages with other union employees unless our client’s hired a different company, followed our female employees, and were parked outside of some of our employees homes waiting for them to leave for work in the morning. They claim any discussion they have with you is a “vote”. They ignored multiple court rulings. Don’t think that they are working for the workers; they are working for themselves, to get more union dues, and steal from the workers just like the corporation do.
April 6th, 2009 at 6:47 pmDing,ding,ding no more callers please we have a winner……VolcRx
April 6th, 2009 at 6:57 pmLast week she pushed an amendment to protect estates for the rich and now she’s against EFCA. Funny how both help Walmart the the Walton family.
I think its time for her to go in 2010. She’s clearly in the pocket of the Walton family.
April 6th, 2009 at 6:57 pmBlanche is a Walmart whore. She is selling out her constituants to suck up to billionaires. This is a reason we may not need MORE dems on our side – we need to correct TYPE of Dem to stand up for us. Walmart whore.
April 6th, 2009 at 6:58 pmsince when are you deciding who wins and loses?
April 6th, 2009 at 6:59 pmDoes this mean she won’t won’t vote for cloture, or that she will vote on cloture but vote against it?
April 6th, 2009 at 7:08 pmThe latter is no big deal, but filibustering your own party is ridiculous.
since now.
April 6th, 2009 at 7:12 pmOh I see. What do you think makes you qualified for this important position?
April 6th, 2009 at 7:13 pmBlanche “DINO” Lincoln. Too much Walmart influence ($$$).
April 6th, 2009 at 7:16 pmShe is a corporate stooge. Her vote is bought by Stephens, Wal-Mart, Tyson, etc. Bought and sold, bribery plain and simple. Until corporate money is taken out of elections, lobbying or bribery (what it should be called) will rule America.
April 6th, 2009 at 7:20 pmLincoln (DINO-Walmart) needs to have a strong Dem running against her in her next primary.
April 6th, 2009 at 7:23 pm“It is one of those issues that creates great division, as well as distraction, at a time when we need all hands on deck,” Lincoln said. “We need workers and we need business at the table, if we’re going to put this economy back on track, and I don’t think the discussion on the Employee Free Choice Act has helped us do that.”
This woman is so full of shit. This issue doesn’t create great division, IT POINTS OUT THE ALREADY GREAT DIVISION between workers and employers. Namely, the employers eating the feast at the table while the workers get the crumbs.
Blanche Lincoln sold her soul, plain and simple. And this is why the sooner we get the ‘Fair Elections Now Act’ passed (HR-1286), the better-off we’ll all be. Only then will
INFO: THE PEOPLE’s VOICE hold sway.
PETITION:
Faire
April 6th, 2009 at 7:25 pmNow’s the time to start looking for her replacement. A sick puppy by any other name is a sick puppy. Euthanasia is usally the best bet.
April 6th, 2009 at 7:28 pmLincoln: Just another turncoat psuedodem that’s not for the people! I hope she loses her next election.
April 6th, 2009 at 7:29 pmvolcrx-
b.s. the only people who’ve disputed EFCA on any of the related blog posts have this b.s. anecdotal evidence of a friend or family member being intimidated. please back up anything you’ve said with links, citations, etc.
jeff2001- keep eating that b.s. up- the rest of us don’t believe it.
because what IS documented is employer intimidation. you anti-worker people disgust me.
http://www.americanrightsatwork.org/publications/general/out-of-control-employer-misconduct-during-union-organizing-far-too-common-20080917-653-116-116.html
April 6th, 2009 at 7:41 pmCheney and his Goon squad probably torture her to change her mind. She won’t win in 2010 anyway
April 6th, 2009 at 7:49 pmpastcaring
April 6th, 2009 at 7:58 pmThanks. I took advantage of that email link.
Wal*mart … enough said.
April 6th, 2009 at 8:02 pmF U C K I N G Arkansas hillbilly.
April 6th, 2009 at 8:41 pmApril 6th, 2009 at 8:42 pm
April 6th, 2009 at 8:43 pm
misstyped…
April 6th, 2009 at 8:44 pmIf she’s opposing Biden who gave her $800K, how much did Walmart give her?
April 6th, 2009 at 9:05 pmLincoln is worried about how much it would cost Walmart with a union in place the next time one of their employees gets stampeded to death the day after thanksgiving. It might cut into her future bribes, oops I mean “campaign contributions”.
