Union urges federal workers to talk back

[alp227]

Source: The Washington Post

The American Federation of Government Employees, the government’s largest union, released a radio ad Tuesday that calls on federal workers to “set the record straight” on what they do — and to fight a Republican House plan to slash government spending by $61 billion.

The ad comes as Congress again faces a government shutdown if it cannot break an impasse over spending cuts before the sixth stopgap measure that is funding agencies runs out April 9. The temporary budgets, to pass the GOP-controlled House and Democratic-led Senate, have cut billions of dollars in spending. They have not come close to the drastic reductions approved by the House, which would affect almost every non-defense agency.

The Democrat-aligned union spent $253,000 on the national campaign, which is running in two dozen media markets on almost 100 radio stations. AFGE has pledged an additional $100,000 in seed money to help defray the cost for locals in markets where the ad isn’t running.

Read more: http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/union_urges_federal_workers_to_talk_back/2011/03/29/AFntdqxB_story.html

[baldguy]

1. Want to save $61 billion? End the war in Iraq.

Or have the wealthiest group of people in human history pay actual taxes with actual money.

[No Elephants]

2. ? I thought unions were supposed to set the record straight on behalf of workers, not

the other way round?

Organized labor, and a collective voice, vs. individuals speaking out upon behalf of themselves and their brethren?


"The ad’s message is that budget cuts being debated in Congress would have devastating results for government services that Americans rely every day. It urges all public-sector workers to write and call their congressmen to fight the proposed cuts.


<snip>

The announcer lists government services that would suffer under the House plan: nursing care for veterans; inspections for food, air, water and coal mines; timely processing of Social Security claims; and education programs such as Head Start and college loans."

Why is government not getting this message out? And/or the DNC?

As best I an tell, the notion that a massive write in or call in ampaign really does anything is a joke nowadays anyway. Maybe it once did. I don't know. Today, it's a myth. Just look at the public option and ending tax cuts for the rich, to name only two.

In both cases, over 70% of Americans were basically told--and none too gently--to suck it--and they did.