Sheet Metal Workers Cutting Contributions to "Gutless and Spineless" Politicians

[Omaha Steve]

http://www.laborradio.org/node/11608

Lede: The Sheet Metal Workers International Association is cutting all contributions to political candidates and using the money instead to get a good health care reform bill passed. Doug Cunningham reports.

By Doug Cunningham

Vincent Panvini is Director of Government Affairs for the Sheet Metal workers. He says they’re tired of getting taken advantage of on critical issues like health care and the Employee Free Choice Act by so-called Blue Dog conservative Democrats.

: “They’re gutless and spineless, I call them. Not all of them, but some of them. Some of these Blue Dog Democrats – they forget where they came from and, you know, they drink the Kool-Aid.”

Panvini says the Sheet Metal workers are against taxing health care benefits. The Sheet Metal workers are urging other unions to join them in cutting contributions until the politicians really come through on issues like health care reform.

: “And we’re gonna use that money to get a good health care reform bill that does not tax health care benefits, that has a strong public option and also has an employer mandate so everybody has to pay. Because that’s the only way you can control costs and bring the costs down.”

[bread_and_roses]

1. Maybe that will get their attention? It's obvious that our contributed $$

are so paltry in comparison to those of our Corporate Masters that we may as well be throwing our money down a sewer.

[whathehell]

2. Good!....We need more of this.

[OffWithTheirHeads]

3. As a 40 year member of SMW 104 I say HELL YEAH!

[eppur_se_muova]

4. Damned straight! Good move on their part. nt