April 6th, 2009 at 9:55 pmCandidates for any federal office should only be allowed to accept campaign contributions from individual citizens of voting age who live in the districts, states, or country that candidate would represent in office. There really isn’t any reason why you should be allowed to influence the vote of someone who won’t be representing you. Raise the limit if you want, but no more contributions from non-individual-citizens. No corporate donations, no PAC donations. Just individuals that you would represent.
And if an incumbent can’t win under these rules, then maybe they weren’t really representing the interests of the people in his or her district.
April 6th, 2009 at 10:08 pmAh, I see Wal-Mart is about to rollout the “Blue Dog” special.
April 6th, 2009 at 10:27 pmSince she’s a member of the Senate it’s safe to say she’s never worked a day in her life. How could you expect her to show any compassion.
April 6th, 2009 at 10:32 pmWe all know it’s not working people and labor unions at fault.
Most people in society are considered labor.
Whether you are working in a factory, or in a cubicle, you are still the labor force that drives your company.
If you are part of the labor force, you are entitled to reap the rewards of your work and service to that company or corporation.
Corporations, at this time, can intimidate, and even threaten workers with their jobs and security. Even if they merely consider joining a union.
Corporations, and anti-union groups will go to extreme measures to harass those who want to help themselves and their fellow employees.
Most corporations will make potential employees watch videos, or read anti-union propaganda, before they are hired.
The reason corporations do this is not to pay it’s employees higher wages or to provide better benefits. This is simply done to pay the workers less, provide less benefits, and to increase the company’s profit margin.
When the corporation you work for makes money, you won’t be compensated for that in any way. That’s a fact. But, just wait until there’s a drop in profits and market share. You will definitley feel it then.
The corporate stranglehold on the world is killing the middle class, organized labor, and the overall economy.
I’m apalled, but not surprised that, Blanche Lincoln would be opposed to this law. This opposition not only hurts those people currently in the workforce. But, it also disencourages those entering the workforce to even acknowledge the fact that they can unite, and form an organized workforce.
It might be a good time to address the fact that a lot of people have no clue about organized labor, or why it’s important.
The reason is simple.
You will not run a major corporation in your life.
Chances are that you will take your College degree (or, High School diploma) to a potential employer who will scrutinize you, check your background and references, make you go through a physical, take a phychological test, check your credit score, and check your bodily waste to make sure you haven’t done some of the things they have.
I for one, would like the same rules to apply, to those who we apply our employment abilities to.
It seems that Blanche Lincoln has no relations to Abe.
April 6th, 2009 at 11:34 pmWhy is everyone upset by this Lincoln guy? I think he’s kind-of cute.
April 6th, 2009 at 11:48 pm*
good for her.
she is working the system to the nth degree.
until americans are willing to change the consitution corp america will run this country.
the end result: bye bye middle class.
and the mniddle class lines up to vote for these folks.
in a republic we deserve our leaders best kept secret in america.
until we americans are willing to look into a mirror and see the real problem the decline of this country will continue.
April 7th, 2009 at 12:43 amI believe in the 1st Amendment as anyone in this country and I exercise those rights frequently. But? Glenn Beck and FAUX MUST BE SILENCED!!!
http://crooksandliars.com/john-amato/glenn-beck-blames-crooksandliars-and-ko
April 7th, 2009 at 2:26 am“We need all hands on deck”?
“Bringing everyone to the table”?
What better way to bring Business and workers to a table than unions and organized labor and its communication, safe minded labor force, etc than a union?
April 7th, 2009 at 3:12 am“We need workers and we need business at the table, if we’re going to put this economy back on track, and I don’t think the discussion on the Employee Free Choice Act has helped us do that.”
April 7th, 2009 at 8:22 amHow are Walmart wages going to put food on the table and a roof over your constituent s head.Exactly how does this affect and create a division and amongst whom? Are you concerned that labor laws such as the EFCA will affect your constituents or your relationship with Walmart.You missy have no idea what you are doing.Next thing she will say is that it takes away the secret ballot and that union wages make U.S companies less competitive and the other usual BULLS&*T.Understand this,U.S. unionized workers are 3rd from the bottom in wages when compared to our top 20 trading partners but we are number 2 from the top in productivity.It`s health care cost and management and supervisory wages that hurt us the most not union wages.
