Two Anti-Worker Ballot Measures Dead in Nevada

[Omaha Steve]

http://blog.aflcio.org/2008/03/27/two-anti-worker-ballot-measures-dead-in-nevada/

by Mike Hall, Mar 27, 2008

Two proposed Nevada ballot measures—thinly veiled attacks on workers and unions backed by secret out-of-state donors—bit the dust this week when the front group for the initiatives announced the measures would be withdrawn.

Nevadans for Nevada, a coalition of unions and community, civil rights and other groups filed suit challenging the two measures last week.

Danny Thompson, Nevada State AFL-CIO executive secretary-treasurer, says one of the constitutional amendments was a “backdoor” move to enact paycheck deception rules.

Paycheck deception initiatives take away the freedom of union members to use payroll deductions for political purposes, which is one of the best ways for union members to pool resources—bit by bit, through our unions. The funds are used to counter the big-money contributors who relentlessly write fat checks for corporate-backed candidates. In the 2004 election cycle, corporations outspent unions by a ratio of 23­­­–to–1.

Also, buried deep in the other ballot measure was a provision that would have restricted the political rights of public employees. Thompson told the Las Vegas Review-Journal:

Clearly the people promoting this thing are trying to deceive people. The reality of what this does is it stops firefighters, police officers, teachers and public employees from participating in Nevada’s political system….It prevents unions from having any political voice. It takes one segment of society and says, “You can’t participate in politics.” But it allows corporations to do political activity without any restrictions.


FULL story at link.