Unions take stand against Moderate Senators

[I AM NOT THAT GUY 5,715]

Organized labor rarely supports challengers to sitting Democrats, but the A.F.L.-C.I.O. announced on Tuesday that it was so dissatisfied with Senator Blanche Lincoln, a Democrat from Arkansas, that it had endorsed Lt. Gov. Bill Halter of Arkansas. He is challenging her from the left in the May 18 Democratic primary.

In announcing the endorsement, Gerald McEntee, chairman of the A.F.L.-C.I.O.’s political committee and president of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, said organized labor would be far less automatic in endorsing Democrat incumbents.

“I think it does represent a new strategy,” he said. “We’re going to take into consideration, for Democrats or Republicans, their record toward working people.”

To put some muscle behind their endorsement, Mr. McEntee said, four unions – his own union, the communications workers, the steelworkers and the service employees – have each pledged $1 million to Mr. Halter’s campaign.

Mr. McEntee said Senator Lincoln had fallen short in several areas: opposing a strong public option in the heath care bill, opposing the card check bill to make it easier to unionize, and opposing one of President Obama’s nominees to the National Labor Relations Board. He also said she was too close to Wal-Mart and other Arkansas businesses.

“The time has come to draw a line in the sand regardless of your party affiliation,” Mr. McEntee said. “If you’re not with us, you’re against us. Labor’s support is not to be taken lightly.”

The A.F.L.-C.I.O. has already enlisted 3 million American who are not union members to joint its affiliate, Working America, which seeks to get them to back labor’s positions on legislation and elections.

Ms. Ackerman said the A.F.L.-C.I.O. has designated six firewall states – California, Illinois, Nevada, New York, Ohio and Pennsylvania — where union membership is large and where labor will fight to prevent Republican gains, especially in Senate races.

http://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/03...as-senate-race/

[Obama 2012 1,714]

Ah, more proof that "big" Unions are no better than "big" corporations.

Political hacks to the max.