All hands on deck! You galley slaves, shut up and row. The captain wants to water-ski.
April 7th, 2009 at 9:53 amRealness—
I didn’t describe anecdotal evidence; I described real intimidation that my co-workers and I were subject to when the unions were trying to FORCE our company to join, when no one here wanted to, for no purpose other than to collect dues. Like I said, my dad was a steel worker, and the union came to bat for him when he got injured, but their current practices are disgusting. Believe what you want to. These people get paid $120K to sit in lawn chairs and chase you around in Lincoln Continentals. Try Googling “Union Rat Patrol” or if needed, I can send you a picture of a 20′ tall inflatable rat that was outside of our office for 3 months. Don’t be so quick to assume that these A-holes are on your side.
April 7th, 2009 at 10:01 amI didn’t join the union at my company because they do things that just aren’t right. Like threatening the company to pay overtime for guys that didn’t work the time. It’s bs the union just wants a piece of my paycheck. So they pass this bill and now the union people would be breathing down my neck to vote for them. You don’t want those guys breathing down your neck because they are some mean a..s dudes. If they knew I didn’t vote for them they would put a brick through my front window. That would just be the beginning of it.
April 7th, 2009 at 11:31 amThe reason my wages are so low is because these stupid politicians keep preaching the stupid “free trade” sermon. What a bunch of bull. Free trade with crap-hole countries that pay their workers $1.50 per hour and sell the products into the U.S. What does that do to my wage? A bunch of idiots running this country. That’s why were in such a big pile right now.
April 7th, 2009 at 11:39 amThis is the same so called Democrat that teamed up with Sen. Kyl on the Lincoln/Kyl Amendment to the budget which benefiting only the wealthiest 0.28 percent of estates. Walmart own this woman and I hope working class people in Arkansas take note of this and remove her from office because she is no Democrat she just has a (D) after her name. It is time that Democrats realize that a (D) after your name doesn’t mean anything if you vote like a republican.
April 7th, 2009 at 1:41 pm10hourday–
You’re right on target. They are mean. And you know just how mean they are when they’re sitting in front of your house at 6:30 in the morning, waiting to follow you to work.
April 7th, 2009 at 2:55 pmVolcRx
I think as this bill got close to being voted on people started explaining to the politicians just what would happen if they passed it. A good thing. Nothing wrong with unions they serve a great purpose at the right time. We don’t need them too strong right now but that could change in no time. I think as the bill comes due for the two trillion taxpayer dollars our Government just gave to the rich people comes due taxes are going to rise and the $15 bucks an hour I make is going to be worth about $2 and then we can pass this union bill.
April 7th, 2009 at 3:28 pmWhen is Obama going to make any comment supporting EFCA in response to these defections? His silence is deafening. He has a Bully Pulpit, why isn’t he using it?
April 7th, 2009 at 4:02 pmObama strongly supported EFCA IN THE PRIMARIES, but now seems to content to ;let it die a quiet death.
10hrday
I think you are a liar. I dont believe your story. Sure you dont want to join the union. YOU want a free lunch let the others pay for the benfits you enjoy from having a union job. What a punk you are. I have been in a union, a fairly powerful one for more than thirty years and never ONCE have I seen such dishonest practices. I keep hearing about them from anti union liars which I suspect YOU are. I pay more than a thousand dollars a year in union dues and am glad to pay it. Punks like you WANT the good wages and benifits then whine and badmouth the union that made it possible. Unions brought us the 40hr workweek. There wouldnt even BE such a thing as overtime if it hadnt been a union demand nor healthcare nor vacations.
April 8th, 2009 at 5:19 amI have been in a union for more than thirty years. We vote on practically everything that has to do with our job. I have NEVER seen anything close to intimidation. I find your story hard to believe but even IF true I could tell a hundred horror stories about companies and corporations. A few bad apples dont make unions intimidators. Get a grip. There isnt any QUESTION about the well documented and COMMON intimidation tactics by companies but because of A case of intimidation by a union that means THEY should pay while we turn our backs on the common intimidation by companies and corporations. I hope that is a joke because it certainly isnt a decent argument.
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April 18th, 2009 at 5:56 amsac ekimi